The Duty of an Elder Son

by Reapergal08

"Lovino Vargas knew a lot about duty." His Grandfather's swollen empire puts all of his family in danger, the other gangs are massing, the police are on their tails and Lovino is given a bodyguard in one Antonio Carriedo. 1920s Mafia AU fic. Human Names. All characters play vital roles. Some pairings later on. M for lang/violence throughout.

21. The Pied Piper Calls

Chapter twenty one, otherwise known as The Party- part one. Well the chapter where people get ready for the party anyway :I
Quick question has: has anyone elses fanfiction alerts been weird? I've been getting some alerts but not others and have to keep manually checking for updates :/ LAME.

Thanks to all the people that reviewed last time and joined us, welcomeee :D

150th reviewer will get a one shot guys :D my reviews have dropped alately. *sad*

Hetalia doesn't belong to me- thanks as always to my very patient beta who puts up with my garbage :')

oOo

Lovino scowled darkly at his reflection as he attempted to tame the errant curl that refused to lie flat like the others. On any normal occasion he would not be overly stressed by its defiance, but the sound of chatter from downstairs coupled with the opening and closing of the front door was grating on his nerves. The people had started to arrive for the party and he wasn't even dressed yet. A sickly feeling that had been brewing all day was starting to make itself at home in his stomach, a knot of anxiety that bubbled in warning. Angrily he sighed, and used more cream on his head, tapping his foot in impatience. Outside the window was the blistering red of a summer twilight, the light from the sky was fought back by the clear colour of the bulbs giving the room a clinical feel that was doing nothing to soothe his nerves.

The door to his room creaked open and closed again, making the sound of the guests rise and fall like a wave. For a second he drowned in panic but then gained control of his body once more and steadied his breath. From his vantage point behind his changing screen he could not see who the visitor was but there was only one person he was waiting for.

"Lovi, I have your costume!" Antonio called. His tone was cheerful and relaxed, although there was a pink hurried tinge to his cheeks in his reflection in the changing screen mirror as he poked his head around to grin at Lovino. "I'm sorry I took so long, Feliciano was pestering Eliza for a few more sequins on his outfit and I had to wait for her to finish before she could iron it."

"Just put in on there." He ordered, pointing a finger without looking at the stool by his side that was set aside to hold clothes and shoes. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the mention of his brother who had already barged into his room more than once, seeming for sole purpose to annoy him. He had jumped on his bed and babbled excitedly at him until Ludwig, who looked close to an aneurysm, had picked him up and removed him by force. Feliciano had not returned since but he had made him incredibly late with his chattering.

Antonio did as requested and Lovino turned to look at him properly as he continued with the task of getting ready. Antonio was already dressed and wearing the servants costume that his Grandfather had commissioned. It was a black suit with a flouncy green neck tie that brought out the colour of his bodyguard's eyes, the colour which was the same shade of Lovino's own costume now in position on the chair. The tails on the back of the suit made his slim figure even more sleek. He had even attempted to brush his hair and flatten it down with cream but some of the edges still stood on end. Antonio caught his gaze and grinned widely. He scowled in response, blushing at being caught out staring.

"Get out while I'm changing." Lovino grumbled, shoving the other boy roughly by the head and closing the screen a little more behind him with force. He ignored the giggle that followed and began throwing on his costume without much care. It was full of layers and he had difficulty manoeuvring the tights but he was soon finished, the prospect of being late for his own party looming over him and speeding him up. As he slid on his shirt he wondered why his Grandfather had not come to nag him to hurry up yet, perhaps he was just letting him run fashionably late. It was his party after all.

"Need a hand?" Antonio asked as he was finishing buttoning his shirt. With it half undone he picked up his tie and stepped out. The bodyguard was looking the other way as though he would be tempted to peek if he had been facing in the right direction. He looked very handsome in his suit, Lovino would have much preferred to be wearing something similar to him rather than the over the top green assemble he had to wear. The silly sleeves and shorts were embarrassing to say the least. He felt like a moron. Guys, he thought angrily, were not meant to wear tights. Especially not green ones.

