Author's Note : Yes, Yaozu's plan is a twist on why a Triad Assassin ends up training students in the far future, I.E. the why and how Fon can rescue the last of a legendary assassin-family line out of the Triads then ask Tsunayoshi to care for her without massive problems arising.
No, we're not going through the whole 'Lightnings are the easiest to brainwash' conversation with Galina and Tatiana. We've covered the details already, reviewing it all would take up a significant portion of the word-count for each chapter and this was blown up as it was by end-chapter events. And I'd like Shamal to come back into the story already.
For the castle, the original stone is a kind of pale-tannish thing edged with red paint. It shifts depending on the daylight so I can get away with variations of 'pale'. Daybreak would be a more light-dusky-pink and ends at sunset with a darker-tan-orange. As I couldn't do anything justice with the limitations of the engine I was using, I merely focused more on building up a basic floor plan then got carried away trying to match furniture/wallpapers to individuals to help me recall who's where. The single Sims3 outside picture in the main folder is the semi-sunken kitchen garden patch from the start of chapter 4. As we go along, if I need serious help with placing people in certain locations, I'll post more pictures to yet another folder of where things are taking place.
Lastly! Because someone's going to comment on it, no. Daniella's making a pun. It's not a typo.
Edited (9/26/2018) - Minor corrections.
Russian Roulette : Second Chamber
Chapter 10
(Tuesday the 26th of May, 1970. De Mort Castle, Moneglia, Province of Genoa, Liguria, Italian Republic.)
"You look like shit."
"Thanks, Nya. Just what I wanted to hear." Tatiana sourly snipped back, heavily slumping to the table and yawning. "Sorry about stealing 'Lina all night."
"I don't honestly care, there was nothing important she had to do just yet." Sonya took another bite of her eggs heaped on a triangle of toast before continuing. "I do appreciate you took a shower before crashing out with me."
"You're a brat." She informed her little sister, giving Cesare a grateful smile for the steaming mug of coffee with a dash of cream he brought her. "And you're fantastic."
"Of course I am." Boasted the murderous chef with a faux sniff of superiority. "Lovely Bossy Dragoness, I've already arranged to cover a three-day break with the equally lovely Ruslana, but just so you're aware…"
"Have fun."
The Italian, amusingly, purred a little chuckle before sauntering off in search of something back in the kitchen.
"So, Shamal's graduation is Thursday and not the start of the weekend…"
"Can I come?" Inquired the nurse curiously as she lowered her mug, earning herself a grateful smile from her baby sister.
"You can. We need to leave around lunch just to make it down there in decent time, and this is assuming Italy does overnight trains so really pack a bag and meet me in the foyer in a few hours. I've got a few last orders to give, then we'll go grab my brat."
"For what?"
"Shamal's got a basic bed and dresser already, but the whole reason this was the castle Bjǫrn picked over the others was because there's a stable out by the front gates. Brat wants horses, and while I think that'll be fine for getting around the property in decent time… I'm not entirely sure where to get them around here."
Tatiana stared at her little sister over her mug, then blinked slowly when all she got back was an inquiring expression. "…horses."
"…yes?"
"Can you adopt me? I want a pony too."
Sonya stared at her hard. "What the actual fuck, Tats?"
"Oh come on! I'll be a good daughter, very respectful and everything. I've got references!" Lisa might just find it amusing, or exasperating.
"You're weird." She announced flatly, stacking her empty dishes on top of each other to take to the kitchen.
Tatiana spared a moment of thought for getting down something nice and greasy to counter all the acidic alcohol she downed last night but discarded the idea. If they were going out, then there were going to be uncountable little cute cafes here or there to grab a quick bite. Or seven, given her caloric needs.
She wanted to do quite a few things, but Galina would not be up to talking about personal issues for another few days and Adrik probably had as much encouragement and information as he could stomach for as long.
Next week she had to get down to business in checkups, but Sonya promised her some medical supplies and disposable equipment before that could happen.
Getting up too, and immediately swinging back around for her mug of coffee, the nurse tracked down the assassin-chef of the kitchen. "Cesare! Can you fry me up something decently filling and slap it between two slices of bread to go?"
"Lovely and busty, I can do you one better." Insisted the Italian, apparently just putting on the finishing touches for something very similar to eggs benedict Ruslana had been tending for him. The whole affair was placed into a bun of what seemed to be potato bread, the hollandaise sauce slathered on top before being handed over to her.
"Oh… oh, damn. And I have a boyfriend, so I can't ask you to run away with me." Now she had something hot and heavenly in her hands she could actually feel her appetite return.
Cesare snorted, still grinning with good humor as he leaned back against his side of the kitchen's counters. "I shall take that as my due accolades, lovely."
"You're pretty good at picking out what to make for whom…" Tatiana started leadingly, nibbling a bit of sauce off her thumb before it could drip into her palm.
"It's almost too predictable." He dismissed, waving a hand around. "The Lovely Bossy Dragoness is simple. Eggs and bacon or some other breakfast meat, buttered toast and a plain bagel only if she feels the need. If she gets up to something interesting the evening before, oatmeal or a porridge and possibly a touch of fruit. She doesn't like runny eggs, so no sunny side up or over easy for her. No mushrooms, no tomatoes. We can have that ready and waiting within fifteen minutes. Ruslana and her delightful hubby are of a similar mind, although the 'Misty' parents differ in what they appreciate for breakfast. More porridge and less meat, but they are at least making some use of my considerable skills here or there on a rare meal. You, Adrik, and Hawk are all a lot more interesting to cook for."
Tatiana had to hum a few seconds, to swallow down her second bite of the very tasty portable meal she had meant to eat on her way up the stairs. "What of Verde and Scruffy? The new Chinese pair?"
"I've yet to hit on a good measure on the delightful young lady Mingxia, she just wants to wash the dishes instead of inform me what she would like to eat. The elderly man, now he is too wary of me to eat anything I expressly make. Verde almost never eats unless repeatedly reminded. I've been keeping an eye on the man and telling your long-suffering Adrik when and if he skips a meal as 'not important'."
Holding up a finger, which she then immediately popped into a mouth to clean off, the nurse silently begged for a few more moments. "That's more to do with his nature, probably. Lightings realize they're hungry when they get so, but unless they deal with it that very moment it can be shoved aside as other things come to their attentions and 'forgotten' about. It's probably long-standing habit, but it's a bad one to have."
