Appraisal - General

Tony sighed, leaning back into the overstuffed chair and propping his feet on the edge of the coffee table. It was Friday evening, and he was settling down to relax in the apartment he shared with Arthur and his family. He could hear Marie playing with Bria in her room, and Arthur clinking something in the kitchen. Although he didn't admit to it often, Tony's younger twin really enjoyed baking and would make desserts on the weekends. Turning on the TV, Tony began to flip through the channels, looking for something to zone out to, when he was startled by a knock at the door. Before he could get up, Arthur was out of the kitchen and opening the door. "Hey if it isn't one half of the high school graduates!" Arthur exclaimed. "Get on in here!" Tony glanced over the chair as Luigi entered. The 18-year-old was dressed in dark blue jeans and a plain, green long-sleeved shirt. His mustache had come in more and instead of curling like Mario's, it was sleek. "Hi Uncle Arthur, I-I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" Tony caught the nervous tone he had heard before. "Not at all, I was just whipping up some treats for Sunday night, gotta have a proper graduation for you two after all." he stood aside and gestured for Luigi to come in. "Where's your bro?" "He's playin' video games." Luigi mumbled. "Is Uncle Tony here?" Tony clicked off the TV and stood up. "Hey kiddo," He was alarmed to see Luigi was tense, his shoulders held tight as he gripped at his shirt hem, head down, legs so stiff he was trembling slightly. He had seen his nephew like this before, three years ago on the rooftop of their apartment building. "Hey Art, give us a minute?" Tony asked softly. "No prob." Arthur nodded and giving Luigi a light pat on the back, returned to the kitchen. Tony came over and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You wanna talk here, or...?" Luigi heard Marie down the hall, and the look he gave Tony was like a deer trapped in headlights. Tony looked towards the kitchen. "Art! We'll be on the roof for a bit." "Okay! Just don't fall off, I don't need a pancake for a bro!" Arthur called back. Tony just chuckled and rolled his eyes, and he was happy to see the comment got a faint smile out of Luigi. Heading up the stairs to the roof, it was easy to see Luigi was having some trouble, his hands gripping the railing for balance. Once outside, they both sat on one of the benches and Tony saw the outline of the knee braces through Luigi's jeans. "Still gotta wear those, huh?" "Yeah." Luigi rubbed at one. "Saw the doc a few days ago. Says my last growth spurt kinda screwed things up again, so they gotta stay on. He even wants me in special soft ones at night." "Aw kiddo, I'm sorry. But hey, that aside, I'm so proud of you and your bro, you graduated! You ready for the party this weekend?" "I guess so." Luigi's shoulders slumped and he stared at his feet. "Mario's got a date tomorrow." he said. "No way, who with?" "Destiny del Vecchio." Tony leaned back, crossing his legs. "'A date with Destiny', oh, your Uncle Arthur and I are gonna have fun with this on Sunday." Tony tilted his head. "I get the feeling that's not what's got you a nervous wreck." "I um, I've met someone. We've been talking and I wanna ask him out, but I just..." he jumped as Tony took his hand. "You ready to tell your parents?" Luigi nodded, tears gathering in his eyes. "I'm scared." he whispered hoarsely. "How did you tell mom? Or Uncle Arthur?" His Uncle closed his eyes as the memories drifted in his mind. "Ah, well, your mamma kept trying to fix me up with a date to Arthur and Marie's wedding, one of her friends. I didn't want to keep turning her down or lying about it, so I took her out to lunch one day and we talked, and it happened. She was so sweet about it, said she'd keep an eye out for a handsome fella to send my way," he laughed at the memory. "Now Arthur," he sighed, "It wasn't exactly pretty. He had a date with Marie for prom, I didn't have anyone and he kept on me about it. In the end he went to prom, and I did a really stupid thing that night..." 