#hiding

Note: Just a nice fluffy story between 2 children. Absolutely no whump found here. :D

“Pavi, come back here now!”

Pavi just ran. He could hear her behind him. He had to get out of there. She was angry. Mama Irene was really angry. He didn’t know where he could hide. If he hid in his room or anywhere else in the house, she would find him. And papa didn’t allow them to go to the medical floors of GeneCo. He didn’t want to disturb papa either.

Maybe…

He hit the ground floor on the lift. The door slid shut on Irene’s furious face. She was really angry. He was going to pay for it if she caught him.

The lift doors slid open and he ran past legs. There were annoyed ‘hey’s but no one stopped him. He ran out the front door and stopped. Where could he go? He didn’t know anywhere to go.

Oh. Luigi brought him to the park once. Maybe he could find his way back there. Yes. He would hide there until Irene calmed down. He would hide there until dinner; she wouldn’t dare do anything if papa was there.

***

“Mr Largo, have you seen your brother?”

Luigi looked up to see a Gentern at the door. “No.”

“That’s odd. I haven’t been able to find him anywhere. Dinner will be ready soon.”

“Ok.” Luigi closed the book he was reading and headed towards the dining room. Carmela and her mother were already there. Luigi sat at his usual spot without sparing a glance at them.

The same Gentern came in, “Mrs Largo, I can’t find Pavi anywhere.”

“Leave him. If he doesn’t want to come for dinner, he can starve.” Luigi hated how callous Irene was towards Pavi. Isabella never treated him that way. He didn’t understand how Irene could be such a bitch.

“Pops wants us all here.”

Irene rolled her eyes. “I’m not your brother’s babysitter. It’s not my job to know where he is.”

Luigi seethed. No, she was their fucking stepmom. It was her fucking job to care for them. But she only had eyes on Carmela and even that was the bare minimum she did. “Did you see him today?”

“Yes. He broke my favourite make-up set. Instead of apologizing, he ran off. You should teach your brother common courtesy.”

Maybe if he had a fucking role model for it. “Did you see where he ran off to?”

“He ran into the lift and it headed to the lobby. I didn’t see him after.”

Luigi froze. “He went outside?”

“Please. Your brother wouldn’t dare go out by himself. He’s probably hiding in the lobby.”

He turned to the Gentern. “Call security at the lobby.”

She obeyed and shook her head. “They didn’t see him. They checked the cameras. He left early this afternoon and there’s no footage of him coming back.”

Luigi stood. “Why didn’t you fucking say something earlier?”

“It’s not my job to baby-”

“He’s been gone the whole day. You let a 9-year-old boy wander the streets by himself. It’s fucking snowing outside.” Something in Luigi’s chest twisted. He gripped the back of the chair. He had to calm down. He took deep breaths. He couldn’t get angry. He couldn’t get an arrest now. He needed to find his brother.

Luigi left the dining room. He headed towards the lift. He grabbed his winter coat from the rack. He froze when he realized his brother’s coat was still hanging there. Damnit. He took the lift to the ground floor. He ignored security telling him that they would search for Pavi and to stay inside.

He opened the front doors and he shivered. It was fucking freezing out here. Where the fuck did his brother run off to? Where would he go? Pavi hardly went outside. He…he couldn’t be just wandering the streets by himself. It was so cold. Could he have gone to a shop to wait out the cold? That was it right? That had to be it. Pavi couldn’t be walking around in the cold like this.

***

Luigi looked around the park. It was empty. He didn’t know where else to search. He’d search everywhere in a walking radius from GeneCo. Fear clenched in his stomach. What if someone took his brother? Easy ransom or worse… Luigi shook the thought off. He didn’t want to think about it.

Luigi pulled the coat tighter around himself. The snow was getting heavy. He had to get out of the cold. No. He needed to find his brother. “Pavi!” There was no one here. “Paviche!” Where else could he look? If he was just wandering the streets, where would he go for shelter? “Paviche!”

“Fra…fratello?”

Luigi looked around. He swore he heard his brother’s voice. It began to storm harder. The wind blasted in his ears. Maybe he was just hearing things. “Pavi!”

“Fratello.”

Luigi followed the sound to a large concrete pipe underneath the slide. His brother was there hugging himself. “Idiot! Where the hell have you been?”

“He…he…here.”

“Come on, Pavi, we have to go.” The boy didn’t move. Luigi cursed and climbed into the pipe. “Paviche, did you hear me?”

“Mama Irene is…is…is angry wi…wi…with me.”