Nodding his appreciation for her clarification, the chef continued reporting everyone's breakfast dietary preferences to her as he turned around and started in on another dish. "Adrik can order some very interesting items now and again, but usually only on the weekends. Hawk is just interested in tasting one of everything I can make, which I will admit is a lovely distraction to work through. Scruffy… ah, now Peter is interesting…"
Expertly cracking eggs against a bowl waiting to catch the liquids, she couldn't even manage that much as she kept breaking the shells into what she was trying to cook, Cesare flicked the empty shell halves into the little bin waiting at the end of his bank of counters without looking away from his heating pan.
"Peter occasionally asks about what I know of Maghreb cuisine, and unfortunately there's no local place to acquire some of the spices I would need for it. Phyllo is also rather labor intensive, I'm afraid, and so close to France the preference is for pâte feuilletée instead. Too much butter for what he or I would like in a pastille. Which continues a trend into the rest of the dishes I know how to make, either some of it must be prepared the previous day or done for a communal pot affair to be good." He hummed a little, fetching out a tin egg mold out of the sink and placing it in his pan before pouring in the eggs. "Shakshouka is thankfully easy enough to make him for breakfast, about once every four days. He appreciates it greatly."
"What's sha-ksh-whatever?"
"Eggs poached in a sauce made of tomatoes, chili peppers, onions, and some cumin."
"Ooh… that sounds tasty." Looking back at the half-finished sandwich, she studied his back. "Can you make me a bit? I've got to go pack, then when you get back bambino will be here."
"I've fed a Sun Flame user before, lovely and busty. I am just not as sure when it comes to the rest of your rainbow." Cesare informed her matter of factly, waving a spatula over a shoulder at her. "I won't think less of you eating your fill as you need, just let me know what hits the spot."
"…are you sure you don't want to run away with me?" Ganauche needed to learn to cook or something, otherwise Tatiana would put some serious thought into getting her baby sister's chef to run off with her. The food alone would be worth damn near anything.
The assassin barked a laugh, nipping a few halves of a muffin out of the toaster to plate up with his eggs and a little bit of ham. "Off you go, my dear. Before I get tempted with such lovely flattery."
(ooo000ooo)
(Tuesday the 26th of May, 1970 continued. De Mort Castle, Moneglia, Province of Genoa, Liguria, Italian Republic.)
The second move in a year left Mingxia even further from home and a tiny bit lost.
China was no longer just an uncomfortable distance to the southeast, everything from the streets to the climate was different yet again, and while she still had Master Yaozu and some of the people she came to know in the Moscow School number three-zero-five-four… there were even more important and distinctly different people here at Miss Sonya's Italian home.
She didn't even have schoolwork to keep her mind off things, they would not know what blanks she still needed to fill in or study harder for the next level of school until her testing scores were sent in. Those might just end up in her brother's hands before hers, and she would never mind Fong checking up on her… she was a little afraid of how badly she might've done.
The beds were too big, she had one room of many in another large building shared with others, she was pretty sure that Miss Anna's pet spider had been scurrying outside her door last night, and if she thought too much about her new situation Mingxia was afraid she'd start crying.
She wasn't adventurous and brave at heart, and while she liked speaking with others she preferred talking to those she knew well. However badly her brother attempted to reassure her traveling would become less scary the more she did it, the Rain did not feel as if she was made to traverse distant lands comfortably.
Two sensible brown leather shoes edged into her view, and startled she looked up to the mother of Larion the Rain. "Mrs… Tolmachyova?"
The older Russian woman hitched up her skirts and knelt down to help her scrub the cool marble of the ground floor's main hallway. "Hello, Miss Sōng. You looked just a tiny bit miserable over here all alone, so I was wondering if you'd like to talk."
"…oh, but Mrs. Tolmachyova! You shouldn't-"
"Young lady, I have been appointed the head of household for the time being. Miss Bazanova will allow you to run her off chores because if you would like to do it instead then she will not stop you, but I am responsible for keeping the castle clean and functional." With a gentle smile to take any sting out of her rebuke, the mother of a fellow Rain took up on of the sponges she had nearby incase the one she was using became too dirty. "I appreciate your care, but in this it is misplaced. I should be insisting you do not have to clean up after us, and that you have better things to do."
Mingxia rung her hands together, a tiny bit disturbed by that suggestion. "…I would not know what to do with myself if you did."
"I will not insist, then. But, may I suggest practicing your Italian? Exploring the nearby town for anything, like where to get more school supplies? Finding a few textbooks you and the others might need with Hawk? You will not be the only student living here, and my husband would appreciate the help in finding the proper stores to frequent." Dunking her sponge to get the dirt off, the older woman kept on scrubbing until she slowly joined her. "You could also gather the other children and find a school yourselves, although that will require a day set aside for it. You will have to go to another town for your education, as the closest schools for the age range you youngsters are is in Trigoso."
Oh, she should've thought of that herself. Mingxia knew perfectly well she had a poor understanding of science and history, and there were bookshelves upon bookshelves lining the floors of the castle. Surely she might be able to find something to study more within one or two, or she could ask the Sunny McScruffy and the Lightning Miss Galina for more work.
"Miss Sōng, I did not suggest that to make you feel worse."
"But you're right. There are things I should be doing, instead of feel scared and alone."
Surprisingly, the older woman laughed. "We are all alone. A little section of outsiders and misfits in the middle of Italy, not all Russian and not all criminals. It is alright to feel that way, because we are. I am sure you have your reason for being here, just like each and every one of us."
"Miss Sonya only gave me the opportunity to study law, I have to make something of it to gain what I wanted."
"She didn't have to take my family with her but did because my son asked her to." The greenette confessed as well, scrubbing a bit harder at a scuff mark in the pretty patterned stone under their hands and knees. "I do not think she will mind if you need a few days to adjust to a new place as she's still doing it herself, you know."
No, she hadn't known. The blonde had looked as passive as always when picking them up from the airport, glancing over each of them in turn before silently showing them the way to the train line and how to get to her castle. "Really?"
"It's a little hard to catch, you have to look at her when she gets pensive to see what she really thinks." Admitted Larion's mom easily with a slight sigh, leaning back on her heels to check what they had gotten done against what was still left to do. "I think she feels a bit lost and bewildered herself. Sonya seems also a little overwhelmed at the size of this place, she keeps ending up in odd little corners out of the way to do whatever she deems to do every day instead of with everyone else on whatever room we're working on. Even if it's just read a book, she'll end up on the fourth-floor landing or in the third floor's back hallway instead of the few places we actually have seating in."
Mingxia, weirdly, felt a little bit better to hear her benefactor seemed to feel the same way she did.
"Unless she specifically picks to be in the way. Like the last few days and her guests." Amended the older woman thoughtfully, turning a little to face her instead of bend back to work. "I honestly came to see you and your elderly gentleman to see if we're waiting on any packages for you, at first. I should probably ask now before I get carried away."
