Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Luna, I didn’t think you would come,” Nina said, greeting her with a tight hug as she walked into school.

Luna gave her a small smile. “I need to feel like things are still a little normal,” Luna explained. “Plus, this way I can talk to you and the girls in person about what happened.”

“What happened?” Jim and Yam asked in unison as they joined Luna and Nina.

“Well, there was sort of an attack yesterday at the palace,” Luna said slowly.

“What? An attack?” Jim interrupted in shock.

“Is everyone okay?” Yam asked. “Are you hurt?”

“No, no, don't worry. No one got too badly hurt,” she reassured them. “But it got me a little worried about all of you. I’m worried Sharon will send someone after one of you to try to get to me.”

The three girls exchanged looks.

“You know Sharon was behind it for sure?” Yam asked.

Luna nodded. “The man she sent told us himself,” she answered. “So I was wondering if you all would be okay with it if I sent some extra security to your houses. Just while things get sorted out so I know you’ll be safe if she sends anyone after you. I would ask you all to come to the Mansion but somehow, I feel like that wouldn’t work out.”

“I can just tell my parents to tighten security,” Jim told her. “We have a lot of guards as is.”

“I don’t know, Luna,” Yam said hesitantly. “It would be weird to have security milling about my house.”

“I agree with Yam,” Nina said apologetically. “And I don’t know if my mom would be too happy about it either.”

“Please, it would just be for a bit,” Luna pleaded, trying not to let desperation leak into her voice. “It won’t be a ton of people, just enough to make sure you’re safe. I don’t know what I would do if something happened to either of you.”

Both girls gave in, unable to argue with her and Luna sighed in relief.

“But only a couple of people,” Nina warned. “Or else I will send them back.”

“Not more than five,” Yam agreed. “More would be too much.”

Luna nodded. “Whatever you say. So long as you’re safe, it doesn’t matter to me,” she said. “And Jim, please tell your parents to tighten security a lot and be on the lookout for anyone suspicious.”

Jim pulled out her phone. “I’ll text them right now so I don’t forget to talk to them later,” she said.

