Work Text:
The sweet smell of tomatoes simmering could be smelled from anywhere in Casa Della Passione. Abbacchio was chopping parsley, switching attention from the stove to the cutting board.
"Caro?" He called, and in the process, calling everyone in Passione to the table. He wanted dinner to be just him and Bruno, maybe he would actually eat a little more this time.
"What's cooking?" Narancia tried to sneak a finger into the tomato sauce but was promptly smacked with a wooden spoon.
"Arancini for the rest of us. Shit for you." Narancia ignored Abbacchio and sat down next to Fugo. Abbacchio spooned the sauce into seven bowls, and four Arancini on each of the seven plates already on the table. Fugo grabbed the basket of various breads from the counter and brought it to the table.
"No eating until Bruno gets here." Abbacchio sat down and glanced at the empty seat next to him.
*Please be here.* He thought. Fugo spoke, without looking up from his book.
"You know he's not coming, right? He left about an hour ago. Something about helping Mrs. Bianco and her fish stall."
"He knew it was my turn to cook. He's probably running late." A part of him inside knew Fugo was telling the truth.
●
Thirty minutes had passed and everyone had cleaned their plates, leaving Abbacchio's untouched and cold. He leafed through a newspaper that was on the counter behind him, waiting for Bruno. He glanced at his watch. 9:30 P.M. He knew Bruno wasn't in any danger, and if he was he could handle it. He probably picked up another job on the way home from Mrs. Bianco, doing god knows what for no pay.
He was always notorious for being a people-pleaser, feeling a moral obligation to help those who needed help. Although he said yes way too many times, he never said yes to a job when he was clearly trying to be taken advantage of. He only helped people who truly needed help, which happened to be an astonishing number in the bustling city of Naples. But recently, more and more jobs popped up and Bruno said yes to any that came his way. Abbacchio could tell he was getting worn around the edges, had lost a lot of weight in the past few months. Abbacchio kept bringing up how he wouldn't eat, barely sleep, never sit down and relax, but Bruno would just ignore him and say he was fine. Abbacchio could tell he was nowhere near fine, he came to bed in the late hours of the night, took a quick shower, and would flop into bed with a book on how to do whatever it was he needed for a job. Abbacchio would close the book and try to pull him down for quick kisses or shoulder massages in an attempt to make him sleep, but Bruno would get irritated quickly and just move to the cushioned bay window in their room. He would wake up and see Bruno already getting ready, the blankets and pillows Abbacchio leaves on the windowsill still folded.
Abbacchio snapped out of his thoughts as he heard the front door open and close. He walked towards the front entrance, wanting to wrap his arms around Bruno, invite him to sit down and have dinner. He barely kissed him these days. But what he got was a running Bruno smacking into his chest as he rounded the corner.
"Caro! I'm sorry. You good?"
"Ah, yes. I'm fine. My fault. Fuck... Mrs. Bianco needed her fish coolers fixed, but I had no idea how and ended up breaking them more. Fixable, hopefully, but I have to read up on how to fix these. I'll be in my office." He brushed past Abbacchio, leaving him to sulk in the doorway. He watched him go up the stairs and noticed him grab the rail and catch his breath before walking out of sight. Abbacchio's heart ached, his love was destroying his own body. With a melancholic air, Abbacchio ate his cold dinner and cleaned up the kitchen. He had multiple meals from past nights in the freezer for Bruno, and added this one to the collection. His sadness and concern was turning into anger and confusion, he could feel his patience thinning. Just what was wrong with Bruno? He knew he could open up with Abbacchio whenever he wanted, and he has before, so what wasn't he telling him? Why does his boyfriend have to be so fucking stubborn and push everyone away? Abbacchio huffed and tossed the dish rag on the counter. He stalked up the stairs and ripped open the door to Bruno's office. Bruno rolled his eyes and looked up.
"I'm not coming to bed yet."