"Oh, no. We have everything." That they took along from China, that is. She was sure Master Yaozu missed a few of his treasured belongings, given to him from former masters and students alike, but would make due instead of bother someone about his missing things. She had very little to her name, and most was bought in Moscow with Miss Galina to fit her for a Russian winter.
"Already? You didn't exactly arrive with much, Miss Sōng."
"We moved to Moscow the year before, and actually I think we have a little too much to be honest." Like the bed. It was comfortable, to be sure… but too big for just her.
The whole room she was assigned to was too big for her, she dearly missed her old room in the Wo Hop To Triad headquarters' building. It was small, but cozy.
She raised an eyebrow at her. "How many changes of clothing do you have? For this weather, I mean. I'm aware any of your winter-weight clothing will not be suitable here."
"…three?"
"…right. Go fetch your elderly gentleman. We're going shopping." Decided Mrs. Tolmachyova firmly, using the banister of the main floor's staircases to get back to her feet and tossing the sponge in her other hand to the dirty water bucket. "Laundry day is Saturday, you need at least one outfit per day to wear. More just in case, preferably. Two weeks' worth of clothing would be preferable, but I will content myself with just the one."
"B-but Mrs. Tolmachyova! I don't have that kind of money-"
"There is a fund set aside for any emergency, like buying clothing or hygiene needs that we might need while relocating for Miss Bazanova." She informed her, unmoved by her protest. "And, as a young lady, you require some."
Mingxia blinked up at her, confused. "Why? I have not yet… ah… 'blossomed'."
The older woman looked unimpressed with her point as she held out a hand to help her to her own feet. "And that means when you do, you might ruin what you're wearing that day. Which reinforces my point you need more clothing, dear. Quickly. Something to work in if you need to do something messy like cleaning, which you might as well use the worse of your older clothing for, at least five somethings for school, a good dress for important occasions, and at least two more outfits to mix and match with as need or just in case. Maybe just a few things you think are cute, because every girl needs a good cute outfit to help them feel nice on blue days."
"…now?"
"Now."
"I'll go see if Master Yaozu is available."
A smirk curled up one side of Mrs. Tolmachyova's mouth. "Let me know if he isn't. If so you, I, and maybe Zinaida will go shopping instead. We'll also be sure to pick him out the most garish, brightly colored monstrosity we can."
The young Rain took that as the threat it was and started vaulting up the staircases to see if the elderly man could spare her a few hours to avoid that. Fourteen outfits were way too much for her, when she already had four of a type that was too heavy to be comfortable here in, but if it was to spare the old master some embarrassment she would accept it.
(Thursday the 28th of May, 1970. Convitto Nazionale Tommaso Campanella, Reggio Calabria, Italian Republic.)
"Mamma!" Shamal stumbled to a bit of an awkward halt just in front of her but Sonya didn't really want him to restrain himself for anything as paltry as another's opinion, so she hugged him. "You and Zia made it!"
"Of course we did, bambino." Tatiana informed him snootily, sniffing in faked insult. "We're in the country, why wouldn't we?"
As this was a civilian-heavy area, the auditorium of a school was not the place to start doing things only inhumanly possible, she didn't pull her brat off his feet to hold even if she wanted to and instead reluctantly let him go to see him in the garish fluorescent lighting. "You almost ready to move in with me?"
"Yes!" She got another extra strong hug before the young Mist swapped women to then hug his aunt, so the younger Russian glanced around the slowly filling auditorium as she rose back to her full height.
There was a completely civilian teacher nervously hovering on his toes, apparently having been a breath away from corralling his errant student before it became obvious there was a familiar relation between them. Much to her moderate surprise, there wasn't any criminals lying in wait for her here.
Not even Renato. There were a few shifty individuals, but they seemed to have their own brats to tend to and not here expressly to bother her. None of whom she recognized even remotely.
Then again, she had to go to the Iron Fort to pick up the brat's things. Why interrupt a civilian run affair needlessly when she had to go to them in the end anyways?
Pursing her lips to hide her sudden frown, Sonya returned her attention to her godson. "So, is there any reason your first graduation was on a weekend and this one is near the middle of the week?"
"Those in their first year and those graduating from the school for the last time get the weekends." Shamal informed her helpfully, winding his still tiny hands into her skirts. "I'm no longer special, having done a year."
"Well, it's your last year here. You should say goodbye while you can." She warned, earning herself a shrug. "Or not?"
"There's no one I really like here." Bratty Mist insisted, giving Tatiana a smile for offering her hand as she didn't have skirts to hold. "Not as much as I like you, mamma."
"Aww… you're a total momma's boy." Teased the nurse, laughing when the brat gave her a strange look instead of getting huffy. "And entirely shameless. Good. So, what do we do for this shindig? I've never attended any school graduation before."
"You have to sit out here, and I have to go stand with my class behind the teachers on stage." Shamal took a look around himself, at his waist-high view of the world, before looking back up to the older Russian sister. "There'll be a lot of talking, and speeches, and then we can go either see the school projects we did all year or leave."
"Right, boring as fuck but yay you." She blinked innocently at the short look her baby sister tossed her. "What?"
"There are young children here, stop swearing." At the entirely unimpressed glance between her and Shamal, Sonya rolled her eyes. "Not all of them will be as mature as my brat to know there's a time and a place."
The feedback from someone tapping on a microphone made all three of them wince, and the brat very reluctantly let them go as there was a rush for good seats all around them. "I should get back to my class, mamma."
"Alright. Hurry up, and we might as well go get something sweet after this." She offered, mildly amused at the idea of anyone attempting to speak to her after she got to the Iron Fort needing to wait on them.
She could be wrong, but given how unexpectedly popular she had been the last week she kind of doubted Nono would pass up the privacy to piss her off yet again. Especially if he didn't listen to Tyr about her opinion on the 'offer' he wanted to sound out to her.
Was that where Renato was?
If so, she really didn't appreciate it.
Tatiana at least waited until the whole dog and pony show started, and they were seated on the end of one of the auditorium seat isles, to ask. "Why are we going for sweets after this? I thought you were looking forward to getting your brat into your place?"
"Renato's not here, and given the general gossip Tyr and Mrs. Silvery-White gave me… I kind of suspect where he's being held up at."
"Were you expecting tall, dark, and snarky?"
"He usually is the one to tell me when these things are and didn't say he'd miss it when he swung by a bit before you to introduce me to Cesare." There was always the possibility the hitman just couldn't get the space to do it, and that it was a last-minute change he couldn't pass word on for.
