Chapter Text
"Bruno Bucciarati," Karlos Tragono looked down at them. Fugo wanted to rip his head off, but he knew to keep his cool. This was a court after all, magic court at least. "Before we begin, do you have anything to say about the crimes laid out against you and your family?" Crimes? Fugo wanted to laugh. What was a crime was that these other so-called Hunters of Darkness cowered in their homes while angels with no training were willing to risk their lives alongside Fugo's family.
Bucciarati looked up, his voice calm. "I regret none of my actions up to now, other than having to make my children sit through this." Karlos and the other two people at magic court didn't look pleased with his response. "It is vital that they're here," Karlos responded, "These children are one of the many reasons you're being tried in the first place."
Fugo stopped writing in his journal and looked out the window of the diner, the sun was gone now, March isn't quite the right time in the year to where the sun begins to go down late.
He vaguely tuned into the conversation Mista was having with two girls at the diner. Fugo kinda remembered them, Mista went to school with them for the first semester before he went back to being homeschooled. Sometimes Mista dropped them off at their houses or went out with them even after he went back to the usual. Fugo isn't surprised though, Mista and Trish always managed to make and keep friends no matter what.
"...Fugo, you alive in there?" Fugo blinked back to the present, looking at Mista behind the counter. "Yeah, what's up?"
"I asked if you wanted dessert?"
"You all still have the atomic brownie?" Mista groaned, "Couldn't ya have picked something else? Something that is already made?" Fugo gave a mean little smile. "No. Isn't someone working back there? You're not the one who has to make it. It's not like the diner's gonna be closing any time soon. It's like six."
"Yeah but-" Mista shouted to the back to let whoever made food know Fugo's order, "We get to close early when it's empty."
"It's not empty," One of the girls said (Marcella? Was it Marcella?), "We're here." Mista chuckled and flicked a bullet up in the air and caught it. "Yeah well, I'm y'all's ride and you already ate." Fugo's eyes went to Mista's nametag and the black wing pin that was next to it. Fugo had decided he wasn't going to get a job yet when he found out he'd have to wear that pin. He doesn't want to announce to the world that he's an angel on duty yet. Fugo will happily give that spotlight to Mista and never step into it. Mista can handle the stupid questions that come with it.
He's got his own pin of course, Fugo's supposed to wear it. But Karlos gave it to him so he refused. He isn't fully a demon and doesn't have any horns or distinguishing marks. He just on occasion gets scaly lizard skin on his cheeks when he's upset (new thing, he doesn't get it either. He's exploded twice in the last six months, and the second time was when the weird lizard shit started happening. Abbacchio's hypothesis was it was just demon things) and only deploys claws when it's time to cut through shit. To be fair though, no one but Mista wore their pins. Giorno being half devil didn't come up in court, and Trish launched hers into the ocean.
And then Mista's pin started buzzing, and he sighed. He looked at his phone, then up at the girls. "Sorry, you guys get a ride, alright?"
"Sure," One of the girls didn't sound too pleased but they were clearly used to this. "But what about your car?"
"We'll get it later." Fugo slid off the seat and went to the door. "We've got work." Mista called out to whoever was in the back before running back there, coming back with a brownie in a bag, and jumping the counter (and almost falling). "But this is his work." Marcella (?) said. Mista laughed. "This is fun," He then pointed out the door, "That's my job. And just a heads up," Fugo nudged Mista, they really needed to get going.
"Take the long way home."
Abbacchio huffed as he threw some more shit into the fire a few yards away from Bucciarati's house. Mista and Fugo were late. They were supposed to join the rest of the family in Ischia after Mista's shift ended, which was twenty minutes ago. "Hey can I blow that up?" Abbacchio looked at Narancia, who had Mr. Smith on his shoulder. Abbacchio smiled, "Fuck no."
"Please?"
"No."
"I say pretty please, final offer."
"Absolutely not kiddo." Abbacchio smirked as Narancia cringed. "I'm 16, why am I still getting the kiddo treatment? That's for Gio!" Abbacchio just rolled his eyes. Narancia seems to not remember that he's five feet tall with maybe four total inches on him and a baby face when he isn't fighting. Abbacchio rolled his eyes, "Anyway, the fire has already started, practicing an explosion on this is pointless."