“Fuck her. Who fucking cares what she thinks?”

Pavi didn’t say anything. He was holding his left wrist.

Luigi pulled the hand towards him and pulled up the sleeve. A bruise the shape of a handprint greeted him. “Did she do this?” Luigi growled.

“Sh…sh…she was fu…furious.”

“I’m going to fucking kill her.”

“I…i…it’s ok, fratello.”

“How is this ok? Has she done this before?”

“No.” Pavi looked down. “It…it was m…my fault. I br…broke her things.”

“She still had no right touching you!” Something twisted in Luigi’s chest once more.

“Fratello!”

Luigi closed his eyes and breathed deeply. He was fine. He just had to calm down. He just had to keep his temper in check.

“A…a…are you ok?”

“I’m fine, Paviche.” Luigi sighed. He leant on the wall on just focused on breathing.

“Fratello…”

He hated that worry, that concern. “We should head back. I won’t let that bitch touch you.”

Pavi nodded slowly.

Luigi felt his heart slow. “Let’s…” Luigi froze. It was storming like hell outside. Luigi couldn’t see anything further than 5 feet. “Maybe we should wait for the snow to slow down first.”

Pavi nodded again.

“Are you ok, paviche?”

“Cold.” He shivered.

Pavi was just wearing a t-shirt and pants. GeneCo was well-heated. He must have just ran out with whatever he had on.

Luigi removed the coat and draped it over his brother. “Better?”

Pavi nodded and pulled the coat around him. “Wh…wh…why does she ha…ha…hate me so much?”

“She doesn’t hate you. She’s a bully. You’re an easy target for her.”

Pavi curled deeper into himself. Luigi could see his breath from where he was sitting. “I tr…tr…try so ha…ha…hard to be nice.”

Luigi sighed. “I know. Some people are just assholes like that.”

Pavi shivered and hugged himself.

“Are you ok, Paviche?”

Pavi nodded but shivered more.

Luigi placed a hand on his wrist. “Fuck Pavi. You’re fucking freezing.”

“I…it’s ok.”

Fuck. Pavi was stuck there the whole day dressed like that. Of course he would be freezing. Shit. Luigi looked outside again. They couldn’t go through that storm. GeneCo was too far on foot. Luigi cursed himself for leaving his watch at home. He watched his brother shiver harder. The ground was freezing; the walls were freezing as well. He needed to minimize contact with anything cold. The warmest thing in here was…Luigi himself. He was an idiot. “Pavi, come here.”

Pavi just looked at him questioningly.

“Come here.”

Pavi cautiously approached him.

Luigi pulled his brother towards him; his skin was freezing against his. He pulled the coat tighter around his brother. “Better?”

Pavi nodded and curled tighter against him. “Does…does this mean y…y…you’re not angry w…w…with me anymore, fratello?”

“I’m not angry with you.”

“B…b…but you won’t t…t…talk to me anymore… Not si…si…since your arrest l…l…last year.”

Luigi sighed. “It’s complicated, Pavi.”

“Wh…wh…whatever it is, I…I’m sorry.”

“It’s not you, Paviche.” He just didn’t want Pavi to get attached. “Why did you come here?”

“It…it…it was the last place we had f…fun. I thought I…I…I’d be safe here.”

Luigi sighed. “Don’t you have fun with Carmela?”

“Si but… sh…sh…she’s so small. I…I can’t te…te…tell her anything.”

Luigi sighed. He knew Pavi was lonely but… “I’m sorry Paviche.”

“F…f…for what, fratello?”

“Pops being so busy all the time. I know you’ve been feeling neglected.”

“Neglected?”

“Left out.”

“A little. B…b…but I had you, fratello. But then y…y…you stopped talking to me too.”

“You need to find someone else, Paviche.”

“Why?”

“Because I won’t be…I won’t…” Luigi sighed. “I won’t be here forever, Paviche. You need to get used to me not being around.”

“No.”

Luigi sighed. “I know it’s not easy to understand Paviche but-”

“I understand, fratello. Papa to…to…told me.”

So everyone knew he was a goner except for him.

“He al…al…also told me that it was my j…j…job to keep you c…c…company. To ma…ma…make sure you we…we…weren’t scared or lonely. And…and I fa…fa…failed that, fratello.” Pavi buried his head into his chest and sobbed.

“Idiot. That’s…that’s too much to put on you.” Luigi held his brother tighter. “You’re too young to be dealing with this.”

“So…so are y…you, fratello.”

Luigi was silent. It wasn’t like he had a choice on this matter. And he was 14, he was practically an adult.