17-year-old Arthur jerked awake at the sound of the bedroom door opening, then quietly closing, followed by a thump and a sharp curse in Italian. Turning on the bedside light, Arthur saw the bedside clock read 3am. Tony was by the door, gripping the desk chair in one hand and his leg with the other. He was dressed in jeans and a black tee with the sleeves ripped off. "Tony? What the hell are you doing back so late? Where have you been?" "It was prom, I was out havin' a lil fun." his reply was slurred. Arthur swung his legs out of bed as his twin stumbled over to his own bed. "Are you drunk?" "What if I am?" Tony sat back hard on the bed, clutching at his head. "Dude, Giovanni's gonna kill you! You know dad left him in charge while he's at that boxing convention!" Arthur hissed loudly. Tony fell back and rolled on his side. "So what? Maybe I'd be better off dead." he said softly. He felt the bed dip as Arthur sat beside him. "What are you talkin' about? Is this because you didn't get a date?" He tried putting a hand on Tony's shoulder, but his brother shrugged him off. "I didn't get a date because I didn't ask anyone." He could feel Arthur staring at him. "Why?! Bro there are like, seven girls I know of at least who'd love to go out with you!" "Well, I didn't want to go with any of them." "But why?" "Because I'm gay, alright?!" Tony tearfully spat out, sitting up. He bent over, sobs escaping him. The room fell silent. After a while, Arthur spoke. "You think that matters to me? Tony I don't care about that, it sounds cliche, but I just want you to be happy." Tony smirked, rubbing at his eyes. "Thanks. And where the hell did you learn a word like 'cliche'?" "I actually paid a little attention in English Lit, duh." The two looked at each other and broke into laughter. As their laughter died down, Tony rubbed at his head. "Art?" "Yeah?" "...I think I'm gonna be sick." Arthur sighed. "I'll get the bucket." Tony shook his head. "I still don't know how Arthur got away with it, but he convinced your dad I had a stomach flu." Luigi looked thoughtful. "Why didn't you tell dad?" Tony paused before answering. "Never felt it was the right time, I suppose. If I ever did bring a date home, Arthur kept quiet, and I just claimed they were a friend or something." Luigi wrapped his arms around himself and leaned forward. "I shouldn't ask you for help... You shouldn't have to tell him just because I want to." "Don't worry about that. I always figured I'd tell him sometime down the road, might as well be now. So, what about you? You ready to do this?" Sitting up, Luigi took a deep breath. "Yeah." As they went back downstairs, Tony mentally went over what they were going to do. "Luigi, wait a minute." The teen stopped at the bottom of the stairs and turned around, confused. "Look, do you think you can wait until either after the party Sunday night, or maybe Monday evening?" I don't want this to ruin your day. Luigi thought about it. "Can, can we do this Monday? You'll be there, right?" he began to panic. Tony pulled him into a hug. "Monday it is, and I'll be there. Want anyone else with us?" "Mario already knows, I want him there, and you." Luigi stepped back. "Do you want Uncle Arthur there for you?" Tony was taken aback. Doing this for you and here you are worried about me, kid you are amazing, he thought. "I'll be okay, I got you, and your mom knows about me so I got her support." They reached the hallway and Luigi hesitated, staring at his front door. Tony put a hand on his shoulder. "It's okay kiddo, you just hang on til Monday, okay? And listen, I got one thing I gotta take care of, but before I do, it means your Uncle Arthur has to know what's going on. Are you okay with me telling him, or do you want to tell him yourself?" "C-Could you tell him, please?" "Sure thing. Now you try to relax, go beat your brother's butt at a video game or somethin'!" This got a laugh out of Luigi. Seeing him back to his front door, Tony returned home. "Hey Art, where are ya?" he called out, shutting the door. "Still in the kitchen!" Going in, Tony leaned against the doorway, watching as his brother pulled out a tray of cupcakes. The sweet, tangy scent of lemon flavor filled the room. The little kitchen was vastly different in decor to that of Marianna's. While hers was a soft blue and white theme, Arthur and Marie had compromised on a cheery yellow for Arthur, with accents of purple, Marie's favorite color. It was admittedly not the best mix to see at three am, Tony thought, but it definitely reflected his brother and sister-in-laws unique styles. "How'd it go? The kid okay?" Arthur asked as he put another tray in the oven and set the timer. Tony pulled off his glasses and began rubbing at them with his shirt. "Not exactly. I mean, he's okay. But Art, I wanna give you a heads up, he and Mario might end up staying here for a while after Monday night." Arthur whipped around. "You mean he wants to...?" he let the question hang there. "Yeah. Also, he doesn't know that you already know, so I'm supposed to be telling you now, got it?" "Mamma mia..." Arthur leaned against the countertop. "What made him decide on now?" "Mario's got a date, and Luigi's talkin' with someone, a fella he's met. Wants to ask him out but is terrified of what Giovanni's gonna say." "Well he's not the only one. And the boys are more than welcome to stay here. What about you? Want me there?" Tony pinched the bridge of his nose before putting his glasses back