"But- But practicing!" Abbacchio let out another no just as Fugo and Mista landed beside them. Abbacchio gave them a once over, they looked like they were in a scuffle, but were fine. He huffed. "You're late." Fugo snarked in response, "Yeah, well duty calls." Abbacchio raised an eyebrow, but didn't sense any malice, just Fugo being Fugo. "We called Bucciarati and he zipped us over. I didn't know he could get us this far now."
"Yeah well," Abbacchio folded his arms, "He's still getting used to having all his abilities back so don't go all willy nilly letting him do crazy things." There was a laugh from behind them that Abbacchio immediately recognized as Bruno. He turned to him, seeing him with Trish and Giorno in tow. "I don't need a babysitter, Leone."
"With the way you test your limits? Yes you do." Bruno rolled his eyes. "Anyway, I'm thinking we do a controlled burn over to the right and let Gio regrow the forest rather than have him fix everything. The fire would be a lot faster than having you all keep chopping things down."
"Mhm," Abbacchio nodded, "But what about the urban areas with all the buildings and stuff?" Narancia smiled. "Can I blow them all up?" Both Abbacchio and Bruno spoke at the same time. "No." Narancia deflated like a balloon. "Man…"
"Regardless," Bucciarati carried on, "We are going to need to get rid of them. I doubt any urbanization could happen here anymore. Ischia will just be forests." Abbacchio watched Bruno ramble to Giorno about what they're going to do to fix Ischia. This was Abbacchio's home as well, but there was something so cute about seeing his fiance smile about this after never wanting to go back. In six months, the seven of them (and a little bit of help from Squalo and Tiziano) had gotten almost 100 yards worth of Ischia fixed up enough for things to regrow. Trish and Giorno were thinking about growing a garden.
Oh, yes. Fiance. Bruno proposed to him a month after defeating Diavolo, they're getting married on May 8th. Finally, just two months more. Everything had been planned, the guest list checked, everything was in order and all they had to do way wait-
Bruno teetered to the side, eyes fluttering for but a moment. Abbacchio didn't need to catch him, his eyes opening back up. He looked around, eyes questioning everything before settling back in. There was a small content smile, and Abbacchio didn't even have to ask. Bruno was alright. It happens every now and then, but has happened about once every few days in the past few months, which is better than before. It's better than him forgetting again.
Bruno stood up straight. "Alright. I vote we do the forest tomorrow. Tonight we can just chill after you finish up your section, Leo." Abbacchio shrugged. "Fine by me. Mista, help me out. The rest of you go with Bucciarati. I'm sure he can put you all to work." Fugo looked back and forth between his parents. "But Bucciarati just said-"
"Great idea!" Bruno's smile was electric. "You all spar with me! All of you at once should be enough for me to keep trying things out!" Abbacchio looked at him. "Babe, no. You've had six months to try things out." Bucciarati rolled his eyes. "No, I've been under magic arrest for six months because you think I'll overexert myself." Trish folded her arms. "Abbacchio's right. You're going to pass out or something if you keep trying to go so hard." Bucciarati sighed. "Trish not you too! I thought you all were fine with me using my abilities. How am I going to grow back into them if you all sit me back down like I'm a child every time I try to use them?" Bruno looked at Abbacchio when he said that, and the devil sighed.
Bucciarati has had a lot of energy since he regained his wings, which was great. When they were younger, Bruno was always the bouncier one with Abbacchio being more mellow. The case was the same when they found each other again, but Bruno was even more quiet. He had always been gentle, but it was different, it wasn't right. He grew accustomed to the quiet, assuming it was due to growing up. But now it's easy to see why Bruno was quiet, he lost a part of himself.
Abbacchio just wishes that regaining that piece wasn't also combating his new ones.
"Alright Mista," Abbacchio broke out of his thoughts, "Come with me." His son nodded, and the two of them walked off. They were a bit far when Abbacchio stopped walking, at least out of earshot of the others. "So…" Abbacchio decided to come clean. "I don't actually need your help, I just wanted to talk to you without the other sets of ears listening." Mista caught on quickly. "Oh. Okay." This was something Bruno didn't even know about yet. Mista has only confided in Abbacchio about this. Mista sighed, "Alright, let me get this straight again. All I have to do is take some tests before I graduate and see if I can get into college?" Abbacchio nodded. "I don't know everything for sure," Abbacchio said honestly, "I didn't go to college and neither did Bucciarati. But we can go visit colleges if you want." Mista nods and thinks for a few moments before smiling. "Hey! What if I ask Squalo? He just graduated from college, right?" Abbacchio doesn't have a problem with Squalo at all, but wherever Squalo goes, Tiziano is sure to follow. But this isn't about him. "Sure, we can visit them some day. Mind if we take Trish? She'd love to see Doppio." Mista nods. "Sure, if I don't have to tell her why I'm there." Abbacchio sighed. "You know, eventually, you'll have to tell everyone before it's too late." Mista sighed and nodded. "I know, but I don't want to have to tell them until I'm perfectly sure I'm going to aim for college. I don't want to worry them, especially Narancia. I don't really know what's going to happen, but I know he won't exactly be happy with me leaving if I do."
