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Giacomo was having a horrible, terrible, no good, very bad day.
First, he had to go back and get his blood drawn to check his testosterone levels again. Seriously, how was it so hard to find his veins? Sure, the first day he had forgotten to eat or drink anything beforehand, so Nurse Miriam had to ask him to come back the day after. He would own up to it, that was his bad. The second day, though, he made sure to load up on fluids – he even drank water, just like she had asked. A whole liter of it, to be exact, and an orange. That should have been enough, and yet, she still couldn’t find it. Giacomo didn’t want to be rude, so he pretended not to care when she apologetically sent him back to his dorm to try one more time, but he was irritated. He absolutely hated blood draws. He could handle needles, since he had to use them once a week for his shots, but it didn’t mean that he liked them. The blood draws were way worse, in his opinion. They left him feeling queasy, as he would quite literally go green in the face if he sat up too quickly afterwards. Nurse Miriam was the only one who could successfully get him through the monthly tests. Even when he had stopped coming to school, he would still sneak back for her help.
Second, and worst of all, Giacomo was going to see his dad today. It was the first time in eight weeks that he had reached out to set up a dinner meeting. It was the third weekend of the month, after all, and he technically had custody of him at that time. The other weeks were supposed to be spent with his mother, but she, to a lesser extent than his father, was very… hands-off at best.
It wasn’t the worst thing in the world, to not be hounded by his parents all the time. They didn’t care so much when he came out, though they didn’t necessarily care when a truancy officer knocked on the door and almost sent him to a correctional school, either. Sure, they let him stay with the Seign Squad for months. They didn’t really notice he was gone. It was cool, to make music as late as he wanted, to not go to school or worry about his grades or tests or papers. He got to hang out with his friends, too. They’d have nights in Ortega’s huge, finished basement with a flatscreen TV, playing video games and eating pizza until the sun came up. Eri would invite him and Mela to wrestling matches that happened at the convention center in Valencia to see their favorite luchadore, all the way from across the ocean. Atticus would drag all of them along to renaissance festivals, especially those when they were selling their handmade clothing. They would joke that Atticus only wanted them to come so that they could wander around while the others watched their booth, but they all admitted it was kind of fun. Mela would host listening parties for their favorite musicians’ new albums, the most recent being a drop from The Maximizers from Galar.
And Giacomo? Well… he didn’t really plan anything. There wasn’t a lot of room for him to do very much around his place.
Well, that was a lie. There was actually a ton of space, but not anything he was honestly permitted to use. The one time he tried to have his friends over, he got cussed out by his mother’s new fiancé. When Giacomo had anxiously brought it up to his mother, he received a half-hearted acknowledgement and a suggestion to ask his father. Decidedly, he didn’t bother to try, after that. That had been before he lost his role as student council president to Nemona.
Ugh, Nemona. She grated on him, but Penny was friends with her, for some odd reason. Eri and Ortega even spent time with her, willingly! Whatever. Maybe she was cool now, but he wasn’t going to let go of his suspicions that easily. Admittedly, she did make delicious empanadas, though they couldn’t hold water next to his new friend Arven’s sandwiches.
His stomach growled as he thought of the five-alarm sandwich he had leftover in his minifridge. Snatching it up, he poured another heaping of siracha sauce on top, scarfing it down in a few hasty bites. He had better eat a lot today, if he wanted this blood work to finally get done. It probably would have been more beneficial if he had prepared a little earlier, but he had been way too preoccupied by photoshopping a new album cover well into the afternoon.
Grabbing his phone, he checked the group chat, which was jam-packed with texts about the hang-out happening at Ortega’s place tonight. Dammit, why did his dad have to plan this for today? The night was going to be fun, and he would be missing all of it. With a huff and a sigh, he marked the messages as read and threw his headphones on, starting down the stairs and out of his dorm towards the Academy center, trying to ignore the incessant notifications coming from Penny and Atticus.