Well, she'd see what was going on in a few hours.
The nurse huffed suspiciously, but let the topic drop at least for the moment.
Given Tatiana probably wanted to go jump her boyfriend, Sonya actually really appreciated that she'd follow her lead in this. It also made the thief curious on how her older sister would navigate being the girlfriend of Timoteo's Lightning Guardian, and all the pitfalls within being either neutral or disapproving of the Sky himself as a separate entity than just as Ganauche's Sky.
(ooo000ooo)
(Thursday the 28th of May, 1970 continued. Vibo Valentia, Province of Vibo Valentia, Italian Republic.)
The coffee flavored gelato got about a quarter of the way melted before Renato did in fact show up, snatching up the small paper cup waiting for him and throwing himself heavily into the remaining open café chair. "I can't decide if I'm more irritated or annoyed."
"I take it Nono did have you delayed, then?" Sonya inquired silkily, having long since finished her modest sized treat and taking up her nasty habit of smoking to wait out her and Shamal's bigger portions of the dessert. "When you had other commitments, as well…"
Tatiana exchanged a faintly curious and mildly lost look with the little boy, who didn't seem to know what was going on at all.
"Not exactly. I was late, little dragon lady. Excessively so, I'm afraid. I called your place, your Galina told me you already left so I didn't rush through my delayers like a greenhorn idiot. That was before I got into town." Corrected the hitman, savoring a bit of his gelato before glancing across the tiny table at her nephew and his godson. "I told Shamal I might miss his thing last week, when I realized what was going on. I figured he'd pass that tidbit to you if I was."
"You two are lucky I thought about it and realized I might have to be on time myself this year."
"And we're both surprised you managed it." Tall, dark, and snarky yanked his knee away before Sonya could flick the remnants of her vanilla gelato off her spoon and onto his nice black suit. "And we both really appreciate it, little dragon lady."
"That doesn't exactly explain why you weren't waiting for us to get out." She countered through the lingering smoke of her cigarette, still annoyed enough to show it. "I get he's really powerful and all, but there should be limits. Even for you, being that you worked really hard not to be tied down to him."
The darker Sun sighed, half still annoyed and a touch more exasperated. "I had him shelter Shamal in his own home, little dragon lady. However much you don't like him, I do. If only for that alone. The brat's fine and healthy, I do kind of owe him that. We owe him that much."
"Exactly how far do you think that stretches? I did appreciate it, slightly for although it should've been avoided the brat still got sick from a known complication with that kind of healing, right on up until he slighted my mother and tried to entrap me into a lethal loophole disguised as an 'offer'."
Renato's eyes widened, but before he or she could ask someone else joined the conversation.
"Oi, asshole! You couldn't wait for me to find a place to park?" Ganauche demanded irritably, lighting up slightly when his lone eye landed on her. "Tatiana! I didn't know you were the other woman Miss Bazanova was sighted with."
"Your security forces out here need some work." Drawled the nurse, only a touch sarcastically, smirking slightly as the Lightning rounded the whole party to give her a hug. "But yes. Surprise. Now, what's this about your Nono slighting our mom?"
Amusingly, the man froze. Completely, like a block of ice. "…uh… what?"
"I retired from being a principal. In our mother's favor." Sonya announced with lethal patience edging her tone, pinning the agent of the man who apparently didn't think much of Lisa with a pointed look. "Which means I am her unassigned Home Tutor, unless she finds a student that requires the help and until she decides she has more than enough for our old stomping grounds."
"…you put Lisa in charge of a-" Cutting himself off, her fellow Sun started smirking. "Oh, that's evil. I love it."
The now vastly confused Ganauche glanced down at her, tilting his head a little like a puppy to account for his reduced field of view. "I take it 'Lisa' is your mom then?"
"Primakova Elisaveta Rostislavovna, but we do call her Lisa yes." Tatiana confirmed, swallowing her last spoonful of gelato and tossing the paper cup with the little plastic spoon into the trash before turning in her seat to help reduce the eyestrain he was probably causing himself. "Not the important part, Ganauche."
"…can I make a phone call or two?" Inquired the other Mafioso hastily, looking a touch nervous now as he really absorbed that tiny fact of the situation. "Because we didn't know. At all."
"Go right ahead." Sonya allowed magnanimously, with a razor thin smirk. "The brat's not done eating yet."
She did at least wait until her boyfriend dashed off to turn to her. "Five kopecks he's calling the island to call off something stupid with the medical students."
"No bet." Tatiana refuted, slightly annoyed as well a tiny bit irritated by the suggestion. Those were her minions, damn it all, and that was her fucking boyfriend. What the hell?
Well, they'd be Avdotya's for this year. But they had been hers and would be again when they traded off the school year after this one.
Renato put a big spoonful of his coffee flavored and half-melted gelato into his mouth instead of answer with his own guess when Sonya arched an eyebrow at him.
Shamal curiously took in the extra-large helping his godmother bought for him he had made a respectable dent in, then squinted an eye up at her suspiciously. "Should I eat this fast or slow, mamma?"
"However you want to go, kotenok." Purred the thief around the filter of her cigarette, the nasty smirk on her face widening when her fellow godparent couldn't respond due to a full mouth and the other Mafioso too far away to hear. "Take your time, by all means. I'm sure I can think up more to delay with."
"Little dragon lady…"
"No one has formally invited me to a discussion or meeting, or anything of that persuasion." Insisted her very bitchy little sister pointedly, not even giving the man the courtesy of even a sideways glance as she put out the remains of her cancer stick. "As a matter of fact, once Shamal's done we might as well get him to my home. I figure you can grab his things just as well, and… it'd be rude to call uninvited so late into the evening on someone of Nono's reputation and power. Just for a few, likely outgrown, changes of clothing and a lizard I believe should be remanded to your possession anyways? I think not. They can be shipped by mail if need be."
"She's been like this since I got to the country." Tatiana informed the man when he raised an eyebrow at her expectantly. "I have nothing to offer and no method to influence it. Good luck."
"…Ganauche can do it." Decided Renato, settling in to savor the gelato Sonya did buy him. "But you are aware… Nono invited the Italian head of your schooling branch as well as Dante to your meeting with him, right?"
"Well, unfortunately no one told me that I had a meeting pending. I made my plans accordingly." Announced the thief blandly, just in time to send Tatiana's boyfriend scurrying off again before he even got back to them. "Hopefully they won't get too bored."
"I take it this is going to be one of those 'settle in a watch the shit hit the fan' nights, then." Mused tall, dark, and snarky as he discarded the empty paper cup in his hands into the same rubbish bin she tossed hers into. "Too bad I don't think the maids will appreciate it if we asked for popcorn."