Luna felt a small weight lift from her heart as she followed them to class. So long as she could keep everyone safe, everything would be alright.

~~~

Luna headed straight for Matteo’s room as soon as she got back from school. She knew he wouldn’t be there since his classes ran later but she needed to see him as soon as he got back. She carefully avoided being seen by any of the guards and slipped into his room when she knew no one was looking. Everyone would assume she was in her study or with Ámbar, she hoped.

She looked around, taking the room in as she walked away from the door. Luna had only been in Matteo’s room for the first time the day before and she hadn’t exactly been in a state to take in her surroundings.

Matteo’s room was organized, much more organized than hers was, and it didn’t surprise her at all. His guitar rested against the wall next to his desk, which had sheets of music neatly piled on one side. His bed was made, there were no clothes strewn about the way there always was in her room. He had framed pictures of him with his family and friends on his bedside table. Luna smiled at one of him and Gastón that had clearly been taken after a competition, both still in their skates and grinning widely as Matteo held up a trophy.

Luna frowned slightly as she saw one frame face down and started to set it back upright. She stopped as she saw the picture in the frame; it was one of her. She remembered him taking it on their first date after they got back together. They had gone for lunch and then they had gone for a walk around the park. He had taken a picture of her smiling at the greenery around them and when she asked why, he said it was because she looked beautiful like that, happy and surrounded by nature. She hadn’t known what to say in response.

“That’s my favorite picture.” Luna spun to find Matteo leaning against the door, smiling at her. He set his backpack down and walked over to her. “I had to keep all the other pictures away, obviously, but I just couldn’t put this one away. The staff all know not to touch my picture frames and that I notice if they do so I just leave it face down while I’m not here. Makes it easier to look at whenever I want.”

Luna stared up at him, pink tinting her cheeks. “I didn’t know you got it printed and framed,” she finally said. She never knew what to say when he said sweet things; she could banter, she could argue, she could kind of flirt, but something about his sweet side rendered her speechless every time.

“Of course I did,” Matteo said casually. “I like having pictures in my room. Besides, this one is too beautiful to just leave on my phone.” He flashed her a charming smile. “So, to what do I owe the honor of finding the Queen of Argentina herself hiding out in my bedroom? Were you waiting for me, Your Majesty?”

Luna flushed at his tone. “I wasn’t hiding out!” she denied. “...I was waiting for you, though. I wanted to see you, I missed you.”

Matteo chuckled and pulled her to him. “I like hearing that.” He kissed her softly. “How was school?”

“It was fine. I convinced Nina and Yam to let me send them guards,” Luna said. “Couldn’t really pay much attention during classes but that’s nothing super out of the ordinary.”

“Because of everything that happened yesterday?” Matteo asked sympathetically, brushing a stray hair away from her face.

Luna nodded. “Kind of but enough about that, I don’t want to talk about it. Tell me about your day.” She took his hands and shook them, freezing as Matteo winced ever so slightly. She let go of his hands and stepped back. “I’m sorry. Your arm…does it hurt?”

Matteo waved it away. “It does a little but it’s fine,” he said lightly. “Nothing that I can’t handle.”

Luna bit her lip. “Do you have a scar?” she asked quietly. “From when…”

“Yeah, I do,” Matteo answered slowly. “Why?”

“Can I see it?”

Matteo blinked in surprise. “Luna, it really isn’t a big deal and I don’t want you to make yourself feel worse.”

“I just want to see it. Please?” she asked, not responding to his comment. It would make her feel worse but she still needed to see it. She had to see what she’d added to.

Matteo sighed but pulled up his shirt just enough for the scar to be visible. Luna inhaled sharply and reached out to brush her fingers over it. Guilt flooded her all over again, but this time, it was accompanied by anger. She had allowed him to get hurt again. She had allowed Sharon to be the reason he was hurt again.

She tore her eyes away from his scar to look up at him. “Will it leave a scar on your arm?” she asked.

“Technically, every cut leaves a scar.”

“Matteo.”

Matteo let out a long breath. “I don’t know,” he answered. “The doctor said it doesn’t need stitches so it might not but it might. We won’t know until it heals. But it’s fine, scars are sexy, aren’t they?” he joked. When Luna didn’t smile, her eyes moving back down to the scar, he tipped her head up with a finger under her chin. “Hey, it’s okay,” he said gently.

Luna swallowed hard. “I don’t want you to have any more,” she said. “I don’t want you to be hurt.”

Matteo pulled her into a hug, her hand still on his stomach. “You don’t have to worry about me. I’ll be okay,” he promised.

“You better be,” she mumbled, wrapping her arms around him, one hand still under his shirt. His skin was warm under her touch and she closed her eyes, taking comfort in it. Warm meant alive.

“Do you have any scars?” Matteo asked lightly after a moment.

Luna snorted. “A bunch of small ones from falling on my skates, off bikes, out of trees, you name it,” she answered.

“You’ll have to show me them all some time and tell me about all your adventures in falling,” he joked.

Luna pulled back to look at him. “You’d be stuck listening to me talk for a very long time then, chico fresa.”