“Y…y…you ca…ca…can ha…ha…hate me, if…if…if you wa…wa…want, fratello. Ju…ju…just don’t hi…hide in your room a…a…anymore. Don’t…”

“Don’t what Paviche?”

“Don’t stop living.”

“It’s better this way Paviche.”

“Fo…for who?”

“Everyone.”

“It’s n…n…not better f…f…for me; Carmela is…is…is sad wondering why ‘Weegee’ won’t pl…pl…play with her anymore; Papa is…is…is worried. S…s…so better f…f…for who? Are you ha…ha…happy, fratello?”

“No.” Luigi hated how perceptive Pavi was. He was forced to grow up too fast. “I’m sorry.”

“I…I believe papa. He’s go…go…going to save you, fratello.”

Luigi sighed. “Maybe.”

Pavi’s eyes fluttered close.

“Pavi, stay awake!”

“Sleepy.” Pavi refused to open his eyes.

He tapped his face none too gently. “Eyes open, Paviche.”

“Ow.” Pavi glared at him.

His brother was not warm enough. He…skin to skin. That’s what they did in the movies right. Luigi’s hand moved to the buttons on his shirt. Why was he still wearing his gloves? He pulled off the gloves and placed it on his brother’s hands. They were too big but they had to do.

“Aren’t y…y…you cold, fratello?”

“No.” Luigi undid the buttons of his shirt. “I wasn’t as long out here as you.” He removed his shirt and cursed as his back pressed against the freezing wall. “I know it sounds weird, Pavi. But I need you to remove your shirt.” Pavi obeyed. Luigi wrapped his shirt around Pavi’s neck. He pulled his brother back towards him. He was still too cold. The storm still wasn’t slowing. What more could he do?

Pavi shivered against him.

“It’s going to be ok, Paviche.”

“Your sh…sh…shivering, fratello.”

“I’m not cold.”

“Fratello…”

“Just stay awake, Paviche. Pops will find us soon.”

***

Luigi blearily opened his eyes. Fuck. Did he fall asleep? It was so fucking cold. He looked at his brother in his arms. Pavi had fallen asleep too. He lifted his hand; it was stiff. Luigi opened and closed his hand to force the blood to flow. “Paviche, wake up. We shouldn’t have fallen asleep.”

Pavi didn’t stir.

He placed a hand on the back of Pavi’s head. It was so difficult to move. “Come on Pavi.” He shook his brother gently. “We need to stay awake. Conserve heat.”

Pavi still didn’t move.

Luigi was fully awake now. He shook his brother harder. “Pavi, open your eyes, now.” He tapped Pavi’s face roughly. “I mean it Pavi. Wake up, now.”

Pavi still didn’t move.

Fear filled Luigi. No. His brother wasn’t… Pavi was just being stubborn. That was all. He was just a deep sleeper. “Pavi, wake the fuck up now.” He shook his brother.

Pavi refused to stir.

Luigi felt something catch in his chest. This wasn’t happening. This wasn’t happening. His heart pounded. “Pavi, please. You have to wake up now.” His brother was so cold.

“Pavi! Luigi!”

Pops. “Here.” His voice was quiet. Luigi swallowed. “We’re here!” Luigi heard footsteps running. Luigi held his brother tighter. “Pops is here. Pops found us. We’re going to be fine.”

“Luigi!” Rotti’s face appeared at the mouth of the pipe.

“Pops. Pops, it’s Paviche. I…I don’t know how long he’s been asleep. I…I can’t wake him. I…”

Rotti reached into the cave. “Give him to me.” Rotti gently took Pavi from him.

Luigi just stared after his father. His father was here. They would be alright. Pavi would be alright. His heart skipped a beat. He had to be alright. He had to be alright.

Luigi heard Rotti talking with someone outside. There were people there; doctors maybe? Pavi would be alright. Pavi was safe now. Pavi was safe.

Luigi felt the freezing ground burn his side. He curled into himself. It was so cold. His heart pounded erratically in his chest. It was getting hard to think. He was so tired. He could rest now. Pavi would be find. Pavi would be…

***

The doctors took Pavi from him. They wrapped him in think blankets and brought him to the ambulance.

“He’s not breathing.”

Something clenched in Rotti’s chest. No.

One of the doctors climbed onto the stretcher and started performing CPR.

No. Not Pavi. Why hadn’t they found them sooner? What were they doing out here in a snowstorm?

“Mr Largo, we will take Pavi to the hospital first. The second ambulance will arrive shortly for Luigi.”