The nurse pursed her lips thoughtfully, because she was kind of getting hungry enough to not care that wasn't a healthy suggestion. "Actually… that sounds really good right now. Could we just make excuses of missing dinner?"
"…that's a good point, big sister." Suddenly purred the younger sister wickedly, taking shameless advantage of her suggestion and going the extra mile with it. "We should feed poor Shamal. All he's had tonight is gelato, and really. A growing boy needs a proper meal, doesn't he Renato?"
"It's your turn." Allowed the hitman with a crooked smirk, pressing a hand to his ever-present hat to shade his eyes and half his expression. "I had the brat for almost four years, and frankly you've been paying for most of his needs lately."
"Alright, brat. What would you like to eat?" Inquired Sonya silkily, with a shit-eating grin of her own.
Amusingly, said brat gave her a look. Both slightly exasperated and a little bit tolerant, and a tiny bit more amused and delighted to be playing along with her little game on top of that. "But mamma, Zia wants popcorn."
"Zia can get off her own damn ass and stop mooching off me. I asked what you wanted."
Shamal thought about it, only just long enough for Ganauche to start wandering back from the payphone apparently down the street a little. "Can we get lasagna?"
"Of course, kotenok. You did graduate from your school-thing today." Allowed the belligerent Storm-Cloud almost nauseatingly sweetly, neatening some of the kid's kinked brown hair with her fingers. "And we're all very proud of you for sticking it out then doing well at it. If you want your favorite for dinner, then that's the least we can do to show it."
Tatiana gave her little sister's 'kitten' a thumbs up and a crooked grin, his godfather rolled his eyes, and Ganauche just face-palmed behind the whole group.
She kind of wondered when Sonya would allow her boyfriend on to the little 'not yet invited' tidbit, and exactly how long after even that her little sister would drag her heels. It was really kind of bullshit no one said anything to them, and because Ganauche wasn't the one calling the shots she'd order him something easy to eat on the way in-between dashing around.
Otherwise she was just going to do the same thing tall, dark, and snarky was. It could even be hilarious, depending.
(Friday the 29th of May, 1970. The Iron Fort, Italian Republic.)
Sonya, as Renato didn't chip in anything to put a spike into her plans, dragged her heels up until almost midnight. Shamal was very obviously flagging past ten, being what his body considered a school night and with way too much excitement going on to sleep through, and Tatiana eventually wrangled a promise out of Ganauche to escort her and the brat on up to the castle if she'd just attend the damn meeting already.
She bought an extra hour making a great show of fussing at her tired but still amused brat before he got on the train with his aunt and her harassed boyfriend trying to bolt down his very cold dinner, buying him a blanket off a concerned lady traveler very accommodating to the 'poor harassed mother' trying to make her child as comfortable as can be before being separated due to a last minute 'business meeting' she had to attend.
Amusingly, her sister even got her Italian to pay her back for the trouble to boot.
The last few minutes of Thursday were eaten up because she decided it was a perfect night for a leisurely walk, and by then Renato had just sort of given up even a touch more and didn't even chip in his two kopecks about having a perfectly armored car to drive back to the Iron Fort in.
Eventually, the hitman was going to cause himself some eyestrain rolling his eyes so damn much. Then she might be able to push things back a further three hours or so taking him to the nearest emergency room.
"You've decided to be a belligerent handful tonight, little dragon lady. Why ever would I spoil your fun?" Renato snarked at her without turning around, seeming all for the world perfectly at ease strolling up the grand drive of Vongola's headquarters with her.
"He is your friend, isn't he?" She questioned his back curiously, because if not…?
"Yes, Timoteo's a friendly and powerful contact of a type I would like to keep. That doesn't mean I'm responsible for his actions, any actions by his Famiglia, or the like. I actually had nothing, still have nothing, and will not have anything to say about this. I kind of rather agree with you, however at a loss the man is with his wife so estranged and his sons out of his reach."
"Being 'at a loss' is no excuse for this bullshit, and I'd be a lot more sympathetic if he hadn't caused it himself by lying to her face for more than five years."
Renato gave her a pointed look over a shoulder as the poor footman opened the front doors for them. "Exactly, little dragon lady. I don't particularly like that much either, but I'm not one of Nono's peers to say something."
"And that's bullshit. I get Ottavia needed near-unquestioning obedience throughout World War Two and the Mafia Wars to pull what she could out of that bloody mess intact," they were inside now, she could be as frank as she liked, "but Timoteo patterned himself off a vastly different leadership style to stand apart from his mother. A councilor type requires outside input, more voices to speak their views to him, automatic obedience of the type Daniella had passed on apparently just reinforces his bad habits."
"I am not going to be passing judgement on a Famiglia I do not belong to." Insisted the hitman as he waited politely for her to divest herself of her weaponry.
"I kind of have to, if only to teach the brat what is and what is not acceptable to put up with in possible allies. Calling up others to a meeting with me without so much as telling me is kind of… utterly stupid. There's more than enough people around him to have known better, and yet…?"
Renato spread his hands in a wordless gesture of non-comment as she coiled her chains and their assorted weapon charms on to the tray being held out for her.
"Miss Bazanova," a very tired appearing Visconti called from the second floor's landing, "you are late."
"For fucking what?" Shot back the Storm-Cloud in a tone that spoke volumes on just how unimpressed she was with him entirely and everything else coming from these people lately. "Your incompetence is not my damn fault, so suck it up. If you wanted me to be on time, then perhaps you should've sent word my presence was desired in the first place."
The other Cloud blinked once, slowly.
In the ringing silence that announcement caused, Sonya looked back to the hitman she had arrived with. "I'm terribly sorry to ask this, Renato, but would you mind waiting for me? Apparently, I have a meeting to attend."
"Shocking." Deadpanned the equally tired looking Sun sarcastically. "I couldn't have guessed myself. Are you sure?"
"Apparently. They had a man waiting for me and everything." She drawled back equally so, because she would've liked to be in bed on a train heading back to her castle now herself. "Why, you would've thought actually telling me I had a meeting with a few other men would've been something to check off before tonight."
Yet again, the man rolled his eyes at her and sauntered off to probably find himself a stiff drink.
…damn. That was an idea. She should've gotten herself one before this mess.
Renato lifted two fingers at her over his shoulder before he got further into the Iron Fort, so maybe he would get her one?
She wondered if there was any of that vodka left from last Christmas, because her sister stole what remained of her stash and she kind of needed more. Surely no one would care if she liberated a little liberation from Vongola's stock?
Did Italians drink vodka?