“Good because I could listen to you talk forever, chica delivery,” he said, his eyes lighting up as she smiled. “I love seeing you smiling.” Luna hid her face in his chest and he laughed, pulling back so he could see her again, poking her sides. “No, I want to see your smiling face!”

Luna threw her head back and laughed. “There, are you happy?” she asked, beaming up at him.

“If you’re happy, I’m happy.”

“I’m with you, so of course I’m happy.”

“Good.” Matteo booped her nose. “Now, did you need something from me or you just wanted to see me?”

“Well, I just wanted to see you but now that you mention it, we need to figure out when we’re going to meet with your dad,” Luna said, her smile fading. “We don’t have that much time.”

“He said he’d let me know later today when he has time,” Matteo said. His eyes darkened. “Speaking of my dad, we have a conversation pending.”

Luna ducked her head and nodded. “I guess we do,” she said, trying to hide her nervousness.

Matteo watched her a moment before asking, “So what exactly did he do?”

Luna blew out a long breath. “Well, first thing he did was offer me money to break up with you,” she started. “Like actual money. I was actually so surprised I didn’t say anything at first because who on earth does that?”

“My dad does,” Matteo snorted. “That part I expected, I’m asking more for everything else.”

Luna stared at him in shock. “He’s done that before?” She hadn’t thought she could hate Matteo’s father more but there she was, hating him more than ever.

“Oh, regularly,” Matteo said, far too casually for Luna’s liking. “He did that to every single person I dated that he didn’t approve of. It was really just a question of if they were going to accept, not if my dad was going to do it.”

“Have I told you that I hate your father?” Luna blurted, practically vibrating with rage. “Because I hate him. And, wait, people seriously accepted? They broke up with you for money?”

Matteo chuckled slightly. “Does it surprise you that they did? He offers a lot of money.”

Luna stayed quiet for a moment. “Yes, it does. And you didn’t deserve that.”

Matteo blinked in surprise before shifting in place and clearing his throat. “What else did he do?”

“Well, after I told him that I don’t care for his money, he told me he would give me anything I wanted,” Luna said. She let out a small, nervous laugh. “And that is when I think he went from disliking me to outright hating me.”

Matteo opened his mouth before pausing. “Wait, he offered to give you anything you wanted?” he asked. “And you turned him down?”

Luna stared at him in complete confusion. “Matteo, why would I have accepted?”

“Because he offered you anything you wanted and he meant it,” Matteo said in disbelief. “And you said no?”

“The only thing I wanted from him was you!” Luna exclaimed.

Matteo stared at her and Luna realized with a jolt that he was surprised she had chosen him over his father’s offer. How many people hadn’t?

“Matteo, I love you now and I loved you then,” she said softly. “I would never have said yes to anything your father offered me, no matter how big. You’re more important to me than that.”

Matteo inhaled sharply. “So, what did you tell him?” he asked quietly. “What did you do to make him hate you?”

Luna fidgeted with her clothes. “Um, well, I sort of-” She paused as her phone went off.

“Aren’t you going to check that?” Matteo asked after a moment.

“If you want me to leave it for later, I will,” she said. “Since we’re in the middle of a conversation.”

Matteo shook his head. “It could be important, you should check it.”

Luna nodded and pulled out her phone. “It’s Ámbar. She wants us to meet her in my study to figure out what we’re doing next.” She glanced up at him. “Should I tell her later?”

“No, it’s okay,” he said. “We can pick this up after. I’ll go and you follow in a couple minutes?”

Luna checked the time. “No, I should go first, your hallway is clear right now,” she said. Matteo stared at her, a smile pulling at his lips. “What? I memorized the guards’ patterns. You can’t be the only one sneaking around.”

“Does that mean I can expect to see you here more often?” Matteo asked.

Luna shot him a playful smile and shrugged. “I’ll see you in a few minutes,” she said before slipping out.

Chapter Text

“How was school?” Ámbar asked as Luna entered the room.

Luna shrugged. “Fine. I got to talk to Nina, Jim, and Yam,” she said. “But I haven’t been able to talk to Delfi or Jazmín yet. Or Ramiro.”

“I can call Delfi and Jazmín,” Ámbar offered.

“And I can call Ramiro,” Matteo said as he shut the door behind him. “And Gastón just in case.”

“Really?” Luna looked between them. “Thank you both. Please let them know that I asked you to call too. I don’t want them to think that I didn’t care enough or something.”

“Don’t worry, Luna, they wouldn’t think that of you,” Matteo reassured her.

“He’s right, they wouldn’t. Matteo, has your father told you anything?” Ámbar asked, switching topics. “We have to get this figured out.”

Matteo shook his head. “He said he’d let me know later today.”

Ámbar scowled. “Of course he did,” she muttered. “Okay, well, in the meantime we can try to figure out how we’re going to get you out without a host of guards following you. Did guards go with you to school today?”

Luna nodded. “I’m not sure Abuelo will let me leave without a guard for a while,” she said. “Maybe if I’m with you, he’ll agree? But it’ll seem strange to the security team.”

“We can work around that,” Ámbar said. “They all know you’re not a huge fan of having guards follow you around. If anything, we can say we want a day out just for the two of us. The best case scenario is we don’t have to tell anybody other than your parents and Abuelo anything. We would have to convince Abuelo that it would be safe, though.”

“I mean, you’ll have me with you,” Matteo said. “And if it comes down to it, I’m handy in a fight.”

“Matteo, I don’t-”