He held out the tie in his right hand. "You can do my tie; give me a second to finish the buttons."

The Spaniard turned, grinning but the smile fell off his face to be replaced by a startled expression. Feeling self conscious at the reaction, Lovino blushed and stormed to the mirror behind the screen but nothing seemed out of place, there was nothing on his face either. He couldn't quite see what it was Antonio was staring at, and his frayed nerves took it as an insult.

"What?" He snapped, storming back to the other man. His expression had not changed and it fuelled the rage, he flipped the tie over the screen so that it hung their like a dead thing. "Damn it, what are you staring it?"

"Nothing, I-" The Spaniard avoided his gaze. Was it just a trick of the light or was he blushing? "I was just thinking you look amazing."

"We're obviously not looking at the same thing." He snapped as he moved to button up his shirt, growling in annoyance as the ridiculously droopy sleeves got in the way. It also didn't help that his hands were shaking like leaves in a gale as the voices downstairs were joined by the hum and whine of a band tuning up. He needed to get a move on or people were going to come and look for him.

Antonio smiled patiently after watching him for a while and calmly shoved his hands out of the way, taking his shirt and doing it up himself. Lovino opened his mouth to argue but the look of serene concentration on the other man's face put him off.

He had not thought about last night all day, too worried about the evening at hands to care, but suddenly he was very aware of what he had allowed and the closeness of the man right at that moment. He had let his bodyguard sleep in his bed. He blushed involuntarily at the memory of the proximity and the warmth, and felt ashamed. It was unprofessional and not the attitude of a leader to have someone sleep in a bed with him, over a nightmare of all things. He had to laugh inwardly that the best night's sleep he'd had in a long time had come at the expense of his dignity.

Antonio began to hum tunelessly as he worked, the vibration tracing its way up his arm and onto his chest. It was calming in its effect and Lovino sighed, letting out all of the built up tension he had acquired throughout the day.

He was lucky, he thought as Antonio's fingers traced their way up his shirt, that the Spaniard was such a good guy and a bit of an idiot. No one else, apart from his brother who he was sure had a screw or two loose anyway, would stand for that sort of behaviour. His Grandfather had never allowed him to show weakness over a nightmare. Many times as a child he had gone searching for comfort in the older man's presence but found none, he had then had to resort to his brother. Antonio must have really liked him to lay squished in the small bed all night. Lovino inspected his face which was so very close and felt a twinge of guilt when he realised that despite the healthy warm glow to the other's skin, under his eyes dark rings sat as testament to a sleepless night.

As Antonio did up the last button he paused in the action, frozen staring at the base of Lovino's neck in confusion. "What are these?"

"It's just my neck dumbass, what are you talking about?" He tried to swipe him away but was shocked when the bodyguard held on. Usually he would retreat grinning but this time he was determined and hung on even when pushed. His gaze was dark and troubled which it never was, and the look was enough to allow him to let Antonio move back the folds of material and turn him around to view it at different angles.

"Bruises. You have bruises on your neck." He sounded dumbfounded, as though he could not believe his own eyes. Lovino managed to shove him off and walked to the only other mirror in the room, the one by his desk which caught the light better to check if his words were true. Sure enough there were angry looking marks on his neck like someone had tried to choke him. If he looked close enough they were the right size to be finger prints.

"They must be from the alley," Lovino muttered. He looked up in the mirror to see Antonio's reflection where he left him, his lips pursed angrily and his fingers edging up to touch his hair, only to hover over it with the cream he had put on as though he was going to run his fingers through his hair as he did when he was fidgeting. He stared openly at him with worry, his green eyes haunted.

"You didn't have those the other day." He argued and Lovino was surprised to hear his voice shake.

Lovino knew he was right; all the other bruises he had received were well on their way to healing by now. He hadn't noticed these ones until pointed out to him, they didn't hurt but the marks were there on his skin for all to see. He couldn't quite think where they had come from. It was no big deal, he thought and shrugged as he turned back around, and he had bigger things to worry about than mysterious marks. Like a certain party which he was late for.