on. "I do, but I gotta be honest, it might be too much. If Giovanni doesn't take this well, you're gonna wanna kill him, and so will Mario. I can't keep you both out of trouble." Arthur laughed, shaking his head. "Yeah, you're right. I've seen Mario after fighting school bullies, I swear the kid would try to take on an ape to protect Luigi if he had to. Plus I'll be right here when you need me." "Thanks bro, love ya!" Tony grabbed one of the now cooled cupcakes and bit into it as he walked off. "Hey! Those are for the party!" Arthur fumed. "You don't need three dozen cupcakes for eight people!" Tony called over his shoulder. The weekend passed quickly. The graduation party was full of food, laughter, and gifts for the boys. From their parents, specially made coffee mugs that matched their favorite hats with their initials on them, and each had been gifted the newest handheld game system with a few games from their uncles as special treats. The shared card to them read 'you put in the work, now you've earned some play!' Throughout the party, Tony kept an eye on Luigi, and was glad to see his nephew seemed to be having fun instead of worrying about Monday evening. After things started to wind down for the night, he pulled Luigi aside. "Tomorrow when your dad gets home from work, he's been getting home early the past few days so it'll probably be before dinner. I promise, I'll be right beside you." Monday evening. Tony was pacing in the living room, listening for the heavy footsteps that would signal Giovanni had come home. He nearly jumped when Arthur spoke behind him. "You gonna be okay tonight?" "I gotta be, I want to be there for Luigi." Arthur folded his arms. "You need me, just say so, I'm not afraid to step in." Before Tony could reply, his phone beeped. He checked the screen. "It's go time." he muttered. "Just be on standby for the boys, would ya?" Arthur just gave a nod, watching as his twin left. Tony felt his stomach turn. This hadn't gone well at all. The moment the words left Luigi's mouth, Giovanni's mood shifted, his expression darkening. The whole room felt tight, almost suffocating. "I had hopes you boys would both find good girls and settle down, then you hit me with this?" his tone was that low, angry voice that Tony and Arthur had grown up with. Hearing it again made Tony cringe inside. While his older brother had never been one for physical abuse, he would end up with harsh verbal and emotional attacks, often from not thinking before speaking. Giovanni paced a bit before stopping, arms folded. He was facing the wall that held the family photos. He stared at them for a moment, his gaze settling on the one of the boys goofing off with Tony and Arthur. "Giovanni," Tony started but stopped as his older brother held up a hand. "Enough, I don't want to hear it. Luigi, I think you better go stay with your uncles for a while." Luigi started trembling and Tony's heart sank. Giovanni, you have no idea what you've just done... he thought. "M-Mom?!" Luigi squeaked out. Marianna leaned in and lovingly took his face in her hands, pressing her forehead to his. "It's all right sweetheart, let me handle this." She gave him a kiss on the cheek before standing up, fists clenched in a mother's fury. "Tony, you and the boys are gonna have a sleepover while my husband and I have a talk." Her final words held a fierce fire no one had ever heard before. Tony urged the two over to the door, Mario keeping an arm around a now quietly sobbing Luigi. "C'mon, go across the hall, I'll get your nightclothes and things. Arthur and Marie will understand when you go over, you don't have to explain." Giovanni meanwhile went down the hall and into his and Marianna's room, shutting the door behind him. "Wait here, I'll get the boys things." Marianna said. Tony sat at the table, lost in thought. Before he knew it, Marianna was handing him an overnight bag that was stuffed full, and some cash. "All their things are in there, including their pillows. Take this and get everyone pizza, something to get their minds off this." "Thanks," Tony said, taking the bag. "Keep the money, I'll cover it tonight. Arthur and I got a couple comedy movies we've been saving for an emergency that we can play for em, too. You gonna be okay?" "I'll be fine. I've been waiting for this day." Tony froze. "Wait, you knew?" Marianna gave him a warm, sad smile. "He's my baby, I'm supposed to know these things." She glanced over her shoulder down the hall. "I'll let him have his tantrum for a bit then go in." "Look, if you need either me or Art, call, okay?" "Thanks, and thanks for looking out for my boys." Tony just gave her a nod as he left. Entering the apartment, he was greeted with the sight of Marie on the couch, holding a crying Luigi, whispering softly to