“That’ll work in our favor,” Ámbar interrupted her cousin, ignoring the glare she received in return. “If everything goes smoothly, nobody will know where we are, which means Sharon won’t either. So it’ll be fine.”

Luna gave in reluctantly. “Fine but I’m keeping a weapon on me too,” she said, daring either of them to tell her no. When they didn’t, she continued, “I can sneak out through the service entrance. Security isn’t really posted there and I’m pretty good at sneaking around there.”

Ámbar narrowed her eyes at her. “We will talk about that later but for now, that’s good,” she said. “If we just lock your study door, everyone will probably assume you’re in here studying.”

“What about you and Matteo?”

“We’re not the Queen, nobody is looking for us,” Matteo told her. His phone rang. “It’s my dad. Maybe he finally has a day for us.”

“So, did you two talk about it?” Ámbar asked once Matteo left the room to take the call.

Luna furrowed her brows. “Talk about what?”

Ámbar raised an eyebrow at her. “The whole thing with his dad? Hello?”

“Oh! Yeah, we did. Well, we started but then you texted,” Luna answered. “We’re going to pick it up later.”

“And you’re actually telling him the truth?”

“He isn’t really giving me a choice.”

“Good.” Ámbar studied her for a moment. “Why didn’t you tell him?”

Luna shrugged uncomfortably. “I didn’t see why I should,” she lied. “It happened and that was that. No point in bringing it up.”

Ámbar watched her a second longer before blinking in realization. “You believed him,” she said, a hint of surprise in her voice. “Whatever he said to you, you believed him.”

Luna’s eyes widened. “No, I-”

“He said the day after tomorrow.” Matteo tossed his phone onto the desk, annoyed.

“The day before he leaves,” Ámbar said sourly. “Of course.”

Luna looked between them. “What’s the problem?”

“It’s a power move,” Matteo explained. “He wants to force us into saying yes to any condition he might have by not giving us time to negotiate.”

“Of course he is,” Luna said. Her leg bounced. “What kind of conditions are we talking about?”

Matteo shrugged. “I’m not sure honestly.”

“Well he messed with the wrong girl,” Ámbar said fiercely. “Because if he thinks I can’t get him to agree to everything I want, he thinks wrong.”

“Plus, I’m doing this with or without his backing,” Matteo said. “He stands to lose if he doesn’t agree to our terms so we still have the upper hand.”

Luna looked back and forth between them. “Wait, but what if he just withdraws his support?” she asked. “Then what?”

“We’ll still be able to do this,” Matteo said. “His support just means we can point out the political benefits of this engagement. But I don’t need his permission. Whereas if he withdraws his support, he loses the chance to form a strong political tie between Argentina and Italy.”

Luna nodded, biting her lip. If they didn’t have the political support, they would have to date their engagement from before Sharon finalized the one with Chile to justify not breaking it, which wouldn’t make sense because Luna hadn’t been Queen then. They needed the political backing. Except Matteo’s father hated her, Queen or not. “We need his support,” Luna said. “Not having it makes all of this harder. But he kind of hates me so what if he says no because of that? I mean, what if I’m the reason this doesn’t go well? What if-”

“Hey, hey, Luna,” Matteo said gently, taking her hand. “It’ll be fine.”

“I’ll make him stay on board,” Ámbar said, a hint of a threat in her voice. “Believe me, he stands to lose way more than we do here. This will work whether he likes it or not.”

Matteo nodded in agreement. “And with Ámbar on it, there’s no way we lose,” he said. “Now, why do you keep saying he hates you?”

Luna took a breath, glancing at Ámbar.

Ámbar looked between them for a second. “I’m going to go call Delfi and Jazmín,” she said. “I’ll see you two later.”

“So?” Matteo prompted once they were alone. “You said you did something to make him hate you?”

Luna shifted. “Well, he told me he would give me anything I wanted so long as I broke up with you,” she started slowly, “and I sort of, might have snapped at him that what I wanted was for him to support your music career.”

Matteo pulled back slightly, blinking in surprise. “Wait. You’re telling me he offered you anything in the world and you told him that what you wanted was for him to support me?”

“In a very impolite tone but yes,” Luna said. “And then…well, he got really mad.”

“I can imagine,” Matteo said, dazed. “I’m sorry, you actually told my father to his face that he should support my music?”

Luna nodded. “He was getting on my nerves so I just sort of snapped at him. And not that I regret saying it, but it did make him really hate me.”

Matteo shook his head. “I can imagine. What did he say after that?”

Luna waved it away. “It doesn’t really matter,” she said, trying to sound casual. “The past is the past, right?”

“Luna.” Matteo’s voice was stern. “What did he say to you?”

Luna sighed. “Um, well first he blamed me for your ‘rebellion’ and then he…he called me some things and threatened me,” she said as quickly as she could, hoping Matteo wouldn’t catch it.

Matteo’s eyes darkened. “He what?”

“Matteo, it really doesn’t matter. He just said a bunch of things and-”

“What did he say to you?”

“Nothing, it-”

“Luna. What. Did he say to you?”

Luna gave in. She looked away from him, took a deep breath, and spoke as fast as she could. “He said that you were only with me because you were bored and to rebel against him and that you didn’t really love me and eventually you would realize that I wasn’t on your level and you would break up with me because it was all just a game to you. And then he called me a street rat, like, four different ways and then threatened to make my life hell if I didn’t break up with you.”

By the time she finished, Matteo looked angrier than she’d ever seen him. “He said all that to you?”