She didn't think so, given the face Renato pulled at her bottle of it last summer.
Sonya followed the very pissed off other Cloud further into the Iron Fort, palming one of her tiny hammer charms into the waistband of her skirts.
Again, damn the lack of pockets.
There were in fact three men waiting on her, in various levels of exasperation and irritation. One of which she recognized as Dante D'Attilio, who amusingly had removed his suit jacket and made himself comfortable with a tumbler of whisky some long time ago. Timoteo was still trying to somewhat hold onto his respectability, his tie was gone and the top button of his shirt undone but that was as far as he had gone in altering his mode of dress any.
"You. You little-"
"Timoteo, apparently no one informed Miss Bazanova of the meeting." Visconti interrupted loudly, which did nothing for her understanding of what the unnamed man had about said.
"You can go fuck yourself with a rusty chainsaw." Sonya returned politely with a smirk. "I'll even help if you'd like."
Dante, who hadn't bothered to correct himself or even sit upright when she walked in, blinked slowly in the way of the mildly intoxicated everywhere before raising a hand and slapping it against his face. The lone Sky in the room sighed heavily himself almost into the desk he was seated behind, rubbing at a temple. "I… see."
"No, I don't think you really do." Picked up the thief after a beat of pure silence. "I am not Italian. I do not have Italian contacts to keep me informed. I don't care to have any, given how utterly fucking MORONIC every damn Italian but the ones I originally had in the first place to be. I am not one of your minions, Nono Vongola, nor do I give a bloody damn what you want."
"You give a bloody damn about my wife-"
"Yes… your wife. Who spent three hours chopping away at one of my almond trees to work out how utterly betrayed she felt due to your inactions, sobbed out the rest into my sister's chest, and is still feeling lost and alone enough to take up an offer I gave for a day of drinking even with three sons to mind and whatever Mrs. Silvery-White can give her." Sonya observed tonelessly, eyeing the man with severe dislike. "While you sit here. Doing nothing about it."
The Sky finally gained an edge to him, straightening up and setting his features into something almost razor sharp. "Fiorella should decide for herself-"
"If she should return to the man that outright lied to her damn face for every day of five fucking years of marriage?"
"Miss Bazanova." Thundered the head of the Vongola Famiglia equally as shortly, half-rising to his feet while his Cloud Guardian went stiffer behind her. "Mind your tongue."
"Why?" She inquired deceptively calmly. "What, exactly, would motivate me to do so? You've arranged a meeting with me I was never told about, upon a day I should have spent with my godson as it is his school graduation night. Master Tyr has passed along you intended to name me Fiorella's Mafia Home Tutor, without asking my mother as the head of the Mafia School I am aligned with. And, given the rules I know of and am aware of, such a position would then put me in conflict with Fiorella's eventual influence against what Home Tutors are allowed. To my lethal determent, without consulting the prospective student in question, or even any apparent care for anyone's wellbeing in the inevitable end. What about this mess is anything other than hastily thrown together and the worst possible solution to the current issues?"
"That is what we. Are. Here. To discuss."
"Lovely that I was never invited, isn't it? And Fiorella, as the one concerned, had to be told by me."
"Daughter, shut up." Lisa announced brightly from behind her in flawless Italian, walking past a highly unnerved footman who apparently led her into the meeting room. "And step back, I would like a piece."
Surprised, and to be honest a little unnerved, Sonya did so.
Lisa wasn't entirely out of place in the drawing room, being more than a little travel worn and a bit exhausted to match the rest of them. Probably to make it down here after Fiorella contacted her, which was probably some red-eye flights and a bit of grease applied by her old contacts. She, vaguely, knew who and for what she contacted to get out of the Soviet Union and into Italy so damn fast… but without Valera?
Was Arseniy nearby too?
Her mother, sensible smart business suit intact with that tight little smirk plastered across her lips which she wore when either her lover was upset or something incredibly annoying was happening, turned her attention onto the discombobulated Sky staring at her blankly. "Timoteo Vongola? I am Primakova Elisaveta, the second head of the Moscow School number Three-Zero-Five-Four… otherwise known as the Soviet Flame Academy. Tatiana and Sonya's mother, if you didn't catch that. I spoke with your wife, and I have a bone to pick with you."
Sonya slid backwards a tiny bit further, pressing her back up against the wood-paneled walls. Visconti, utterly confused and a little wary now instead of getting progressively pissed off the more she spoke, slowly copied her.
Smart man.
"You will not be endangering my daughters with your own foolish mistakes. Young Miss Fiorella and I have discussed it, and we have decided I'll do as the girl's Tutor. You 'concern'," and here Lisa eyed the man as if he was a particularly grotesque cockroach trying to squirm into her pantry, "is not needed nor wanted."
Sonya was perfectly aware she physically blanched, but the thought of a second Lisa kind of warranted it. Don't get her wrong, Fiorella probably deserved a mentor like her mother to make up for her disaster of a husband… but it was still a terrifying thought.
"…Mrs. Primakova-"
"Miss. I am not married to my vor." Corrected the older Russian woman pleasantly, utterly at odds with the tight expression still on her face. "Furthermore, if you are attempting a refusal on your wife's behalf, she has already informed me to tell you exactly where to shove it. As the delightful girl put it, 'you had five years to tell me, then a little more. I'll find my own way if it's not that important to you'."
Timoteo hesitated, flatfooted by that admission, which was just long enough for the still unidentified man to try to interject himself into the conversation. "Headmistress Primakova, I'm the head of-"
"Go fuck yourself with a rusty chainsaw." Interrupted her mother equally as politely as Sonya told him to do. "Tighten up your own ship before you start trying to interfere with mine."
"…Lisa, the last man on the couch is Dante D'Attilio. The Etiquette Instructor for Mafia School of Italy." How long had she been here?
"A pleasure, young man." Allowed the brunette woman with a one-eighty reversal of mood, getting a twisted grin back and a raise of a half-drained shot glass in salute. "Perhaps tomorrow we can speak on the subject?"
"I like my balls where they are, Headmistress Primakova." Dante refuted dryly, apparently trying his damnedest not to slur his words but listing a little in spite of that. "You have my utter apologies for being remotely involved, but I wasn't aware your daughter didn't know about this."
"You are delightful." Lisa decided, glanced once at the man she shared a position with that neither of them probably knew the name of and huffed sarcastically, then returned her attention to Nono Vongola. "Nothing to say? Good, keep it that way. Goodnight, gentlemen."
"…um, Lisa?"