him, telling him everything would be okay. Mario was in the other chair, looking almost shellshocked and Arthur was near the hall. He looked furious. "I'll kill him..." he muttered, going towards the front door. Tony dropped the overnight bag and grabbed his arm. "Art, don't." he pleaded. "Not now. Right now, the boys need us, not a big fight. Marianna's handling Giovanni, and believe me, she's just as mad as you are." He ran his fingers through his hair, thinking. "Let's just get everyone settled, get a movie on, and then get dinner. We're gonna just take this slow, okay?" Arthur relaxed a little, glancing at his nephews. "Yeah, fine." he agreed. As Tony went in and sat next to Luigi, motioning for Mario to squeeze in by him, Arthur kneeled by Luigi's feet, placing a comforting hand on his leg. Tony put an arm around Luigi's shoulders, and his free hand went to Mario's shoulder. "Now I want you boys to listen. I know this is scary and it hurts, but we're all here for you both and we'll get past this, okay?" he said. "Your mamma is one tough lady, she'll get your dad to listen." "But what do we do?" Mario asked. "Right now? Nothing," Arthur chimed in, "you just be here for each other, take it easy, and try to relax. It might take time but we'll get this figured out. And until then, you boys can stay right here with us." After a while, Tony left to go get pizzas from Punch Out Pizzaria, and Arthur went to the kitchen and began putting together a brownie mix. Tony said he'd get some from the store down the street, but Arthur insisted on making them fresh. Knowing better than to argue, Tony gave in. As Arthur worked, Marie came in. "Everything okay out there?" he asked. "All good, the boys seem to be enjoying the movie." Arthur could hear the TV as Down Periscope played. He and Tony had a special collection of comedy films and had been waiting to share them with their nephews, and it seemed to be working. Mario was laughing and Luigi's occasional softer laughter could be heard just under his. "At least something's going right tonight." he muttered, putting the pan in the oven. As he set the timer, Marie snuck up behind him and wrapped her arms around him, resting her head against his back. Arthur placed his hands over hers, enjoying the quiet moment. The calm was soon broken as the front door opened. "Chow time!" Tony called out. Marie and Arthur joined them in the living room where Tony placed three pizza boxes across the coffee table. "We got one half green pepper, one half red," he nodded to the boys before pointing to the next box. "A veggie and half plain cheese for the ladies of the house," he winked at Marie, "with sausage and mushroom for us," he motioned to Arthur and both grinned as Mario made a pretend gagging sound, mumbling about pizza "being ruined by mushrooms." "Kid, you don't know what's good for ya!" Arthur said, grabbing a slice. Marie scolded him over not getting a plate, and taking her pizza, headed for the bedrooms. "Bria and I are having a picnic in her room so you boys can watch your goofball movies." she said. "Be sure to save us some brownies." In the middle of the next movie, as the group enjoyed the brownies that were still warm from the oven, Tony's phone buzzed softly. Arthur watched and saw his face fall as he read the screen before tapping out a reply. Another buzz, and Tony quietly tucked the phone back in his shirt pocket. "Still talking. Really don't want the boys to hear this, Papa is involved now & mad at Gio. Both don't know about you. I'm keeping that secret. Will probably take one more day to get this smoothed out, will let you know." "Do you want me to come over? The boys are okay here." "Not yet. I'll come by when Gio is at work tomorrow. Love you all." Things went well overall until it got late, and the uncles unfolded the sofa bed while Marie got clean sheets and blankets. Mario was chatty, exchanging jokes about being folded up in the bed in the morning. Luigi remained quiet; his eyes held a haunted exhaustion. After wishing their family goodnight, both bros took turns getting ready for bed, with Mario first. Arthur and Marie went to their room, Tony meanwhile was in kitchen making a cup of tea. He was also listening in, making sure the boys got settled. There were soft limping footsteps in the hall that went to the living room. Luigi had changed and went to climb into bed, but Mario stopped him. "Lu, your braces." he gently pointed out. He dug into the overnight bag and pulled out the soft night braces, handing them to his brother. Luigi accepted them and sitting on the edge of the bed, slid one on and began tugging at the straps, quickly becoming frustrated. "What's going on, it won't fit right." he said. Mario took a look. "Heh, wrong leg," he pointed out. "Hang on." Before Luigi