"Bruno... Fuck, just *listen* to me. You're clearly unhealthy. You never eat anymore, I see you sneak a few pieces of bread in the morning or when you're running in and out of the house, you've lost an unhealthy amount of weight-"
"I have not, I'm not hungry. I don't have time to sit down and have a meal, I'm way too busy and you know that!"
"You say you're too busy but you're putting yourself in this situation! You say yes to every-fucking-one!! Bruno, please. I don't want to sound selfish but you've barely been paying attention to me, to all of the gang. I need you Bruno, can you please need me for once? Please. Take a break for a while. There are so many people in Naples that also do what you do."
"I... Abbacchio... I can't just not help people in need, everyone relies on me. I can't disappoint them..." Bruno closed his eyes and put his head in his hands. Abbacchio came up behind him and gathered his hair out of his face.
"I'm just so worried for Giorno visiting Japan and Moriocho, I know his relatives are there and capable of protecting him, but still... And Mista going to college doing god knows what stupid shit. I guess I needed a distraction. I just didn't want to call it that. I needed to stop worrying but my distraction caused me to worry about the entire fucking city..." Bruno's voice wavered at the end, and one of his arms went out from under him for a second.
"Whoa, whoa, Bruno, you need sleep! And remember, Giorno killed Diavolo and will probably become the youngest mafia boss in history. And Mista knows there's a time and a place for stupid shit." He went to help him up but got shoved off.
"No, Abbacchio, I'm fine. I'll stop taking so many jobs. Get Narancia or Fugo to do some. But I'm fine, really." Abbacchio huffed again, irritated, worried, scared for Bruno.
"You're so fucking stubborn, Caro! Everyone has a limit, for someone so good at recognizing others at their lowest you're shit at it when it comes to yourself. And again, *listen* to me Bruno. Listen to the people that love you. They know you better than yourself sometimes. You hit your limit ages ago, I'm scared something is gonna happen to you if you keep neglecting your basic needs!" Bruno didn't even have the energy to argue. One side of him knew he was right. For days he was in a state of delirium, lightheaded from lack of food and sleep. He was crumbling from the inside out.
"That silence means I'm right. Now c'mon, I'm making you some food and pampering you tonight. I'll get Narancia and Fugo to cover the jobs you picked up for tomorrow. I will literally force you to stay home and rest." Bruno let himself be carried and nuzzled his head into Abbacchio's chest. God he missed this. He forgot how much he needed this. Abbacchio set him down on the chair in their room and got out his house clothes. He undressed Bruno and folded his suit into a neat stack.
"Arms up." He slid the tattered shirt over him and lifted his hips to put the sweatpants on.
"Much nicer than that tight suit, huh?" Bruno smiled and nodded. Abbacchio picked him up once again, precariously walking down the stairs, then making Bruno at home on the couch.
"What do you want to watch?"
"Soap operas." Abbacchio smiled and switched the channel to his boyfriend's favorite guilty pleasure, old lady soap operas. Leaving him to rest, he heated up two nights worth of big dinners and brewed hot tea. He balanced the trays of food in his hands and set them on the coffee table. He sat down and pulled the coffee table so it hit the couch, and arranged them so Bruno was in his lap, blissfully warm and cozy.
"This is what you've been missing. Remember this when you feel like isolating yourself again!!!" He brought a spoon to Bruno's smiling lips and fed him warm soups, breads, pastas, even some warm cinnamon sugar bread. He could barely keep his eyes open, Abbacchio's tender love and care lulling him to sleep. He nudged Abbacchio to lay down on the couch and leaned back with him. He didn't even need a blanket, he felt so warm.
"'Bacchio, I'll shower in the morning. No, we can shower in the morning. I've been selfish, thank you for the wake-up call. Even though a large part of me is begging to stay up and work tomorrow. You can have me all to yourself tomorrow... I know I need you, but you need me more..." He gave a quick bite to Abbacchio's chest then settled into a comfortable position on top of him, in his arms. Abbacchio flushed a bright red, always feeling at a loss for words at his boyfriend's needy teasing. He gave a few kisses to the top of Bruno's head.
"Goodnight Caro."