Rotti just nodded weakly. “He…He’s allergic to zydrate.”

The doctors nodded and pushed Pavi into the ambulance. Rotti numbly watched the ambulance speed off. Rotti took the thick blanket from the doctor that stayed behind. He shook. Pavi would be fine. Pavi would be alright.

Rotti turned back towards the pipe and froze. Luigi was lying in a foetal position on the ground. “Get off the ground boy, it’s cold.”

Luigi didn’t reply him.

Rotti turned the boy onto his back. His lips were blue. The boy was talking and moving just minutes ago. He couldn’t have deteriorated so fast. Rotti searched for a pulse. It was his heart. It was another arrest. “help me.” Rotti choked out to the doctor. He pulled Luigi out of the pipe and laid him on the ground. He pressed Luigi’s chest desperately as the doctor called for the ambulance to hurry.

Rotti felt numb. He couldn’t lose his children like this. Why did it take him so long to find them? Why didn’t he find them sooner? Rotti continued pressing Luigi’s chest. The ambulance would arrive and take Luigi to the hospital and restart his heart like they did so many times before. He would be fine. They would both be fine. They had to be.

Note: So I asked myself many times if I would kill a 9 year old boy. The answer was: I’ll let you decide. ;)

Note: Sorry. I just haven’t been in much of a writing mood recently. I think I’ve gotten it all out in October (or it’s my Saturn Return or Sun in my 12th house). These are all just short one shots but I swear I’ve been trying to make them as fluffy as possible. No whump at all. 

Tags: Hugs, Treehouse, Hiding, Family

“Welcome home." 

Luigi smiled as he kissed his wife. 

"Your son has been hiding in the treehouse since he came back from school.”

“Oh, my son now, is it?" 

"You know he only listens to you.” She stuck out her tongue at him. 

Luigi headed back outside and towards the treehouse. “Leon, it’s almost time for dinner. Your mother has asked you to clean up." 

There was silence from the treehouse. 

Luigi sighed. He hoped the treehouse would take his weight. The last thing he needed was it crashing down on him. He climbed up the steps. "Leonzio." 

The boy hurriedly wiped his tears when he saw him. 

"What’s wrong?" 

"Nothing." 

"You were crying.” Men don’t cry. He nearly continued. He took a breath. That wasn’t the right thing to say. And he swore his wife would murder him if she found out he ever told their son that. 

“No, I wasn’t.” He protested, even though his eyes were red. A large bruise formed around his right eye. 

“Who did that?” Luigi growled. He stopped and took another breath. He could not lose his temper. 

“Some boys in school. They called me a fag and hit me." 

Luigi sighed, forcing back more rage. "Which boys? I’ll talk to their parents-”

“Please, don’t." 

"And if they decide to hurt you again?”

“Cat has already threatened to break their bones if they do." 

Luigi bit back a chuckle. That girl was too violent for her own good. But Luigi was one to talk. "That’s good, isn’t it?" 

"Do you know how embarrassing it is to be defended by your little sister?” Leone hugged his knees to himself. “Why am I so pathetic?" 

Luigi sighed and pulled himself into the treehouse. It creaked. Maybe not the smartest idea. He sat next to his son and the floorboards creaked some more. Definitely not the best idea. 

"I’m sorry." 

"What are you apologizing for?" 

"For being so weak." 

Luigi’s chest panged at that. It was familiar, apologizing to a distant father who was never happy with anything they did. What would his father say in this situation? Man-up. Stop being weak. Luigi sighed. He hated how close to the tip of his tongue all that was. He wanted to run and grab his wife. She was better at all this emotional crap. Luigi was going to say the wrong thing. What was the right thing to say? What would he have wanted his father to say? ‘You’re not weak.’ No… what would Pavi have wanted their father to say? "It’s ok to be weak." 

Leon looked at him and looked down. 

"I don’t think you’re weak. But if you feel like you are, it’s ok to be." 

"It’s not what a man should be." 

"Your mother would say that’s the toxic masculinity talking." 

Leon didn’t say anything.

"Do you think your sister is too much of a tomboy?" 

"No, she’s cool.” Leon hesitated. “Don’t tell her I said that." 

"I won’t. But it would be nice if she heard from her big brother how cool she was." 

"She won’t let me hear the end of it." 

"Maybe. But you’d make her day." 

Leon smiled. He was a sweet kid. 

"You know, your Uncle Pavi was like you when he was young." 

"Really? But he seems so confident now." 

"He would cry all the time too." 

"Did you threaten everyone who would pick on him too?" 