could protest, Mario was in front of him, helping him put on the braces and carefully pulling the straps. "Not too tight, right?" he asked. "They're good. Thanks Mario. Guess I'm too tired to think right." Mario gave him a hug. "Hey that's what I'm here for." Leaving the kitchen, Tony stood in the doorway. "Okay, the light over the sink is gonna be left on, we all use it like a nightlight," he explained. "G'night you two." "Goodnight, Uncle Tony." the boys chorused. "Remember, either of you need me, my door's open all night, got it? Even if it's just to talk, come get me." He made sure to lock eyes with Luigi as he spoke. A mix of 'sure' and 'thanks' were the replies. Retiring to his room, he changed and tried to settle in to read, but found he couldn't focus. Before he knew it, it was well past midnight and he was still up. Getting up, he quietly went down the hall and peered into the living room. In the low light coming from the kitchen, he could just make out that Mario was holding Luigi while his little brother cried. The two were talking, but it was too low for him to make anything out. Giovanni, you really don't know what you've done to your boys, he reflected. The next day after lunch, Luigi was on the couch with his little cousin Bria in his lap, watching a cartoon about kittens trying to open a bakery. Mario was on the floor beside them, deeply engrossed in his video game. "Why do the weapons always have to break? Can't save Hyrule with broken sticks..." he muttered. He didn't even look up as Marie and Arthur walked past and into the kitchen. Luigi noticed though and caught snippets of the conversation. ".... Heard from Marianna?" came Marie's voice. "Yeah, boys might stay one more night Tony said..." "...Let them stay here.... Not a problem..." There was some more talk that he couldn't make out, then the sound of footsteps as Marie came in. "Oh Bria, nap time sweetie." Bria, who was beginning to doze, grumbled and pushed herself into Luigi's chest, snuggling up against him. Marie laughed. "Looks like she wants her uncle instead of her bed." Bria had been born after the bros had turned thirteen, and Marie and Arthur had asked them to be called Bria's uncles due to the age difference. Both had jumped excitedly at the offer for the special title. "Want me to tuck you in?" Luigi asked. Bria nodded, clinging to his shirt. "Okie-dokie." Luigi carefully held his cousin as he stood, following his aunt down the hall. Mario meanwhile turned his game off, sighing to himself. Arthur peeked around the corner. "Hey Mario, got a minute? C'mon back to my office, would ya?" Mario got up and joined his uncle. The way the apartment was used was different from Mario and Luigi's home. The room they used as a dining and little home office was Arthur's living room, and what would be the bros' small living room was used as Arthur's home office. It was crammed with a desk and computer, mini fridge, bookcases, and papers and office boxes everywhere. Mario couldn't help but wonder how Arthur could find anything in the chaos, although he had to admit he wasn't much better with his own study desk at home. Like Luigi, Arthur had a head for numbers and details, and after Bria was born, he had gone on from working as a mechanic into what was accounting for the garage for better pay. Tony meanwhile still worked at the garage, specializing in repair of classic cars. He had a decent list of customers that only trusted him for their needs. He had called off for the next few days, citing a 'family emergency'. Grabbing a stack of books, Arthur cleared off a chair. "Have a seat." he said, plopping down hard into his own office chair. Opening the mini fridge, he took out two bottles of pop and handed Mario one. "How you holdin' up with all this?" he asked. Mario's shoulders slumped. "I donno. Just feel so helpless..." "I know the feelin', kid. It's not easy. But you know you can talk to any of us here, got it? And right now, you're doing the one thing you need to be, being there for your bro." Marie smiled. She was fixing up the bed and she could hear Luigi singing softly to Bria. Finishing up, she watched them for a minute. Along with singing, Luigi was gently rocking his cousin in his arms. She had snuggled against him and fallen asleep. "You're so good with her, you'd be a good big bro yourself, you know that?" Marie said. "Thanks," Luigi blushed faintly. He carefully lowered Bria onto the bed and tucked her in before following Marie out. "I want another cup of coffee," Marie said, "you want anything? There's tea or lemonade if you'd like." "Sure." Their walk to the kitchen was interrupted by a knock at the front door. Marie answered it and came in with Marianna. The heart wrenching cry that Luigi let out when he saw her brought Mario and Arthur running from the other room and Tony joined them. Marianna took her boys into a warm hug and then guided them to the couch to sit as Luigi broke down. