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It was supposed to be a normal Sunday, like every other one; Antonio resting on the couch on the spot near the fireplace, with Joseph leaning on his side as he played him something to help the shorter man nap.
A calm day like every other ONE. And then fuckass joseph decided to bring in a little girl he found on the street one day years ago and said oh lets keep her and now THERE THEY ARE.
Now, sat on that same couch was Antonio, on the place farthest from the fireplace; Emma in the middle, turned to Antonio, and on the side closest to the heat was Joseph, who was mindlessly scrolling through the pages of an old photo album.
"Tesoro, is this.. truly necessary?" Antonio muttered, discomfort in his voice as his hair flailed in an attempt at escaping Emma's grubby little gremlin hands.
"It is, dad! You can't have your hair hanging around all loosely!" Emma responded with concentration in her voice as she tied Antonio's hair into pigtails with pink ribbons. She huffed with pride as she got up, standing in front of Antonio, handing him a small mirror to look at her marvelous work.
"Do you like it? I did a good job, yes?"
Antonio nodded before looking in the mirror, inspecting his hair, and he grimaced; The pigtails had completely knotted up his hair, leaving the strands frizzy and utterly lifeless. He gulped down the sigh of disappointment that was about to come out and smiled.
"Ah.. It's.. It's wonderful, cara mia."
Emma raised an eyebrow, sinking back in the couch as she crossed her arms, staring at the pigtails.
"Do you not like them?"
"No- I love them! They look beautiful, my dear, just.. Maybe they are a little plain? Perhaps a few decorations will help?" Antonio chuckled, hoping he didn't upset the girl with his unpleased expression from earlier.
Emma put her finger on her chin, humming as she thoroughly examined Antonio's hair. She straightened up, nodding with a smile.
"You're right! Uhmmm.. Lemme think.. I should have some clips in my room!" That said, she basically dashed to her room, turning it upside down in her search.
Antonio watched the girl run away and sank in the couch, touching his hair and groaning at the weirdly crunchy texture the pigtail attempt gave it. He sighed, defeated, and his head lolled to the side where Joseph was resting. He sighed yet again, more dramatically, draping an arm over his face.
Joseph granted him a quick glance, and rolled his eyes.
"What ails you, mon coeur.." He murmured, taking a few pictures out of the photo book in his hands.
Antonio scoffed, lightly pinching Joseph's cheek, though the other did not mind. "Your daughter rendered my hair lifeless."
"She is your daughter too."
"Unfortunately." Antonio muttered, scooting closer to Joseph. He leaned over the man's shoulder, glancing at the album as he twirled a blond lock on his finger. "What are you looking at, amore?"
"Pictures." Joseph replied dryly, tilting his glasses towards the tip of his nose.
"Bit more specific, please?"
"Landscapes. A few headshots."
"Did you take those?"
"Yes. Why would I be looking at a stranger's photo album?"
Antonio hummed, craning his neck to kiss Joseph's temple gently. "Snappy today."
"I am always like this. I wouldn't define it snappy."
"I do like snappy, though."
Joseph sighed in annoyance, closing the album and turning to Antonio. "Tonio, as much as I'd love to do this back and forth with you, I have a terrible headache. Let me have my quiet time."
Antonio's eyebrows lifted in surprise. "I did hear you wake up a few times this night.. perhaps it's because you don't sleep much."
"Perhaps it is."
"Take a nap."
"I can't sleep with this much silence. But noise would be too-"
"I'll play for you."
Joseph stopped himself in his tracks. He shook his head, pressing his index and middle finger to his temple and rubbing. "Antonio, you've been complaining about joint pain all these days. I thought you'd take a break."
"I am always a performer." Antonio chuckled, already reaching for his violin on the stand near the fireplace, but Joseph stopped him, grabbing his hand. He leaned back on the couch, pulling Antonio with him.
"I like when you sing to me.. You'd enjoy that just as much, no?" Joseph suggested, tilting his head in silent entreaty.
Antonio grumbled, but made no further complaints; after all, it was what his lover wanted. He couldn't deny him. "I'd be better playing you a piece, but.."
"No buts." Interrupted Joseph, doing a tut-tut motion with his index.
Antonio chuckled, wrapping his arm around the shorter man and letting Joseph lean his head on his chest. Almost like a veil on Joseph's ears, he began humming, lowly at first.
It was gentle and familiar; this was the same melody from one of Antonio's compositions, "Cantabile e Valtz", the first piece he'd ever let Joseph listen to.
It was slow and comforting, almost like a berceuse, and it was lulling him to sleep like nothing else could. He soon closed his eyes, and the hand that rested on Antonio's chest quickly slid down to his thigh instead as Joseph went lax.
Antonio smiled, humming lowly still as he delicately removed Joseph's glasses, placing them on the table in front of the couch. He pressed a soft kiss to the top of Joseph's head.
And then jumped when he heard a cough from behind him.
"Gross. I'm literally right here." Emma whispered, careful not to wake up Joseph as she tiptoed to the couch, sitting next to Antonio. "Papa's flat out."
"He really is. Don't wake him up, cara."
"I won't." Emma whispered, looking at the clips in her hands, and then at Joseph. "...Do you think I've got enough for both of you?"
Antonio turned his head a bit to look at the clips, then at Joseph again. "You do. But I do get first turn."
"You do!" Emma whispered excitedly, kneeling on the couch and attaching the glittery clips to Antonio's bangs and pigtails as the man closed his eyes, letting himself be "pampered", if you could call it that.
Antonio really did love his new Sunday routine.