Much more than threaten but Leon didn’t need to know that. "Yeap." 

"Did you tell him it would be ok to be weak too?" 

Luigi sighed. No. He called him a fag and told him to man up as well. "No. But I should have." 

"Dad, I need to tell you something.” Leon refused to look at him. He kept his gaze on his fidgeting hands. 

“You can tell me anything, Leonzio." 

His voice turned small. "Those…those boys were right. I…I think I like boys.” His voice faded to almost a whisper. 

Luigi froze. He was not equipped to handle this. His son was a f- No, he wasn’t fucking finishing that sentence. He took a breath. His son liked boys. Ok. He was still the same boy he’s always been. He- He was not equipped for this. “Does your mother know?" 

Leon nodded. 

Luigi took another breath. Ok so his wife has dealt with some of it. He just had to deal with his part. "Were you afraid to tell me?” He would have been terrified. Fuck. He’d have never told his father. Rotti would have…

“No. I just didn’t want to disappoint you." 

'You’re disgusting.' 

Luigi placed a careful arm around his son. "Why would that disappoint me? It doesn’t change who you are. It doesn’t change that you’re my son. It doesn’t change what a sweet boy you are; who seems to understand your mother’s mood swings more than I do; who knows exactly how to talk to your sister when she’s upset. You’re a bright, perceptive boy. And I am so proud of you." 

Leon shook at his words. 

Luigi pulled him closer to him. "I’m proud of you. I’m sorry I never said that more. I’m not…I’m not the most expressive person. But I’m trying to change. You know you can tell me anything, right?" 

Leon nodded and hugged him.  

"I’m sorry if I ever made you feel like you weren’t enough. You are more than enough.” He was more than Luigi deserved. 

“No, it’s not…it’s not like that. I…just sometimes the way you talk to Uncle Pavi…I…" 

It was just habit. Luigi wanted to protest. Luigi sighed. "You’re right. It isn’t right for me to talk to Uncle Pavi that way nor right for me to call him… I can’t promise it won’t slip out. But I’ll try to stop. I don’t…I don’t mean it. But it still isn’t right. I’m sorry.” He wondered how much he’d hurt his son with all the things he’d said. How many times had he called his brother a fag while his son was in the room? It didn’t matter if Pavi didn’t mind…his son did. 

“Dad, it’s ok." 

"No, it’s not. The word is wrong. Just know that when I use it on Uncle Pavi, it’s full of affection, not anything else. But it’s still wrong." 

"It’s ok. I mean it’s just a generation thing right? Back in the old days, it was alright." 

"How old do you think I am?" 

"Gen X?" 

Luigi just stared his son down. "I’m fucking Gen Z and don’t you forget it." 

Leon grinned. 

Fuck. "Don’t tell your mother." 

"You know Cat already curses like a sailor right?" 

Luigi sighed, "Yes. Your mother is going to kill me." 

"I mean she probably comes from a generation where women aren’t allowed to curse and-”

Luigi stared at his son. “Again, how fucking old do you think we are? Your mother swears a lot as well. She’s just better at censoring herself around you two. And she doesn’t have to deal with the f-” Luigi’s face fell. He nearly said it again. 

“Fop?" 

Luigi grinned and ruffled the boy’s hair. "Come on. We should go for dinner before the food gets cold.” He stood and the floor creaked once more. Luigi grimaced. “But maybe next time hide in your room? I swear this thing is not meant for adults." 

Leon nodded. "Dad.” He looked down. “Thank you." 

He hugged his son. "I love you." 

"Love you too, dad." 

Concept: A whumpee hides when the caretaker comes to rescue them, because they’re scared, and they end up getting left behind, not even realizing they missed out on escape.

(Bonus: If the whumper comes back and praises the Whumpee for hiding.)

steeped in summer sunlight but they’re all looking to pull my teeth.
: meeting new people :

a whole new set of variables ready to input to the algorithm of tearing me apart.
everyone stands in a neutral vacuum until you tell them your name.

hello my name is Artemis, what’s yours, would you like to know that i wanted to die last month?
would you like to see all the ways i can fall apart?

we will all go along happily to our team-bonding rituals and get-to-know-you conversations, or you could just get to the point and punch me in the throat instead.

because you never know who will love you.
more importantly: you never know who will let you love them and then destroy you in response.

          hi my name’s Astraea.
          she stuck out her hand.

don’t be so ridiculous quit acting like a cornered animal stop trying to look so dangerous.

          i reached out.

save your fangs, darling.

          i’m–Artemis.