Antonio it appeared did not feel the same way as he stood staring at him for a long time without moving, eventually lifting up his hands to ghost over his neck like an inspection. Lovino froze up at the sudden contact, his eyes widening in shock that his body would allow it. His breath hitched in his throat as the bodyguard leant in close to look at the marks better, his eyebrows furrowed together in concern.

"Not ready yet Lovino?" A voice called from the doorway, breaking the moment. Both men jumped apart and turned to face the visitor. Roma stood in the doorway with Viktor behind him looking as glum as ever. The bodyguard's outfit was the same as Antonio's but with a red tie to match the older man's majestic costume of scarlet and gold. He had chosen a very traditional style of masquerade, the thick coat with a fur collar over a pair shorts made him look like a Tudor king.

"No, I'm sorry Grandpa, I won't be a moment." He apologised, quickly distancing himself from Antonio. He blushed at being seen allowing someone so close into his bubble. "I just have to do my tie up."

His Grandpa stretched languidly over the threshold and towards him, the buckled shoes on his feet clipping along the floor purposefully. He had not yet put of his mask, which Viktor held between his skeletal fingers and his smile was on show. Lovino noted that under his arm, Roma was carrying a ribbon wrapped box, which he placed carefully on the side table as he leant back to survey him. He motioned for him to come closer rather than approach him and he did as instructed. His Grandfather watched him approach with hungry eyes, only letting his gaze off him when he was where he wanted him to be, to look up at the younger bodyguard with a smile.

"Leave us please, Antonio." He ordered pleasantly. Lovino glanced to the Spaniard in time to see his expression flash infuriated and for a horrible moment he believed that for whatever reason, Antonio was going to refuse to leave. But then his expression fell back into a thankful neutral. With a stiff bow he walked to the door, painfully slow and Viktor hurried to close it behind him as he too was dismissed with a nod. Green eyes caught his own for one moment and then the wood of the door blocked their view. The room felt very silent and far away from the bustle of the main room, his Grandfather's presence separated him from the rest of the world and he felt very alone. It was a new feeling and he wasn't used to it.

Wordlessly Roma reached for the tie on the screen and threw it around Lovino's neck like a noose. His fingers brushed the side of his face briefly as he silently straightened out and folded the tie.

"Are you excited?" He asked softly, almost a whisper as his fingers deftly creased the green material. Lovino nodded, knowing his Grandpa would be mad if the party, which he had put on especially for him, was not what he wanted. He couldn't help but feel his knees knock together in nerves as the older man grinned widely at him. "I am glad. I have been waiting for this day a long time Lovi."

"It is a shame your mother could not see you." He continued with a dry sigh, not looking him in the eyes. Lovino stared. His grandfather never talked about his parents. He had refused to when he was a child and so the boy had learned to leave the subject alone. "She would have loved to see this day I think. It is a shame she was taken from you before she could see you grow into the family. Those Russian's took a beautiful daughter from me, and a wonderful mother from you. It is a crime she cannot be here today. Your father on the other hand-"

He tugged the tie around Lovino's neck violently. He probably didn't mean to tie it as tight as he did but it did not stop Lovino gasping out. Roma didn't seem to notice his discomfort and carried on, his expression clouded with memories as his hands carried on moving unconsciously.

"Your father was a good man, but he was weak. He was not suited to this life. I am glad you are not like them Lovino, you are like me: in looks and disposition." Roma finished with the tie and reached up his hand to cup his grandson's cheek. The material around his neck was not tight enough to choke him but it was making it difficult to breathe too deeply and it brought tears to Lovino's eyes. Tears that were probably mistaken for emotional tears of some sort by the older man.

"I have brought you a present, mio caro." His eyes crackled with his grin as he bore down on Lovino, his towering height blocking out the overhead light. Without releasing his face he reached beside him and fished up the ribboned box, placing it delicately in Lovino's hands which thankfully moved up of their own accord to accept the gift.