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry... It's all my fault!" he sobbed out. "I've messed everything up, I'm just a mistake!" Arthur felt it, that creeping sensation at the base of his skull that he'd get when Tony was upset or hurt. One glance at his twin told him everything. His body was tense, his eyes damp with tears and he looked like he had been slapped across the face. He went flying past Arthur and kneeled by Luigi, taking his hands in his own. "Kid, listen to me," his voice was shaky, "don't ever, ever think that, you hear me? You are not a mistake; you never have been. Listen, your Uncle Art and I joke around with you boys a lot, but this is one thing I will never joke about, you got it? You are not a mistake!" Marianna pulled Luigi into a hug. "Your Uncle is right, you're not a mistake, you are just who you're supposed to be. I'm still talking with your father, just give him some time." "Hey bro," Arthur spoke up, "what if you tell Giovanni about you, you know, go over and talk with him more?" Tony stood and folded his arms. "I thought about that, but it could complicate things. One, he could feel like I'm ganging up on him, and two, he could take it as 'Luigi thinks he's like this because you do'. Last thing I want to do is throw a full gas tank on a fire here." "And knowing him, that's exactly what he'd do," Marianna said with a hint of frustration. "But we got Papa on our side, and he's been at Giovanni about you boys coming home, so things might change tonight if I wear him down." She kissed Luigi's cheek. "You just let me keep at him. This'll be done soon, I want my boys home." "I'll try again tonight to talk with him, and I'll call you the minute he agrees to talk." Marianna said. "Marie, this might get ugly again, and I really don't want Papa involved, he doesn't need the stress, feisty as he is. Do you think you and Arthur could-?" Marie smiled. "Call me when you're ready and I'll take him and Bria to get ice cream and have an evening out. I know Arthur won't leave the apartment right now though, he's going to hang around in case he's needed." "Damn right I'm not leaving." Arthur muttered. Marianna sighed with relief. "I can't thank you all enough for what you've done." "That's what we're here for." Tony chimed in. He clapped his hands together. "Now, we got a bit of a wait, and things are tense, so Art, how about a movie? Say, Young Frankenstein?" Marianna and Marie both groaned, excusing themselves to the kitchen for coffee. Mario and Luigi looked at each other and then their uncles. "What's Young Frankenstein?" Mario asked. Arthur and Tony just grinned at each other. That evening, after another two movies, Mario was camped on the couch, showing Arthur how to play the new game system on the TV, with Tony and Luigi egging them on as they played. In the middle of their fun, Tony's phone beeped. He glanced at the screen. "Guys..." his tone cut through the laughter and chatter. He held up the phone. "Giovanni's ready to see us." Luigi grew tense, his breathing speeding up. Mario took his hand and gave it a squeeze. Arthur stood along with Tony. "You need me, just say so." he said. "Anything goes wrong, you come right back here, got it?" "Thanks Art." Tony looked at the boys and put a hand out to Luigi. "C'mon kiddo, your bro and I will be right beside you." The mood in the dining room hadn't changed from that first night. It still felt suffocatingly tense. Luigi was sitting in his usual chair, pulled away from the table. Mario and Tony were beside him like guards. Marianna was nearby and Giovanni was at the head of the table, arms folded and brow creased. Whether from thought or from anger, Tony couldn't tell. Marianna stepped forward. "Giovanni, don't you have something to say?" she prompted. Giovanni's gaze settled on Luigi. "I wanna know something. When did you decide you were like this?" "I-I didn't decide... I've always been like this." Luigi replied softly. The mood in the room shifted, somehow becoming tighter. "So you've been lying to me? I thought you liked that Destiny girl." Mario's hands clenched into fists. "Lu never lied to you! I was the one who liked Destiny, he never said he did!" "You stay outta this, Mario." Giovanni's tone was low again. "I don't need your mouth right now. Luigi, your mom has been on me about this, that we need to talk, but I don't see what about. What am I supposed to say? That it's 'fine' and go on like nothing has changed?" Luigi recoiled, letting out a sob. Mario immediately pulled him into a protective hug and Marianna rushed to his side, keeping an arm around her boys. Seeing his nephew cowering