"You were right to refuse, and I did not agree lightly. As I do not care to live down here, any contacts made in the process of teaching Fiorella Vongola I can then easily give up as a Mafia Home Tutor is supposed to." Gripping her jaw to touch her forehead to her own, her mother smirked crookedly before releasing her and stepping lightly to the door. "And this way that dratted man cannot have you as easily killed in the future by voiding any agreements later. I hope you will not mind letting me stay in your home for some of tonight and tomorrow, Nya. I should probably meet the poor girl in person at least once. I'll be in the main hall downstairs when you're done."
Sonya waited until her mother had truly left before peeling herself away from the wall. "Well… okay then."
"…it is an elegant solution, Nono." Allowed the still unnamed man only a touch sarcastically, turning to the Sky in question after apparently getting over his abrupt dismissal of any importance. "As a completely removed Tutor, a person of particular influence and power in her own right, having Headmistress Primakova teach Lady Fiorella eliminates any need to amend the current restrictions to prevent… unfortunate results. A bit rude, but I suppose I started it with my hasty words."
"I'll fix this, Grizzaffi."
"Fuck you both. He's in the wrong, he should fix 'it'." Interjected the thief wronged in question blandly. "Just because you started it does not remove his involvement."
Dante drained his shot glass and set it down with a thump. "Headmaster Grizzaffi, I must agree with Miss Bazanov…nova. Nono Vongola, really? Ensuring all parties are agreed to a time and date should not be an after… thought."
Timoteo shot the probably completely drunk Mafioso an utterly exasperated glare, smoothing a hand down his bristly mustache before sighing heavily. "That has become rather apparent, Mister D'Attilio."
"Instructor D'Attilio." Stridently corrected the head of the Italian Mafia School pointedly, turning his ill humor on the man at fault for most of it finally. "As the only one of us that managed any kind of remotely positive introduction with Headmistress Primakova, positively drunk off his ass or not, he will be the one to manage any further assistance your lady wife might require on behalf of Mafia School's resources. Timoteo, I strongly suggest you refer to him with his proper respect."
…so, he was just a tight-ass?
Mister Tight-Ass-Schoolmaster turned to her next. "My apologies, Miss Bazanova. I had, wrongly, assumed you were fully aware of the situation and your invitation."
"I was." Sonya informed him equally as pointedly, then continued before he could even open his mouth. "Of course, I only learned of it while celebrating my godson's second school year graduation about five hours ago. Making you wait on me was my petty revenge for the bullshit."
He stared at her in complete askance, she stared back flatly until he got his act together yet again.
"…probably what we deserved for such boorish behavior." Muttered the man sourly after several long moments. He sniffed and drew himself back up to a ruler-straight 'proper' posture, shot Timoteo a sour look, then swept out of the room haughtily as much as his apparently 'wounded' dignity would allow for.
Dante tried to stand himself, failed and hit the carpeted floorboards with a thump, then sighed into the air. "Miss Bazanova, is Renato downstairs?"
"However could you guess?"
"Because I'm smart, obviously." Drawled the very intoxicated man, proud and almost boasting the point to the nearly empty room. "Think you can help me down to him? I might need someone to help me back home… I don't think I can walk in a straight line…"
"You realize that if I sneeze, I very well might break your spine in half accidently if I'm supporting you?"
"…Master Visconti! A hand, please?"
The Cloud Guardian glanced at her very pointedly.
She very pointedly stayed where she was. There was no way in hell he was the only Guardian nearby, and she still had things to say.
The Sky still in the room sighed in exhausted resignation, a hand over his eyes. "Visconti, if you would. I would like to hear how my Fiorella is doing."
"Recovering." Sonya informed him sarcastically, as his Cloud secured his ever-present sunglasses somewhere they would not fall and break if something unexpected happened before pulling the drunk man to his feet. "Badly. You know, a phone call is not out of the question."
"She must-"
"And what if she decides she's better off without you?"
Timoteo raised his head and stared at her, considering.
Unamused, she cocked her head to the side now they were 'mostly' alone. "Your estranged wife has decided we're friends. Fair enough, then as her friend allow me the leeway to put it this way. The longer you go without contacting her, the more miserable and sure she is that you completely manipulated her just to be a baby-maker and never had any feelings about her personally."
"…what?"
"It's what sense my sister made out of her sobs." She allowed blandly. "And frankly, if that was all you wanted, why the hell didn't you just pay a whore to have your sons instead of twist a poor civilian girl around your little finger like the complete asshole you-"
"I think," Timoteo interrupted shortly, "that is more than enough. I've gotten your point, Miss Bazanova."
"Have you? Because this kind of shit keeps on happening, and now it's completely entangled in my motherfucking family."
"I hear the warning you are giving." Declared the Sky, rubbing a hand over his face. "That does not mean your attitude is acceptable."
"Exactly what gives you the remote impression you have any right to dictate my attitude?"
He opened his mouth, shut it, and that repeated a few times until she no longer found it very amusing.
"The fact you think it's 'attitude' and not me trying my damnedest to not allow my 'Cloud Instincts' to convince me to take your head off and upset several people that are strangely fond of you is telling." Sonya drawled out, half-glaring at the either arrogant asshole or outright ignorant idiot and well aware her eyes were turning a burning red. "Fair warning, Timoteo of Vongola. I'm beyond done putting up with this kind of imposing shit from you. I am not one of your minions, one of your lackeys, nor a yes-man aiming to break off a little bit of your influence because I cannot make my own. The more you try, the more I will erode any kind of respectability you have in front of others. Do not make the mistake in thinking I will be pleased to be chained by you now I finally freed myself from the last syndicate who made that same mistake."
"That is assuming you will not be in need of any help in the future."
"In a contest of who can out manipulate whom, I'd bet on my mother to turn your own wife into a massive pain in your ass for getting me killed before you earn her forgiveness for this lying shit." She pointed out bluntly, wickedly pleased when the man paused at that. "Through her, your sons. Pick your battles carefully, you will not get a second chance."
Timoteo drew himself up. "That would be a massive violation of the-"
The Soviet Storm-Cloud leaned in, ignoring the burn of Flames in her eyes itching at them. "Prove it, after you just slighted your head of Mafia School and got him dismissed by my mother at a glance. And no, if she has no contact with your heirs she cannot be held responsible for what their mother passes on to them."
"You believe I cannot?"
"No, you can't. Allow me to be an object lesson, you're burning bridges behind you without realizing it. The fact you have yet to stop is not a good sign, Nono Vongola. How much of your mother's influence are you going to spend thoughtlessly without earning your own? Will you get on that before or after it runs out? Master Tyr cannot cull all your detractors before they gain a foothold somewhere."
Narrowing his eyes at her, the Sky spent a moment with nearly visible gears chugging away in his mind.