If he got lucky, maybe his dad would leave early.
Was that lucky?
He didn’t know. Honestly, he wasn’t sure what he even thought about his dad, considering he scarcely saw the guy. Always working, that’s what his mother told him the one time he had asked. That’s what she did, too. Worked.
What did he do when he wasn’t working? Well, he was preoccupied with his new family, of course. Busy, busy. An honor roll son and an award-winning daughter, everything a successful businessman could want. Dressed as though they were going to an interview, hair slicked back or tied off into a high topknot, prim and proper as ever, they had come to Giacomo’s first full weekend with his father since he was thirteen. A change of plans, that’s what he had been told the moment they got to his swanky new home in Alfornada. They were the same age as him, stepsiblings from his stepmother, who he only met once, since he wasn’t invited to his fathers’ wedding anyways. He remembered how they treated him as an animal on display, rather than a human person, with feelings. Arceus forbid he had those. Invasive questions about his body, about his gender, about his mother – all of it making him extremely uncomfortable. His father had pulled him aside the first day he was there, finger pointed in his face, threatening him that if he acted out of turn, he would be finding his own way back to Cortondo. Instead, he decided to just leave the next morning. He was never invited for another weekend with him again.
He shrugged it off. Whatever, it would be fine. He didn’t need them, anyways, not when he had his friends.
Nurse Miriam brought him back to the space he had grown so familiar with, helping him into the small cot in her office. Placing a pillow beneath his head and neck, she began to lay out her supplies – tubing, vials, bandages and the like.
“Now, we’re going to get this today, I’m sure of it.” Careful hands placed a cuff on his upper arm, making him wince at the sharp pull of the rubber. She gave him a sympathetic look, gently patting his hand. “I know, dear, I’m sorry that hurt.”
“S’okay, I can handle it. M’tough.” He grinned, though admittedly, it still hurt a little.
“I know you are.” Miriam chuckled, as she began to disinfect his hand with a small swab of alcohol.
Wait, why was she cleaning the top of his hand?
“You’re not gonna try my arm?” The teen probed, attempting to keep his voice from warbling. He didn’t like where this was going.
“No, dear. We haven’t been able to get either arm this week, and I don’t want to try again if it only means that you’ll have to come back another time this month. I promise, I’ll make it speedy, alright?”
“Yeah, okay – no problem. Like I said, I’m tough. I can take it just fine.” He laughed nervously.
“Alright, then. I’m going to count to three. Take a deep breath for me, okay? One, two-“
Giacomo screeched when she succeeded in finding the vein, luckily able to maintain stability in his hand. “Ah- that hurt!” Tears prickled in the corners of his eyes. Fuck, he didn’t want to cry, dammit, it was just a pinch! He’d had much worse scrapes and bruises before and laughed them all off, so why was this any different? He bit down hard on his lip to keep from cursing again.
“Almost done, sweetheart, just hold on one more moment.” Nurse Miriam soothed. “There we are, all done.” A small gauze square replaced the needle, taped down with two large plasters. “You doing okay, honey? Do you need a minute to cool down?”
“I don’t, I’m fine.” He insisted, rubbing at his eyes with his other hand. Taking a deep breath, he sat up on his elbows, recoiling at the sight of the bandage and the bruise forming beneath it.
“Take a minute, drink some water.” Miriam passed him a cup, then grabbed a juice box and crackers from a cabinet under the sink. “I’ll send you on your way with these. I don’t want you becoming sick.”
Giacomo sat, sipping on the ice water quietly. “Thank you.” He took another minute to compose himself, then hopped off the cot, tugging his backpack on. “I gotta get to Medali, soon. I’ll see you around.”
“Have a good day, dear.” She called after him.
He sincerely doubted that he would, but he appreciated the sentiment.