and in tears, combined with everything that had happened, Tony felt something snap. He stepped in front of them, facing Giovanni. "'What are you supposed to say'?" His heart started pounding as tears stung his eyes. "He's your family! Tell him you love him; you'll be there for him! That you don't hate him!" "And how do you know what I should say? You suddenly an expert on all this?!" "I know because it's what I've wanted you to say to me!" The anger and hurt in his voice hit Giovanni like a knife. He was stunned for a moment as it sank in. "Tony, what are you talking about?" "I'm telling you I'm done hiding! I promised Luigi I'd tell you about me when he told you, and I'm keeping my promise. I have been hiding who I am from you for years, terrified that you'd do to me what you just did to your own kid!" The room fell quiet, the only sounds were Luigi's soft sniffles and the ticking of the clock on the mantel. Marianna and Mario both held onto Luigi, with Mario focused on his little brother while Marianna kept an eye on her husband, her steely gaze never wavering. "I don't hate you," Giovanni finally said, "either of you." He looked up at Tony, and then to Luigi. "Luigi," Luigi glanced up, wiping at his eyes. "You're my son, you always will be. As for you," he turned to Tony. "I'm hurt you thought you had to hid from me all this time." Tony folded his arms and stared at the floor. "You're hurt?" It was Mario who spoke up. Tony moved aside but still stayed protectively in front of the boys, ready to keep Mario back if he needed to. He had never seen him look so angry, tears gathering in the teen's eyes. "You kick Lu out," Mario was shaking now, "tell him to leave, and you're the one hurt?! No wonder Uncle Tony never told you anything!" Tony and Marianna braced for the reply, but instead of a sharp response, Giovanni collapsed onto one of the dining chairs with a heavy sigh, looking like he had been dealt a strong blow. "You're right. What I did the other night was a mistake. I should have just taken a walk to cool my head." He looked at his sons. "I don't expect either of you to ever forgive me for that." Mario let out a soft sound of protest as Luigi pulled away from him and standing, took a few shaking steps towards Giovanni. His voice was low. "Dad, I'm sorry I'm not what you wanted for a kid." His soft words delivered the final hit. Giovanni broke. Standing, he put a hand on Luigi's shoulder. "Luigi, I... Look, it'll take me a little getting used to, but I will always love you." Luigi hugged him and Giovanni put an arm out towards Tony. "Get over here." Wiping away a few tears of his own, Tony joined them. Late that night... Arthur stared at the ceiling. It was past midnight, and he was in bed, but he couldn't sleep. Sighing, he went to get up. Marie stirred beside him. "Mmm, babe? You okay?" she asked, still half asleep. "Eh, I can't settle in. You go back to sleep, okay?" he leaned in and tenderly kissed her cheek. She mumbled a sleepy "Love you," as she drifted back off. Tony was sitting up in bed reading when there was a knock on the door. "Come in." "Hey." Tony glanced up as Arthur entered. "Hey," he replied softly. "Couldn't sleep so I thought I'd come check on ya. You doin' okay?" Arthur asked, flopping down on the bed, hands folded over his stomach. As usual his yellow nightshirt was buttoned sloppily, and his shorts were a mismatched dark grey, leaving him looking disorganized. Tony meanwhile was in a powder blue short-sleeved nightshirt with matching shorts. Tony took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes, setting his book aside. "My head is killing me." "Past few days have been crazy, huh? I knew it wasn't gonna be easy but still, Giovanni's so hard-headed sometimes. And Mario, damn, he has your stubbornness and quick mouth, going after him like he did." Arthur said. "Yeah, it...wait, how do you know what Mario said? I didn't tell you that part." Arthur waved his hand. "I had the front door cracked open and was listening in. If it had gone south, I was ready to storm in there and get you and Luigi out." Tony took his pillow and smacked him with it. "Then all hell really would have broken loose! But I appreciate the thought." Arthur pushed the pillow off. "Hey, those boys mean a lot to me too, ya know. And I gotta look out for you, can't have you getting into all the trouble by yourself. Unlike when you went and got that tattoo. You were on your own with that one." Tony rolled back his sleeve, revealing a now somewhat faded skull tattoo. "Hey, I still like it." "Why are the eye sockets heart shaped again?" "Because dear brother," Tony said with a bit of a flourish, putting his glasses back on, "I am a lover 'down to my very bones'." Arthur grinned at him like the Cheshire Cat. "More like 