Lovino blushed and looked down. The wrapping had been done expertly and seeing as Feliciano had not blabbed about a gift, he had not been the one to wrap it. His brother could never keep a secret from him. His Grandfather must have done it and he was touched by the gesture, taking time out of his busy schedule must have been difficult for him, especially with a party to plan. "You shouldn't have, Nonno."

"Non è niente, I would buy the world for you my dear." He smiled, rubbing his thumb over the side of his cheek. "Open it now, before the party."

Lovino did as requested, his shaking hands fumbling briefly over the ties before the lid fell away. His heart hit somewhere in his mouth and a sickening feeling spread in his stomach. He was not sure what he had expected but he had definitely not seen this coming; nestled innocently in the paper was a gun. It looked brand new and shined deadly, reflecting the cold glare of the light above. Next to it was a bottle of some sort, whiskey by the looks of it.

His mouth felt dry, like someone had stuffed it with cotton but he managed to choke out a thank you to his Grandpa, even though he felt anything but thanks for the gift. Some gift, the thought of such a dangerous object in his possession made him feel dizzy and his legs begged him to sit down. The lack of oxygen made his head spin as he stared. The gun lay innocently in the box like a spider waiting to jump at him. If his hands hadn't had frozen onto the sides of the box, he would have thrown it to the floor in terror.

"I'm glad you like it." Roma purred as he rubbed his arm. "I wanted to give it to you, to show you as a proper member of the family. I would be a poor Grandfather if I let my bambino wander around with only a bodyguard to protect him. What if Antonio was taken out? What would you do then?"

The idea of finding himself in such a situation made the taste of bile rise in his throat. Paperwork was one thing, but an actual confrontation? He couldn't, could he? It was obviously expected of him at some point, and he would have to rise to the occasion; the look on his Grandfather's face told him as much. His eyes were watchful and seemed to be searching his features for any signs of discomfort. Lovino swallowed painfully against the restrictions of the tie.

"And the whiskey comes from the Wang's shipment. You did good speaking to that Kiku boy. I thought one bottle would be price enough for your input. Soon I will take you to see where it went, would you like that?"

Lovino nodded slightly and pushed a smile onto his lips. "Yes Grandpa, very much. Thank you."

The older man sighed heavily and planted a strong kiss on his forehead, brushing back some escaping strands of hair in the process. He smiled down at Lovino pleasantly.

"Put that away and join me downstairs." He crooned as he turned from him and stormed to the door. Lovino had just enough time to slide the 'present' under his bed before he flung open the door to reveal Antonio stood behind it, ready to enter. His expression was oddly cool, and it made Roma chuckle as he clapped him on the shoulder fondly. He was strong despite his age and Antonio rocked on his heels under the force.

"Such an eager, young man." He laughed, leaving his hand on his shoulder for a good long minute before sweeping off down the corridor, his long coat flashing red around the corner. It was all the time Antonio needed to hurry back into the room and for Lovino to reach up his hand to pull at the tie which was slowly beginning to feel like it was closing up tighter against his windpipe. He coughed against the hold, his fingers fumbling uselessly over the knot that felt as though it was steel rather than silk.

Seeing him struggle, the Spaniard hurried forward helped him to loosen the folds of material. With one hearty tug the tension eased away and he was able to breathe easier again, although the lingering grasp still tingled across his neck. Rubbing it he mumbled a thanks and made his way without really thinking to the door but he was stopped in his tracks by a hand on his own. He stared down at it, confused, and then back up to Antonio's face. His green eyes blazed with something close to worry.

"What now?" He snapped his voice a little hoarse. The sound of the party was now in full swing and he was anxious to be down there and get the night over with. The faster he showed his face, the faster he could leave and be back in his room. The bodyguard's hold around his palm was warm and comforting, in a way, but he stared pointedly at the hand that held him for release.

Antonio blushed and got the message, dropping his hand as if scalded. A smile crept onto his lips but it seemed false, his eyes too tense to support the happy display. "You forgot your mask, Lovi."

Lovino glanced at the waiting green object and snatched it up, forcing it on his head with very little care for how his hair looked now.