"Yeah," Abbacchio folded his arms, "But if you only worry about what other people think and want then you're never doing anything for yourself." Mista went silent, looking down. "Oi. Kid," Abbacchio put his hand on Mista's head, "You don't have to have it all figured out right now. Whenever you do, make sure they're the first to know. They're your family, you know." Mista nodded. "Yeah, I know." He smiled. "Well now that we talked that out, let's go back since you don't need my help and you also don't want to do any of this work. I know it." Mista needs to stop seeing through Abbacchio as quickly as he does. Both of them walked back to the house, and for it being… Abbacchio checked his watch; for it being 9 PM they all had a lot of energy. For example,
"Narancia give me my shit back!" Giorno was chasing the said boy as he flew, holding one of Giorno's books. Under Giorno's feet were golden sparks, and as he ran he healed the ground below them. Despite the area around the house being livable, there were still black lines of residue here and there. Giorno jumped up, Narancia flew out of the way and Giorno landed on his face. "Gotta be faster than that! You haven't talked to me all day since you've been reading!"
"Doesn't mean you can take my book!" Mista looked over at Abbacchio. "You gonna stop them?" Abbacchio shrugged. "I think Gio's got it." Giorno jumped, and boosted in the air, landing on Narancia's back and reaching out for his book. Giorno soon fell flat on his ass on the ground, but with his book in his hand. "Great," Abbacchio said as he passed them, "Now be quiet the rest of the night I'm going to bed."
"What?!" Narancia almost shouts, "Why?" Abbacchio turned to him and raised his eyebrow. "What? You still need something?"
"No… but I don't want to be quiet yet. And you're a devil shouldn't you be nocturnal!" Abbacchio deadpanned. "Fugo's a halfie-" Fugo popped his head out the window (these kids only listen when they're the ones being spoken about.) "That's derogatory!" Abbacchio cringed and felt bad. "Sorry, kid. Thank you." Fugo nodded, he didn't leave though but when do they ever. Abbacchio continued. "Anyway, Fugo's half demon but he isn't nocturnal now is he?" Narancia didn't respond. "Besides, I switched my sleep schedule when I was even younger than you. I'm not nocturnal, I can sleep whenever. And whenever means right now. Are Bruno and Trish inside?" Fugo nodded. Abbacchio gave barely a smile, maybe he'll convince Bruno to sleep a little early with him.
Passing Fugo inside, Abbacchio spoke to him. "Kid, I am sorry about-" Abbacchio stopped himself when he saw Fugo shake his head. "Don't worry about it. Anyway I had something to ask you." Fugo looked around, and ushered him closer. Abbacchio came forward and lowered his voice. "What's up?"
"Is Mista really leaving?" Abbacchio's eyes widened. "Who told you-" He lowered his voice, "Who told you that?"
"So it's true."
"No it's not."
"So then he's thinking about it." Abbacchio is in no position to give Mista's feelings away. "Who told you this?" Fugo looked unimpressed. "Abba, Mista is one of my best friends, I can tell when something's up. And he's technically a senior and would be graduating in a few months so I put two and two together."
"Well, if you want to know anything then you'll have to ask Mista himself. Anyway," Abbacchio ran a hand through his hair, changing topics. "I'm going to bed. You know where your dad is?" Fugo nodded. "His dad's room." Ah, there again. Abbacchio nodded and walked to Paolo's room. He knocked on the door. There was a faint 'come in' and Abbacchio did so. Bruno and Trish were sitting on the bed. They were looking at a scrapbook. Trish looked up and smiled. "Look," She picked up the scrapbook, "This one's cute." Taking a look, it was Abbacchio and Bucciarati when they were little. Except Bruno was pressing a kiss to his cheek, which meant they had to have been 12. If pigment was something Abbacchio did, he would've turned bright red. "Why are you showing her that?!"