Traveling to Medali was easy enough, yet he really didn’t want to be there. Glancing at his phone, he noticed it was 4:30. At least he wasn’t late. He remembered the last time they tried to do this – Giacomo had ended up coming ten minutes late because one of his lectures had gone past its typical hour. When he had gotten to Medali, his father had already left. Treasure Eatery was the restaurant his father had chosen, and they were to meet at 5. If nothing else, his father had good taste in food.
A quick glance around the restaurant showed that he was the first to arrive. Great. Now he would have to wait for his father to look for him, and he would have to talk to the waiter.
At least he had the decency to make a reservation for a table in the far back corner, allowing Giacomo the relief of some privacy during their meal. He hated being surrounded by adults he didn’t know. He glanced at his watch again. Fifteen minutes, that’s when his father was supposed to arrive.
Whatever.
An hour passed, then two, then three. By eight o’clock, he reckoned his shit for brains father wasn’t coming.
Of course, he wouldn’t. Why would he?
Giacomo might as well have never existed in the first place. What would it matter to his parents?
He used to joke that if he went missing, the first to report it would be his Skunktank, because she wouldn’t get her afternoon berries.
It wasn’t a joke any longer.
For the second time that day, tears threatened to fall, but instead, he willed them away. It hurt him, despite it all. He knew how unwanted he was, a stain on his fathers’ good name, an annoyance that lived in his mothers’ home. A stupid mistake, that’s what he had been called, as his parents had fought furiously in the kitchen. Ten years old, and he already knew how little they cared.
He got up, ignoring the growling of his stomach and the sad looks from the wait staff, storming off to get to a taxi. He was going to Ortega’s, he didn’t care. They would at least be happy to see him.
The ride there was somber. It felt like he had just been punched in the gut, with the pit in his stomach making him curl up in the cab. He was hungry, his hand was sore, and he just wanted a hug, dammit. This always happened, why did he think today would be any different? Stupid, stupid Giacomo. Stupid.
Whatever.
It was almost nine, but he wasn’t worried about his friends being asleep. They were probably just eating dinner. A winding path led up to the mansion that Ortega lived in, surrounded by lush trees, with a backdrop of Glaceado mountain above the valley. Giacomo shivered in the cold air, pulling his coat tighter around himself.
With a soft knock on the door, he was let inside and directed towards the door to the basement by Ortega’s fathers. They asked him how he was and how his music was going, excited to hear his half-hearted answers. Like a parent should, he thought bitterly. Whatever. Whatever, whatever, whatever.
“Oh shit, Momo! You made it!” Mela was the first one to call out to him, as he made his way down the stairs. “Get over here, pizza just arrived, and we got your favorite!”
“I am very pleased that you were able to attend our gathering this evening, dear Giacomo.” Atticus sounded delighted.
“You should have told me you were coming; I would have gotten extra breadsticks.” Ortega pouted.
“There’s space on the couch for you, between Penny and I.” Eri beckoned him over.
“Yeah, and I brought over flight simulator.” Penny smirked. “You can try and beat my high score again.”
Giacomo stood there, looking between his best friends. All of them seemed so glad to see him. Warm smiles, joyful laughter, playful banter – all of it included him. They were happy to see him, delighted to be his friend. They wanted him. He wasn’t a mistake, not to them.
They wanted him.
For a third time that day, tears began to form in his eyes. This time, however, he couldn’t stop them, as they leaked down his face and dripped from his chin. A choked sob seemed to snap everyone’s attention to him.
There was a collective gasp in the room, and then, his friends scrambled to be at his side.
“Giacomo, what’s wrong? What happened?” Ortega fretted, warily touching his arm.
Everyone appeared to be waiting for a response from him, not wanting to discourage him from talking. It overwhelmed him, triggering his breath to start picking up speed. Try as he might, no words managed to leave his mouth, chest heaving as he slipped further into a spiral. His hands and feet started to go numb, as relentless heat spread over his neck and spine, making him twitch in discomfort. Sweat gathered on his brow, though he could not tell if it was hot or cold. Distantly, he could feel himself being moved, his legs trembling with the slow steps his friends encouraged him to take. Then, he was sitting, the couch soft under his body.