"Come on." He grumbled, waiting for Antonio to open the door for him he breezed out and towards the root of the noise, his legs shaking so much he found it difficult to walk. It was only Antonio's consistent presence by his sleeve that made him stand up straight and walk into his own personal hell.

oOo

The clatter of pots against pans was like the symphony of a straining brass orchestra. Roderich, with his hands elbow deep in soap suds, rubbed at a particularly persistent spot of grease that refused to remove itself from the metal pan in his hands. The kitchen was a mess, the usually shining worktops laden down on one side of the room with food ready to be taken out, the other with the utensils that had been used to make them. The room was filled with the scent of cooking food which tingled Roderich's nostrils as he worked away at his task. Beyond the kitchen door was the sound of the party in full swing, people chatting over the sound of the band as they played a jumpy sort of swing music. It was not his favourite but he appreciated the beat and hummed along as he worked, a lot more cheerful looking on the outside than he felt inside.

He tried to focus on his work and getting it done as quickly as possible so that he would be able to go out into the party area, which consisted of the entrance hall, the dining room and the sitting room. He was all too aware that he was not completing his job at keeping an eye out for anything suspicious for the police, but he allowed himself a moment to relax as he tapped his foot in time to the rhythm of the music. The night was still young and he would be easily able to blend into the crowd. He would be nigh on invisible to the eye, just another servant. The help of Alisha and a couple of her waiters from the restaurant would make it even easier to spy on the goings on.

He did not turn as the door to the kitchen opened and the sound of the party swelled, he was used to the waiters going in and out of the room by now and he had stopped checking which ones they were, preferring to finish his job. When the door opened he caught between the babble and music the louder, more raucous tones of the master. If the Vargas' were starting to come down from upstairs then the party would quickly be well under way and he needed to hurry. He scrubbed at the pot with more vigour, and moved onto the next.

"What are you up to, Roderich?" A voice called softly from the doorway. He flinched at the familiar tone and turned. Viktor was watching him from his position in the doorway, a blank expression on his pale face.

Roderich had not realised it was him. The shock at seeing the bodyguard soon wore off and he registered his words with a hint of dread. He shook it off with a shaky smile. "Oh, Viktor I didn't see you there. I am just washing the pots as requested, I'll be out soon-"

"No," The other man interrupted. In a fluid movement his erect figure had passed the confines of the kitchen to stand behind him. The room, which usually felt so big, now felt very small indeed. Viktor's expression might have been calm but his eyes were narrow slits of ice blue that bore down on him like a glacier about to fall into the sea. "I meant what I said. What are you up to?"

"I assure you, I have no idea what you mean." Roderich's mouth was dry and his stomach contracted in fear but he was surprised how calm his voice sounded to his own ears. He removed himself from the sink and turned to face him, casually grabbing a nearby towel to catch the suds on his arms. His hands shook slightly as he wiped them.

"Do not lie to me." Viktor hissed, stepping forward threateningly. Roderich did not move, thinking only of his wife and what it meant for her if he opened his mouth. With her face in mind he was able to keep his expression straight and not show his fear. "I have seen you acting oddly. Ever since those men were outside in the car, the men that come and go daily, you have been strange. Tell me now what you are doing, then perhaps I can help you stay alive."

It seemed a good offer but there had to be a catch. The bodyguard was stubbornly loyal to his master; Roderich knew they had been together back in Italy when the family had lived there many years ago. It was Viktor that had taught the boss English , and he had been there at the birth of Roma's daughter and the boys. As far as he knew they were close, although he doubted men like them could have real friends. Viktor had always been cold and distant for as long as he could remember, so why would he offer to help him now? If he truly knew what he was actually doing, he doubted he would be so forgiving. There was a one way ticket for people like him, if and when they were found out of course. Perhaps this was all a display to gain his trust so that Viktor could rat him out to the boss. He would not allow that to happen, he had too much to lose.

"There is nothing wrong Viktor-" Roderich protested but was once again cut across.