"I do not appreciate political gambits and making connections, not of the kind that will take down your incompetent ass. If you force me to do it, none of us will be pleased with the outcome." Sonya warned him softly, before drawing back and turning on a heel to find her mother and Renato to see what their next step would be. "It was utterly awkward and irritating, Timoteo of Vongola. Let's not do this again."
"…indeed." He tossed at her back, almost sarcastically.
(ooo000ooo)
(Friday the 29th of May, 1970 continued. The Iron Fort, Italian Republic.)
"…pardon?" Daniella inquired politely out of sheer reflex, after her exhausted and slightly drunk son got through spilling his entire feelings about last night's situation to her, her coffee being lowered to the saucer almost unwillingly as she just absorbed the catastrophe of that magnitude.
"Mamman, I-"
"Shut up, Timoteo." Advised the retired Sky tiredly, cradling a fine-boned hand to her forehead instead of taking a sip of her fortifying brew. Thankfully he did so, sheepishly or not.
She had only just got up, and now this disaster… who the hell had she killed to deserve this?
"You very nearly made us into a laughingstock to the rest of the mafia, all because you failed to check with a clerk that Miss Bazanova was informed her presence was desired and asked if she could make such a meeting?" She wondered in near-perfect bemusement, raising her eyes to the ceiling of her parlor. Beseeching patience to come out of nothing, a long-standing habit that never worked as she wished. "Frankly, I would've done almost the same as her. Except I would never had shown and put you out of your misery."
Not needing to look to know what expression her boy was aiming at her, a cross between that sheepishness for doing something so utterly preventable with a word here or there and anger for being called out for it, Daniella gripped one of her couch cushions to lightly smack him across the face with.
Hopefully the shock of it would sober him up a little.
"Timoteo, I know you like to think of yourself as the chess master… but you're playing with an army of pawns and bishops against a woman armed with not only your own queen, but a castle positioned to turn into another queen, three of your own knight-heirs, a rogue of a knight, and possibly one of your own Guardian bishops. Possibly more we likely don't know of. Someone might get lucky, but only after a shit-ton of death and destruction." She fairly itched to meet a woman that could, within three words, get a stubborn and feisty Soviet Storm-Cloud to obey immediately even in the face of her 'target'. But now she couldn't, because her son had threatened the woman's younger daughter and she rightfully probably resented that. "Stop while you've a head and change game-plans, she's too close for you to work against as you prefer."
Dear Tyr should be near her home, she wondered if he had any progress in courting the delightful spitfire or if he had also gotten stumped by her twisted nature crossing between Storm and Cloud at will. Perhaps she might be able to reach Headmistress Primakova somehow if he still was?
At the very least to press on her delight with the 'elegant' solution she had a hand into pulling out of that messy meeting, and a promise of any assistance the older Russian woman may wish for from Vongola's end.
"I know I messed up, mother." Shot back her very unsettled son, handing her back the pillow and drawing himself upright as best he could in the hard-backed settee. "But what she threatened me with-"
"Is exactly what I would've not told you and done for the insult, and outright death threat to make it all worse. I like politics, I would've just gone ahead with it all and not pointed it out as a viable method to screw you over so politely. As she is the head of a mafia household, are you remotely surprised she doesn't appreciate you fucking up like this with her? What would you do in her place? Faced with the challenges before her?"
The silence at least informed her it was safe to look back down, that even he had burned through the stupidity that came with exhaustion, thankfully because she was old and there was a crick developing in her neck. Daniella picked up her coffee again, sipping until her son's sometimes ill-used cunning finally resurfaced.
"I would've just had me killed." Timoteo informed her wryly, exhausted and tired enough to be utterly frank to her. "Even if it would upset a new friend who might happen to be married to said individual. To set me up like that, in front of a contact and a fellow head of an influential establishment I also was once a head of? I can see her point, it's just…"
"She's right in a way. You've well and truly burnt that bridge, I don't think even if she was willing you could rebuild that anymore. God probably can't build something on what you left behind. Luckily for you, there's more than just one road to Rome." The girl's sister was getting entangled with young Ganauche, although there were so many double-edges in that situation Daniella didn't know if she liked the development or not. Fiorella, dear girl that she was, had put in better and more effort into pulling the whole Soviet side of that situation into her sphere of influence and getting out unscathed. "I will also chip in my two liras, you should call your wife."
As she had been outright nagging him to do for the last few weeks. A few days, even a full week and a weekend, of space was more than enough. At the very least if he desired to keep his wife he was well beyond the point he should've reached out to her again.
"Beyond your personal marriage problems, Timoteo, there are your sons to think of." She continued practically when there was no answer but an exhausted sigh, because she really did miss the rug rats even if the dear girl he married wouldn't return with them. "Now your Fiorella has options, she is no longer forced to return to deal with the Sky Flame abilities they possess. You cannot be assured she will come back… and there's the little issue of the master thief she is turning into a good friend who has strong Triad influences… who has a mother well removed from any Italian influences you might pull to aid your recovery of them…"
"Mother." Timoteo interrupted shortly. "If Fiorella wishes to return or not, or even speak with me, is entirely her choice. I will not so further hurt her more if I can help it."
"Sweet, but stupid. Write her a damn letter, then. Call your sons instead. Let her know somehow you're still interested in her at the very least, and her fears are misplaced if they really are. You obsess about every detail you can get of her already, to the point you arranged this disaster in the first place. Might as well at least show a little damn effort to her to appreciate or declare objectionable."
Exasperatingly, it seemed that actually might be how her stubborn and willful son would reconnect with his wife. At least he didn't immediately refute it as with the other times she insisted he go to his wife himself or at least call her up.
"…do you think she was right?"
"With what?"
"Am I spending your influence and not my own?"
"You're spending Vongola influence." Daniella corrected with exasperation, having made decent work of her coffee at least to put up with self-doubting without ruthlessly tearing that down. "You'll gain it back, as you should, with your work on the Alliance. Is she right about the 'I needed obedience and you don't'? I have no idea what you're really dealing with behind closed doors anymore. You're the one in power, Timoteo, you need to judge that yourself and shift things accordingly to suit you."
Timoteo rolled his neck, then straightened up and looked at her fully for the first time for the entire conversation. "Do you think I could actually get Headmistress Primakova-"
"Don't even, Timoteo. It was a meeting between two heads of Flame instruction institutions about the instructions of a student however removed from Flames herself. Italian and Russian Flame users were involved, the Vindice were likely present and heard everything."
"…fuck."
The retired Sky poured herself another cup of coffee and settled back to plot. "Fuck, indeed. Now go take a damn shower."