"She was asking me how young I was when I began to feel." Abbacchio raised his eyebrow, and Bucciarati replied. "I always could, I didn't notice until I was about six, though. That I was different from my father but the same as others. I mentioned I only knew one or two emotions then. Until I met you, and I learned them all."
"I- er-" Abbacchio hates being caught off guard, "Come on we're going to bed." Bruno gave a smug smile and Abbacchio rolled his eyes. "We're going to sleep!" He grabbed Bruno's hand, who yelped as he was pulled out of his father's room. "So can I keep the scrapbook?"
"Yes!"
"No!" There were two very different answers and Abbacchio knew Trish would pick the one she wanted to listen to. Abbacchio sighed and looked back at his fiance. "Don't show my baby pictures to anyone. I look pale and gross." Bruno gave a playful smile. "You don't have any baby pictures, just pictures from when you were 11 and up. And you're still pale."
"Still."
"I can't believe you dragged me out of the room so fast." Bruno stepped closer, but Abbacchio being tired is stronger than anything. "No… we're going to bed. Or I'm going to go to bed alone. Regardless, I'm going to sleep!" Bruno fake pouted. But Abbacchio scanned his face. He sighed. Bruno's overcompensating. "What's wrong?" Bucciarati raised an eyebrow, "What? Nothing's wrong. Today went well, we got a lot done." Abbacchio shook his head. "I didn't ask what happened to anyone else. I asked what happened to you." Bruno held his smile for a minute. He sighed. "I hate you." Abbacchio wasn't phased. "Come on, talk to me." Bruno was quiet, holding Abbacchio's hand and they went upstairs.
There was an attic here too, and the window popped open easily. It was how Bruno snuck out to see Abbacchio before he introduced him to Paolo. He popped the window open, climbing out of it and onto the roof. Abbacchio followed him, Bruno sitting at the very top. They looked down at the front of the house, their four boys were all outside by now. Mista had stolen Narancia's headband (probably in retaliation for what he did to Giorno) and was waving it around. Once they were sure no one had noticed them.
"Something's wrong." Abbacchio looked up at Bucciarati. "What do you mean?"
"I almost forgot again." Oh. Abbacchio sighed softly. "We knew that you wouldn't be 100% by now, the doctor's best estimate was a year at the minimum."
"No, I mean. That's the third time today."
"What?! You didn't tell me."
"I know." There was no apology, Bruno just continued. "But three in one day… that hasn't happened since the beginning. Every time I come home, I have a higher chance of losing my memories and I don't know why. I feel like something's wrong." Abbacchio hadn't been told that Bruno was feeling worse when he came to Ischia.
"... Do you know where it might be coming from?" If it's something serious, then Abbacchio can bring up the lack of communication between them that's starting to happen again later. Bruno was silent for a few moments. "I don't know. It's like… a sense of dread that comes with my spells." Abbacchio put a hand on Bruno's shoulder, pulling him closer. "Well, I'm right here. Your kids are okay. Nothing's happened to us, and if anything does, the worst has already passed. We can handle anything."
"Yeah… anything."
"Hey," Abbacchio nudged him playfully, "Are you doubting us?" Bruno shook his head. "Of course not. I have all my faith in you. Always." The devil tilted Bruno's chin up, so he could look right into those eyes. "Are you doubting yourself?" Blue eyes shined, and Bruno's hand caressed Abbacchio's cheek. "What if I hurt them?"
"Oh caro," Abbacchio did not mean for that to be so sickly sweet sounding, "I'd never let you, you know that." Bruno smiled. "What would I do without you?" Abbacchio chuckled, a kiss being pressed to his forehead. "Brood and miss me." Bruno smacked him playfully. "I do not brood."
"I left for three days. Only three! And you acted like the world ended."
"In my defense, I'm not used to you being gone for over 24 hours. That feels like a crime." They both know they have just killer separation anxiety, that happens when you leave the love of your life for almost a decade. Abbacchio just kisses him before asking a question. "Can we please go to sleep now?" Bruno smirks, "Sure, gramps." Alright, Abbacchio has had it. He lifts Bruno over his shoulder like the sack of potatoes he is and climbs back in the window. He ignored the thump of fists and Bruno calling him a kidnapper as he got them to their room, and tossed him on the bed. "Put on pajamas."
"I thought you preferred me naked." Abbacchio launched a pillow at him as hard as he could. They were going to sleep. Now.