Luna nodded. “More or less,” she said quietly. “See why I didn’t tell you?”

“No, no actually, I really don’t,” Matteo said, his voice deceptively calm. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Luna looked down at her hands. “You were already on bad terms with him and I didn’t want to make things worse between the two of you,” she said. It wasn’t a lie, but it wasn’t the whole truth either. “Are you mad?”

Matteo ran a hand through his hair. “Mad? No, no, I’m furious,” he answered, his calm tone cracking for the first time. Luna winced slightly and he paused. He cupped her cheek, making her look up at him. “Luna, I’m not mad at you. I’m furious with my father for saying all that to you.”

“You’re not mad at me for not telling you?” Luna asked. Maybe she had been worried for nothing.

“Of course not,” Matteo said. He stepped back so he was leaning against her desk. “I want to know why you didn’t but I’m not mad at you for it.”

Relief trickled through Luna. “I already told you why,” she said, still nervous. He wasn’t mad but if she said anything else, she still worried he would be. She tried to banish the worry; the Matteo standing in front of her right now wasn’t the same as a year ago. This Matteo asked for her reasons and didn’t jump to his own conclusions. This Matteo did his best to understand her. Still, Luna’s anxieties insisted he wouldn’t want to be with her if he knew just how deep some of her insecurities ran.

“You gave me part of the reason, not the whole truth,” Matteo said and Luna was starting to suspect he could read her mind somehow. “So what was the full reason?”

“That was it,” Luna insisted. “I didn’t see the point in making things worse for you so I just didn’t say anything.”

“Luna, I can tell you’re not…” he trailed off. “You believed him, didn’t you?”

Luna’s heart stopped. “No!”

“You believed what he said to you.” This time it wasn’t a question.

“I…” Luna closed her eyes. This was it. “I believed some of it,” she admitted, her voice barely audible.

“You thought I was using you to play some sort of game?”

Luna’s eyes snapped open at the hurt in his voice. “No! No, I didn’t believe that!” she rushed to say. “I never thought you were the kind of person that would do that, I swear.”

Matteo pursed his lips but nodded. “Then what? Why would you believe anything he said?”

“Because everyone who knew you was surprised you were with me!” Luna inhaled sharply; she hadn’t meant to say that. Matteo went completely still. She bit her lip. “I thought that maybe it was just an infatuation and you weren’t really in love with me and you’d eventually realize that I’m not enough for you and then I would be left to pick up the pieces of my heart alone.” She waited for him to react the same way everyone did when she worked up the nerve to say anything about her insecurity and tell her she was silly for thinking that way at all.

Matteo watched her in silence as she fidgeted under his gaze. “You were more than enough. You are more than enough,” he finally said. Luna’s eyes widened slightly and he repeated it. “You’re more than enough, Luna. You’re everything I could ever ask for and more. I didn’t know you felt like that, I’m sorry.”

Luna wasn’t sure if it was better or worse that she couldn’t just laugh it off. “It’s not your fault, you don’t have to apologize,” she told him, acutely uncomfortable. This was the farthest she’d ever gotten into a conversation like this before either being shut down or shutting it down herself.

“I should have seen it,” Matteo insisted. “Or I should’ve thought to ask. I wish you would’ve told me but with everything that happened…”

Luna shrugged it off. “Really, it’s fine, it’s not that important,” she said. “It’s just me letting my thoughts and everything get the better of me. You don’t have to apologize or blame yourself for it.”

“Stop saying that it’s not important, Luna. What you’re feeling is important,” Matteo told her. He continued before she could argue, “You look really uncomfortable.”

“I’m not uncomfortable,” Luna lied.

“Chica delivery, I can tell that you’re uncomfortable,” Matteo said lightly.

“I’m just not used to having these conversations,” Luna gave in. “Whenever I tell someone that I feel like that, they tell me it’s silly to feel that way or that I have no reason to and it makes me feel like I’m crazy for feeling like that at all. It’s hard to explain and almost nobody seems to get it so I just avoid talking about it.”

Matteo reached out and intertwined his hands with hers. “I know we joke around a lot but I want to be able to have these kinds of conversations too,” he said softly. “I want you to feel like you can tell me what you’re feeling no matter what it is.”

Luna’s heart swelled. “I like this. Being able to explain and have you understand,” she admitted. “That goes for you too, you know. I want you to tell me everything too. Which, speaking of, now we have another conversation we have to have.”

“Deal,” Matteo said with a smile. “And what conversation would that be?”

“The one about why you thought I would take your dad’s offer,” Luna said, raising an eyebrow.

“That’s hardly a conversation. Just when something happens a certain number of times, you start to expect it,” Matteo said. He hummed, not letting her respond. “And what about now?”

“What about now?”

Matteo tugged on their hands to pull her closer. “How do you feel about us now?”

Luna gave him a small smile, deciding to let him avoid it for now. “Well, you’re making it a little difficult for me to think that you don’t love me these days,” she said.

“Good.” He leaned his forehead against hers. “Although, I’d like for it to be impossible, not just difficult.”

Luna giggled. “I’m not sure how you’ll manage that, my thoughts are pretty insistent,” she warned him.