It was an unspoken truth that Giacomo suffered from severe anxiety disorders – panic attacks weren’t common, but when they happened, the situation could easily become dire. Now, everyone knew how to calm him down. Soothing him with gentle touches to his hands and back helped bring him into his body, while allowing him the space to cry as he needed gave him a way to release his pent-up energy.
With Mela on his left side and Eri on his right, Giacomo was enveloped in a warm, caring embrace. Penny sat on the floor by his feet, gently rubbing circles on his knee. Ortega hurried to grab him water from upstairs, as he was not as adept physical affection, but was plenty able to provide in his own way. Atticus sat across from him, leaning forward and taking his hand gently in their own, careful not to touch the bandages. Someone – he didn’t know who – passed him his inhaler. It helped him catch his breath, leaving only whimpers behind.
Giacomo sniffed, using his sleeves to wipe at his face. They were swiftly replaced by a handkerchief used to delicately pat at his eyes, held by Atticus, now crouched to kneel in front of him. “Careful, now. You mustn’t rub your eyes excessively, lest you aggravate them further.”
“Thanks…” Another whimper, softer, this time. “M’sorry.”
“Momo… don’t apologize. None of us are upset, ‘kay?” Eri kept an arm draped around his shoulders.
“Yeah. You’re like… our best friend, you goober. We love you a lot, so don’t let those thoughts in your head get you all sad. They’re stupid, anyways.” Mela said, softly. Despite her thorny language, Giacomo knew that this was her way of showing she cared.
Ortega passed him a cup of ice water, placing the straw to his lips. “Slow sips, now. You’ll make yourself sick if you drink it too fast.”
Giacomo drank some of the water, slowly, as Ortega told him to. “…thanks, everyone.” He murmured. “I… I had a really bad day.”
“That’s okay, Giacomo. I’m glad you came over… we don’t want you to be alone when you’re dealing with things like this.” Penny murmured.
“Yes, I am quite relieved that you have allowed us to come to your aid in your time of need, beloved momo. We are all able to listen to your struggles, should you so choose to speak of them. If that is not your preference, though, we have plenty of options to distract you from your current woes.” Atticus squeezed his hand.
“Thank you. I… don’t think m’ready to talk about it yet.”
“That’s alright, momo. You don’t have to do anything that makes you nervous.” Eri pat his head.
Giacomo looked between his friends, touched by their kindness towards him. Maybe, he didn’t need his father to validate him as much as he thought. It seemed like he had all the love he needed right here. He offered a shy smile to them, turning red when Penny and Eri squealed in excitement.
“There’s that smile! C’mon, you goober, you’re probably foaming at the mouth for some food right now.” Mela got up, snatching a big slice of pizza and plopping it onto a paper plate to pass along. “Someone hook up flight simulator, momo gets first round.”
“I call second in command!” Ortega snatched up the other controller, grinning. “We’re going to land this plane for sure!”
“You declare that every time, yet your aircraft seems to only make it in pieces to your destination.” Atticus ribbed at him.
“Oooo, those are fighting words, Ortie! What’re you gonna do about it?” Eri laughed, grabbing her soda from the side table.
“You’d better watch out for when Ortie and I pair up, because we’re going to make you eat your words.” Penny grinned.
Giacomo observed his friends teasing each other, a smile on his face. Despite the day he had, and the struggles he faced, he knew he was going to have them on his side forever. Maybe they weren’t his blood relatives, but they were his family. Their love was as unconditional as it could get, and no matter what, they were always going to be the most important people in his life.
“Oi, momo, get outta your head and into the cockpit!” Mela tossed him the controller, as everyone smiled at him.
After a moment’s hesitation, his smile grew. “Ready for takeoff, captain.”
His horrible, terrible, no good, very bad day ended up being pretty good, all things considered. All because he was able to spend it with his friends- no, with his family.