'lover of bone-"" he was cut off as Tony hit him with the pillow again. "Watch your mouth!" He playfully scolded. "Fiiiine. So, we finally gonna meet any boyfriends of yours?" Tony sighed, leaning against the headboard. "Not likely, haven't had any luck in that area. Really hope Luigi does better, that kid deserves a prince." "Yeah well, so do you, especially after all you just did." Tony grew quiet, looking out the bedroom window. Lights from the buildings glittered here and there, mixing with the glow of the streetlights. The occasional passing car created shifting forms on the ceiling. "Art, you remember prom night?" "Yeah. Kinda surprised if you do, though." Tony let out a soft chuckle. "Ah c'mon, I wasn't blackout drunk." He grew quiet again. "Hearing Luigi call himself a mistake, that scared the shit out of me. I'd thought that about myself before. It reminded me I never told you the full story about prom night. Avoiding the party and drinking weren't the only things I had in mind." Arthur sat up, something in Tony's voice caught his attention. He listened as his brother continued; "I had my own date that night. We drank a bit, fooled around but I didn't feel like taking it very far. He ended up falling asleep, so I snuck out, with a half a bottle of his dad's strongest booze. Got myself home, sat in that little hiding spot by the outside steps, you remember that spot;" Arthur nodded, it was a corner of the front steps that never got much light and made a good hiding place, especially at night. You could look out but not be seen in the shadows. "So anyway, I sat there and downed what I could stomach of the bottle, making sure to have enough braincells to hide it in the neighbor's trashcan before going inside. I didn't get drunk because of my date, I did it because had something else in mind. If you hadn't left the chair out, I hadn't tripped and woke you up, and we talked like we did... I would have made a very, very bad decision." He was startled as Arthur lunged, embracing him. He was trembling violently. It wasn't just the sound of Tony entering that woke him, it was a nightmare. He was standing beside his brother's bed, shaking his shoulder, trying to wake him. Something kept telling him to pull back the covers but every time he tried, his blood ran cold and he couldn't do it. He didn't want to see what was hidden there. All he could manage was to keep begging his twin to wake up. That feeling of him in the back of his mind, that connected sensation they always shared, was gone. "Art? Hey, it's okay," Tony gently rubbed his back. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you so bad." "I knew." Arthur choked out. "I knew something was wrong that night." He buried his face against Tony's shoulder. They held onto each other for a moment, both lost in thoughts of memories and everything that had happened the past few days. "I don't say it very much, but I'd be lost without you." Arthur said. "And I'd be dead without you." Arthur sat back with a shaky sigh. "You um, you think the kid'll be okay?" Tony gave a nod. "Yeah, I don't know if he'll ever trust Giovanni again, but he's got some good support behind him." "That's a relief. I can't wait to find out his type, this is gonna be fun. Speaking of what's your type?" he asked, eyebrow raised. "Like I'd tell you that!" Tony said, smacking him with the pillow again. Arthur ducked, laughing. "You gotta tell me sooner or later!" "No, I don't! Now get to bed, you idiot." Tony said with affection. Two weeks later... Tony lounged on one of the roof benches, taking in the evening air. He heard the rooftop door open, and soft footsteps. "Uncle Tony?" came Luigi's voice. Tony sat up, giving his nephew a warm smile. "Hey kiddo, have a seat." Luigi sat next to him and Tony noticed he was fidgeting a little. "How are things?" he asked. "G-Good," Luigi said. He turned a light pink. "I um, I have a date this Friday." Tony grinned and ruffled his hair. "Hey! Look at you, mister hot stuff! With the guy you were talkin' with?" Luigi ran his fingers through his hair to fix it and nodded. "Uh huh, he likes building models too, so we're going to that new hobby shop that opened up, and then maybe to that little cafe that's nearby." Tony put his arm around Luigi's shoulders. "Proud of you, kid, real proud. I imagine your bro is driving you nuts about it?" Luigi buried his face in his hands. "You have no idea!" he groaned, making Tony burst into laughter. "Hey that's what bros do! But jokes aside, I hope you have a great time." "Thanks. And Uncle Tony?" "Yeah-oof!" Tony was caught off guard as Luigi grabbed him in a tight hug. When he spoke, his voice was muffed as he pressed his face against Tony's shoulder. "Thanks for everything." Tony returned the hug. "Always, Luigi, always."