“I guess I’ll just have to get into your head and replace your thoughts with my voice telling you I love you,” Matteo said, his voice low. “Then the only thing you’ll be able to think when you think about us is how much I love you and how I’ll never stop.”

“That sounds nice,” Luna breathed. She let her eyes flutter shut as Matteo’s nose brushed hers. “You’ll have to tell me a lot though, it can get pretty loud up there.”

“I’m going to tell you until you get sick of hearing it.”

“I’ll never get sick of hearing it. You’ll get sick of saying it first.”

“I’ll never get sick of saying it.”

Luna smiled against his lips. “I’m going to tell you how much I love you more too.”

“Yeah?”

“Mhm. Until you get tired of hearing it.”

She felt Matteo smile. “Well then you’ll be telling me forever because I’ll never get tired of hearing it.” He didn’t give her a chance to respond, pressing his lips to hers. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Luna said before kissing him again.

She let out a noise of complaint as Matteo’s lips left hers and he laughed, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “While I’d love to stay here with you the rest of the day, I have a couple things I have to take care of,” he said in response to the pout she was giving him.

Luna huffed but let him go. “If you absolutely have to,” she said reluctantly.

“I really do,” Matteo said. “I’ll see you later?”

“If you can, yes,” Luna said.

“One last kiss,” he said, leaning in to peck her before finally leaving.

Luna sighed, dropping herself into the chair behind her desk. She sent a quick text to Ámbar letting her know she could come back if she wanted or needed to.

Ámbar was back in the room two minutes later. “You two got everything cleared up?” she asked.

“Yeah,” Luna said. “We’re all good. Did you talk to Delfi and Jazmín?”

“Good because we’ve got other things to deal with now. And yes I did. They said they’ll talk to their parents and tighten security. They also said Gary wants to talk to me about something, but that doesn’t matter right now,” Ámbar said, pulling up a chair. “First is what we’re going to talk about with Matteo’s father. The second is the fact that I’m pretty sure Chile is going to push for this marriage harder now, using the fact that their resources would be helpful as one of the main reasons.”

Luna groaned loudly. “Did someone tell you that or are you guessing?” she asked.

“Technically I’m guessing but it’s basically a guarantee,” Ámbar said.

“I swear to god if I have to sit through one more anything with that guy telling me we would make a good pair, I might end up doing something to either start a war or lose my throne,” Luna muttered.

Ámbar frowned at her. “Did something new happen that you didn’t tell me about?” she asked.

“No,” Luna said quickly, shaking her head. “Nothing new, I’m just really sick of him. That’s all.”

“You know I don’t believe you in the least, right?”

“Yeah, I know.”

Ámbar narrowed her eyes at her cousin. “Fine, I’ll drop it. For now. And only because we have other important things to talk about,” she said. “But I will get it out of you later and either you’re going to tell Matteo about it or I will.”

Luna’s eyes widened. “Wait, no, what does Matteo have to do with it?” she asked. “Why do I have to tell Matteo?”

“Because he’s your boyfriend? Duh?” Ámbar answered. “Didn’t you just tell me you managed to clear up the whole thing about his dad? Why don’t you want to tell him? Is everything okay?”

“No! I mean, yes! Everything is okay. It’s more than okay,” Luna said, stumbling over her words. “It’s not that I don’t want to tell him, it’s that I don’t want to worry him. And I don’t want him to get mad or jealous because I’m worried he might actually go and pick a fight or something. Which, I’m not going to lie, I would not be against seeing that at this point, but it would be disastrous for a million reasons. I’m just trying to avoid more problems.”

“And I get that,” Ámbar assured her. “But you should still tell him. And more importantly, you should tell me. But like I said, I’ll let you off the hook for now. If anyone asks, you tell them that this is more a personal problem than a political one and we would greatly appreciate it if they let us deal with it internally.”

Luna nodded. “Got it. Anything else?”

“Oh yeah, we are going to be here a while. Get comfortable.”

Chapter Text

Calm, stay calm, Matteo told himself as he walked towards his father’s office. He couldn’t blow up no matter how badly he wanted to. There were ways to express fury without yelling and his father would find a way to use any display of temper against him. The most effective thing he could do was deal with his father as coldly as he had been taught to deal with others. Stay calm.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before knocking on the door. At his father’s answer, he entered. Stay calm. He closed the door behind him and waited for his father to look up from whatever he was doing.

“Oh, Matteo,” Giuseppe Balsano said, hardly glancing up from his work. “Do you need something?”

“Yes. I need to talk to you,” Matteo said, keeping his voice completely neutral. So far, so good.

Giuseppe sighed and shook his head. “Is it important? I’m busy.”

Matteo rolled his eyes towards the ceiling, reminding himself to keep cool. “Yes, it’s important.”

“Is it about the meeting after tomorrow?” Giuseppe asked. “Because that is the earliest I-”

“It’s not about that,” Matteo cut him off. He scoffed. “We both know it’s not the earliest you had time but it doesn’t matter. It’s not about that.”

Something about the way his son was talking made Giuseppe finally leave his work and stand up. “Then what is it, Matteo? Stop beating around the bush and talk.”

“I would have if you-” Matteo stopped himself. It didn’t matter. “I found out about what you did to Luna last year.”

Giuseppe frowned. “Who’s Luna?”