"Do not lie to me!" The bodyguard did not shout but his tone tore straight through him like a knife. It was dangerous, and looking into those blue eyes he was painfully reminded that Viktor was just as dangerous as the man he protected. And at the moment, perhaps even more. "I am trying to-"

Viktor did not finish, as at that moment a group of waiters entered the kitchen talking loudly as they collected the trays of food to serve to the guests. They did not look in their direction, too busy with their own conversation to care, but Viktor moved away from Roderich. The butler thought his heart might explode with how fast it was beating in his chest and he allowed himself to breathe as the other man shifted himself so they were no longer nose to nose.

The men took their time collecting up the plates and talking, and Roderich knew it would be his only chance to get his own back on the man before him for years of degrading work and mental anguish.

"You better get back." He whispered so that the others couldn't hear him. He wasn't quite sure where the courage for his next words came from. "Roma will be wondering where his dog got to."

Viktor narrowed his eyes and sneered at the insult.

"Remember," he growled darkly. "I tried."

And with that he was gone, flying from the room like the nightmare he was, leaving before the first of the waiters had even reached the door. Roderich watched him go, feeling light headed and queasy at his own daring. But above all he felt accomplished, Viktor might have been suspicious but he had held his ground and admitted nothing. Innocent until proven guilty after all.

Smiling widely he turned back to his cleaning, eager to leave the room and get onto his real work.

oOo

The red of the sky was blood, staining the inky black of the city with its glow. The street lamps had yet to turn on and the setting of the sun was the only source of illumination on the dark street. The houses on the usually quiet back street looked dim in comparison to the glow of the Vargas household which almost throbbed like a beacon, all the lights in the house lit up. The hum of a band played and people were drawn into the mouth of the front door as if the pied piper was calling to them. Women clattered along the pavement in heels, the swish of their dresses and tinkle of their long beads a whisper in the twilight; most of the people edging their way towards the building looked cheerful and pleased but Gilbert could sense, rather than see, the people who didn't want to be there. Their smiles and laughs were about as fake as the masks they wore on their face.

With a sigh he flicked the butt of the cigarette he'd been smoking into a nearby gutter. The golden light was swallowed into the black with a resounding plop as it hit the murky water below. Straightening himself from his slouch, he brushed down his jacket, glancing once in his companion's direction. Birdie's gaze was fixed on a gaggle of pretty women as they wandered past, chatting away with each other, occasionally laughing shrilly as one of them told a joke. A stroke of pity touched his heart and he patted the other's shoulder to gain their attention. Large black eyes behind a yellow feathered mask met his own and he grinned widely.

"Come on," He said confidently as he put on his own mask, shaped in the long beak of a raven with black feathers. Neither of them had bothered with elaborate outfits and instead wore suits to match their masks, Gilbert had chosen an obnoxious white one with a black tie. He loved the suit because it made him look extra cool but it wasn't really a day wear sort of clothing. It looked much more in place at a masquerade ball, same for Birdie's own canary yellow piece. The smaller of the two looked glum.

He grinned wolfishly to his companion and winked. "Chin up, I can see your frown from all the way up here, shortie."

As if to make a point he patted his helper on the head. The other blond pursed their lips and whistled a low note of displeasure, but there was amusement in their dark eyes as they glared up at the taller man. Gilbert laughed at the severe expression, glad they no longer looked as depressed as before. He hated it when Birdie pulled those faces and now of all times was the time to work; emotion had no place in a lion's den.

He squared himself up and took a deep breath as he faced the house. "Let's go start a war."

oOo

Translations
mio caro- my dear
Non è niente- It's nothing
bambino- Baby

So what will happen with Gilbert next chapter? The rest of the party, ie the whole of it, will be pretty big and I have no idea how long it will take to write. Plus I'm still a little foggy on the details. By Sunday I'll be back at university (meaning work) and I'll be working a lot until then, sooooo maybe a while yet. I have a feeling it will be massive so apologies but hopefully it will be worth the wait.

Ahh who am I kidding probably not :') anyway drop a review, tell me what you think. Remember 150th gets a one shot of their choice :D