A/N: I only own India and Maria. I'm sorry it's been forever. College takes up a ton of time.
"India, it's-a your-a birthday!" Pavi sang as he came into the kitchen. Her little face lit up as she stuck four fingers out.
"I'm this many Zio!" Pavi let a little laugh out as he noticed Luigi. He was trying to pretend he wasn't, but he was checking the cake he'd put in the oven. When we'd been going to bed last night he had looked at me very seriously and asked if I'd done anything for the birthday cake. When I said no, he announced that in the morning, he would bake and decorate India's cake. I was in shock with a sprinkle of panic mode. He'd cooked pasta before, but never baked anything. I watched over him all morning, before Pavi, India, or Amber had gotten up, as he mixed every ingredient, refusing any help, and put it in the oven.
"Very good princess," Luigi called.
"How many are you daddy?" she asked innocently as she climbed into Pavi's lap.
"Too many to count angel. Too many to count." He kissed her forehead before situating himself into a chair.
"What about you Zio?" She asked, putting her hands on his currently unmasked cheeks. He cringed a little. He still felt self-conscious of people touching his face. He usually wore no mask in the mornings and at night. The inbetween time was when he still wore Amber's old face from all those years ago.
"Oh-a cara mia. I am-a many more years old-a than-a you." She giggled as she kissed his cheek.
"I love you zio." Pavi broke into a full grin.
"I love-a you," he answered hugging her. Luigi and I looked at each other and smiled. It was always heartwarming to see Pavi and India interact.
"Zio, why do you wear a mask?" India asked innocently still holding his face. Her tone held a seriousness beyond her years.
"Because-a, my face-a is badly hurt-a. It-a is very bad-a looking." India's expression became as serious as her tone.
"Zio, you are beautiful." Pavi froze for a second. Luigi went to get the cake in order to avoid the awkward feeling this was heading somewhere bad. I watched intently. For our anti-surgery lesson, this could be a crucial moment.
"Thank-a you, but not-a everyone agrees. Some-a are offended by-a my scars."
"But zia didn't like my nose. You said it didn't matter. You said you should be you." Pavi began to look around uncomfortably. "Should I wear a mask on my nose?"
"No-a. My-a face is-a different." These questions were coming from a place of childish curiosity, but Pavi could see a deeper point. Oh, from the mouths of babes…
"Why?" The tension between all the adults was thick. Luigi was pretending to be insanely interested in a chocolate cake that was cooling as I pretended not to be sending Pavi mental signals not to fuck up.
"I-a don't know-a."
"Then why don't you not wear your mask? I think you look handsomer without it, Zio," she said kissing his forehead.
"You-a are right-a." Luigi and I both looked at him. "Let's-a go get-a rid of-a it." India clapped and grabbed Pavi's hand. They left. Soon after, Pavi followed India in holding Amber's old face.
"I'll hold the button!" India shouted as she held the button to open the trash. Pavi looked at the face then to Luigi. Luigi patted Pavi's back and nodded. That was all it took. He dropped the face into the trash.
"I'll talk-a to a GENtern to get-a the clips re-a-moved tomorrow!" India grabbed Pavi's hand and brought him to the table.
"Now Zio will always look pretty!"