Matteo’s hand twitched at his side and he had to laugh to keep himself from exploding. “I’m sorry, did you just ask who’s Luna?” he asked, letting his incredulity show. “Luna, my girlfriend. Luna, the woman I’m getting engaged to. The engagement you’re helping out with. Luna, the girl whose life you threatened to make hell last year if she didn’t break up with me. That Luna. Does that help?”

“Oh, that Mexican street girl,” Giuseppe said casually. “Yes, I remember her.”

“The Queen of Argentina,” Matteo corrected him, harshly. “She is the Queen of Argentina.”

“I don’t have time for this, Matteo,” Giuseppe said, waving the correction away. “What is your point?”

Matteo clenched his jaw but smiled. “Fine, if you want me to get to my point so badly, I’ll get to my point,” he said. “I want nothing more to do with you.”

Giuseppe’s expression went from bored to angry. “Excuse me?”

“You asked me to get to the point. That’s my point.”

“No, Matteo, it is not,” Giuseppe said. “What brought this on?”

“Your treatment of me. And your treatment of Luna. That’s what,” Matteo said. “I’ve put up with you long enough. But you’ve crossed a line and I won’t even think of letting you cross a line like that again.”

“It’s that girl,” Giuseppe said angrily. “You’re too young to know what’s good for you. Can’t you see that she is changing everything about you? She isn’t good for you, Matteo!”

“She has changed nothing about me,” Matteo said, his voice rising for just a second. Stay calm, he reminded himself. “The only one who did that was you. She lets me be myself. She lets me be better. And she is perfect for me.”

“No, listen to me-”

“No, you listen to me,” Matteo interrupted him, his voice low and angry. He wasn’t going to yell, but he certainly wasn’t going to be pleasant either. “She told me the truth of everything you said to her. We all know that it’s the truth. And I know the only reason you agreed to support us is because she is now the Queen of Argentina. And I also know that you would do anything to try to control her the way you did me but I won’t let you. Outside of your support for this engagement, I want nothing to do with you. I want you to remember that the only reason we asked you is because my mother isn’t in the country right now. I want you to remember that from now on, anytime I fill in for you, it’s for Luna, not you. I want you to remember that the only reason I’m not cutting ties with you entirely is because it would upset my mother. That is my point. I don’t want you around. I don’t want you involved in my life. I want nothing more to do with you. Does that explain my point?”

“You are making a huge mistake here, Matteo,” Giuseppe warned. “You do not want me as an enemy.”

Matteo smiled the cold smile that his father had taught him to use with people he needed to be polite to but didn’t like. “No, I’m doing what I should have done a long time ago. You don’t want me as an enemy, that I promise you. Besides, I’m not making an enemy out of you. That would mean having you in my life.”

Giuseppe reddened.

“Matteo Balsano-”

“I don’t care,” Matteo said. “I don’t care what you’re about to say or what you think. I don’t care. The only thing I care about is that you stay far, far away from me and from my girlfriend. Because if I hear so much as an implication from her that you did something like last year again-”

“You’ll what?” Giuseppe challenged. “You’ll what, Matteo? You can’t do anything.”

Matteo wanted to yell at him more than anything. Instead, he folded his arms across his chest and raised an eyebrow. “Can’t I?” he asked cooly.

“No, you can’t. Because you would be nothing without me,” Giuseppe said. “The only reason that girl is getting engaged to you is because of the political connection it provides her.”

“Luna would want to be with me regardless of my standing,” Matteo said confidently. “And no, I wouldn’t be nothing without you. My standing would still be the same or did you forget about my mother’s standing?”

“So what will you do, hm?” Giuseppe asked. “Other than threaten me, what will you actually do?”

Matteo shrugged. “I’ll cut all my ties with you,” he said casually. “I wouldn’t associate myself with you at all anymore, let alone be known as your son. As we stand now, you’ll still get the benefits of your son being betrothed to the Queen of Argentina. But one more misstep and you won’t have that either. I will cut you out entirely.”

Giuseppe shook his head. “We will always be associated,” he said, almost triumphantly. “We have the same last name.”

“Then I’ll change that too,” Matteo responded easily.

“You wouldn’t dare.”

“I would. In a heartbeat.”

Giuseppe studied his son for a moment. “And to what would you change it, hm?”

“My mother’s. Luna’s. I have options. There are a million ways for me to make sure I’m not associated with you,” Matteo answered. “Do not try me, Father. You of all people should know what I’m capable of. After all, you taught me yourself. And if you try to make me choose between you and her, make no mistake, I will choose her. In a heartbeat.”

“How you’ve changed,” Giuseppe said with a shake of his head after a minute. “You didn’t use to be like this.”

Matteo resisted the urge to grab his father by the shoulders and shake him and instead, put his hands in his pockets and scoffed, shaking his head. “I’ve always been like this,” he said. “You just haven’t been paying attention. You never have.”

“So that’s it then?” Giuseppe asked. “You’re choosing some girl over your own father? Just like that?”

“See, this is how I know you haven’t been paying attention,” Matteo told him bitterly. “This isn’t just about her. It’s about me and my life and how I want to live it. You have never let me do what I want and if I let you have your way, I will never get to live the way I want to. I should have done this ages ago. What you did to Luna just happened to be the thing to push me over the edge.”

Giuseppe shook his head. “You’ve disappointed me yet again, son.”

Matteo expected the words to hurt but instead all he felt was apathy. “I don’t really care anymore,” he said, surprising even himself. “You were never going to be satisfied with anything less than a new version of yourself. But I’m not you and I never will be. And I don’t care to try to be anymore. I want to live my life on my terms, not yours.”

“You could have been someone great,” Giuseppe said.

“I will be someone great,” Matteo shot back at him. “But it’ll be on my terms. That’s what I wanted to tell you. Stay out of my life. And stay out of Luna’s. Or else I promise you, I will make you regret it. One misstep is all it’ll take.” He didn’t give his father a chance to answer, heading for the door. “Good night.”

Matteo stood for a second on the other side of the now closed door where he had left his father absolutely dumbfounded. He had managed to stay calm and now the anger was almost gone. He took a deep breath, his emotions all over the place. There was a sense of relief that he hadn’t felt since he told his father he would pursue music anyway, but it was paired with a sadness he hadn’t expected to feel. It made sense, he figured. He had just told his own father that he didn’t want him involved in his life at all.

He shook himself out of his thoughts and headed back to the Benson Mansion. Back to where Luna was. Back home.

Chapter Text

“Are you sure about this?”

“Yes,” Luna said determinedly.

“Because I could do it,” Ámbar said. “Or Matteo or any one of the other guards.”

Luna was shaking her head before Ámbar finished talking. “I have to do this myself,” she said. “I need to hear it from him myself.”

Ámbar pursed her lips but nodded. “I’ll be waiting right here for you.”

Luna smiled at her gratefully before she turned, squared her shoulders, and headed into the dungeon.

It was dim, the only light coming from the torches lining the walls, and all the cells were empty except one. The space had always unsettled Luna, ever since the first time she happened across it when she first moved to Argentina. Back when she was nothing but a random girl who would have had no business being in the palace if it weren’t for her parents working there. She shook off the thoughts of her old life and approached the single occupied cell, waiting for the man to look up at her.

When he finally did, Luna was taken aback by how full of disdain his eyes were, though she did her best to hide it. “What is your name?” she asked.

The man sneered at her. “I don’t have to tell you.”

Luna raised an eyebrow. “No, I suppose not,” she said. “You are going to tell me why you did it, though.”

“And why would I do that?” he growled.

“Because I am your queen and you’re currently facing treason charges,” Luna responded cooly. “So unless you want to hang, you are going to tell me why you did this and everything you know about Sharon Bilder’s plans and whereabouts.”

“I would rather hang than tell you where she is,” the man spat. “You are no queen. Not mine and certainly not Argentina’s. The throne belongs to Her Majesty Sharon, that’s why I did this. You are a usurper.”

Luna stared down at him, trying to hide her shock. Sharon had killed her parents, the rightful rulers, and ascended the throne against the law after Luna had gone “missing,” though she had done a good job of making her coup appear completely natural and lawful. “She took the throne after killing my parents,” she said without thinking.

He shook his head condescendingly. “She was the only choice to take the throne after they died tragically,” he said. “And you never should have been allowed near it.”

Luna took a moment to recollect herself. There was no point in arguing with a man that was determined to disregard anything she had to say. “What about Ámbar?” she asked instead. “You could have killed her if that little stunt of yours had gone even a little differently. She’s Sharon’s daughter.”

“She is a traitor,” the man said with disgust. “If she did not want to put herself in potential harm’s way, should not have betrayed Her Majesty. She deserves whatever comes her way.”

“Is that what Sharon thinks too?”

“Of course it is.”

Luna stared at him for a moment, unsure if he was telling the truth or not. “What is her goal?” she asked finally. “What does she want?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” the man said. “She wants her rightful place on the throne back.”

“She can never take the throne again,” Luna said. “Not now that everyone knows the truth.”

“Not so long as you’re alive,” the man corrected casually.

“She will not succeed,” Luna asserted, though she wasn’t sure if she was talking to herself or him.

The man gave her a cold smile. “She will,” he said with a confidence that unsettled Luna. He suddenly lunged at Luna through the bars and she stumbled back, breathing hard as he laughed. “You have no idea what Her Majesty is willing to do to regain her throne. What she can do to ensure her success. You think I'm the only one on her side?”

Luna turned to leave, spitting, “Enjoy your cell.”

His laughter followed her up the stairs, chilling her blood as his words echoed in her ears. She nearly crashed into Ámbar, who she had forgotten was waiting for her. Ámbar steadied her, her face carefully blank.

“Did you hear all that?” Luna asked.

Ámbar raised an eyebrow at her. “I sure did,” she said, sarcasm seeping into her voice. “It’s a little echoey down here, it being a dungeon and all.”

Luna closed her eyes for a second. “I’m sorry,” she said quietly. “I’m sure he wasn’t…I’m sure Sharon wouldn’t, or doesn’t-”

“Primita, we both know that’s not true,” Ámbar cut her off. “He almost certainly was. She would. We both know she would.”

Luna swallowed hard and hugged her cousin tight. “I won’t let her,” she whispered.

Ámbar blew out a breath and wrapped her arms around Luna. “Neither will I.”