Chapter Text
Alberto smiled as Violet entered the kitchen. He was just starting to prepare lunch. Tofu with rice. The first dish they’d ever cooked together.
Mushi the winged lemur was perched on the counter, watching. Waiting for his chance to steal something off the cutting board.
Violet stepped in to help Alberto. She took a carrot and began slicing it up. He gazed at her lovingly, admiring the way her hands moved. They’d been married for almost a year now, and they’d been cooking together for much longer, but he’d never grow tired of looking at her.
His eyes lingered on the betrothal necklace he’d made for her. A small blue stone with the symbol of the Water Tribe hand-carved into it. It was messy and clumsy, like everything he did, but she’d proudly worn it every day since he’d given it to her.
After the wedding, they’d moved out of the Fire Nation royal palace into a smaller, private property nearby. They both much preferred this, away from the noise and scrutiny of palace life. Violet trusted her brother Firelord Dash to no longer need her help running the nation. He was only sixteen, but he’d grown into a capable and balanced leader.
Alberto noticed Violet seemed slightly distracted as they cooked. She kept opening her mouth like she was thinking of saying something, then closing it like she’d changed her mind. This immediately put him on edge. Was there something she wasn’t telling him? Had he done something wrong?
Violet looked at him as they sat down to eat. “So, Alberto, I have something exciting to tell you.”
He relaxed a little. So it wasn’t bad after all. “Yeah?” Maybe she’d finally gotten promoted from diplomat to head ambassador of the Fire Nation. Dash could probably just give her the position, but she insisted on earning it. Maybe the idiots at the embassy had finally seen her talent and hard work. It was about time.
She bit her lip, twirling a strand of her dark hair around her finger. “Well…I’m late.”
“Late for what?” She didn’t have any meetings today. And why was she telling him that? How was this good news?
“My period, Alberto. It was supposed to come a week ago.”
He blinked at her. “Uh…congratulations?”
She raised an eyebrow at him. She knew men in general could be a bit dense about these things, and Alberto hadn’t had much formal education, but his best friend Luca was a doctor. Surely Luca had told him something about women’s anatomy.
The earnest confusion on his face made her chuckle. “It means I might be pregnant, Alberto.”
“Oh.” His eyes went wide.
“So I went to a healer the other day. She had me pee on some seeds. She said if they sprouted, I was pregnant.”
“And what happened?” he asked breathlessly.
She smiled. “They sprouted.”
Mushi squeaked. Alberto’s fork clattered to the floor. The room seemed to spin.
“Alberto?” Violet asked with concern. Maybe she’d sprung this on him too quickly. They’d talked about having children in the future, but not this soon. She’d assumed he’d still be happy about the news, but what if he wasn’t?
Then his hand was over hers, squeezing it excitedly. “Violet, we’re gonna be parents!”
Violet smiled. “I can’t wait.”
“Do you…do you think we’ll be good parents?” he asked.
She could hear the doubt in his voice. Which was understandable. His own father had abandoned him when he was eleven, and he’d raised himself from that point on. And she’d lost both of her parents when she was fourteen. But she believed they could do it.
She took his face in her hands and kissed him. “I think so.”
He stared at her stomach. “Can I feel it?”
“There’s not much in there right now,” she said with a laugh. “It’s like a grain of rice. Smaller than that, even.”
“I know. I just wanna do it anyway.”
She let him. He stared at her stomach in complete awe. She laughed, wishing there was a portrait painter in the room to capture his face.
He looked around for a piece of paper. “I need to tell Luca! I need to tell everyone!”
~~~~
Nine months later, they were sitting in a tent, Violet gripping Alberto’s hand like she was trying to break all of his fingers. Luca had come from the North Pole to assist with the birth, and he was calmly talking Violet through it. Her airbending was making her labored breaths into small tornados.
“You’re almost done,” Luca said. “Just a few more pushes.”
Then they heard it. A loud wail. Violet relaxed as Luca cut the cord and wrapped the baby up in a blanket.
“It’s a boy!” Luca declared.
Alberto stared at the baby. He had Violet’s blue eyes and dark hair. His hair was curly like Alberto’s, and he had Alberto’s round nose. He was a perfect mix of the both of them.
“So what’s his name gonna be?” Luca asked as he handed the baby to Violet.
Alberto grinned. “We decided if it was a boy, we’d name him Luca.” Luca was the one who had always been there for him, through all the ups and downs in his life.
Tears welled up in Luca’s eyes as he hugged Alberto. “Oh, Alberto.”
“It’s the perfect name. I hope it’ll inspire him to become like his namesake. Smart, kind, brave, loyal…”
Luca smiled at him. They all looked at the baby.
“Welcome home,” Violet whispered as she held him close.
~~~~
Alberto and Violet opened their eyes as loud, shrill cries split the air. Again. Mushi chittered irritably, burying his head under Alberto’s pillow.
“I’ve got it,” Alberto sighed, forcing himself out of bed. Violet had been through enough the past nine months. It was his turn to do something.
He went over to the crib and picked up the baby. He didn't need to be fed or changed, since they’d done that an hour ago.
“Shh,” he said, rocking Luca. “You’re keeping your mommy up. She needs her sleep.”
Luca continued to cry. Alberto stared down at the tiny baby in his arms. He was so fragile and helpless. Unable to fend for himself. He needed them, and this was the only way he knew how to express that.
Alberto tensed as he remembered what his own father used to say every time he cried or got sick or showed any discomfort. For as long as he could remember. I’m not going to coddle you. Grow up.
Then, when he was eleven, the day his father left for good: You’re old enough to be on your own.
He held the baby close. “I’m not going anywhere, Luca. I promise.”
~~~~
A year later, Luca bended his first element.
Alberto and Violet were bathing their son. As usual, he was fighting them on it, squirming and whining in protest. Suddenly, a small wave rose up and splashed Violet in the face.
She gave Alberto a dirty look. “Was that you?”
“No.” Alberto stared at Luca.
“He’s a waterbender!” Violet cried happily. She looked at Alberto, who didn’t seem very thrilled by this discovery. “Hey. What are you thinking?”
“I don’t know. I was kind of hoping he’d be an airbender.” The airbenders had been nearly wiped out by the Fire Nation several years ago, leaving only Violet and her two brothers. It would have been nice to help repopulate.
Alberto lowered his voice. “And what if he’s like me, and he can…bloodbend?” The word tasted bitter on his tongue. Partly because of the nation’s fear of bloodbenders, partly because of the emotional and psychological toll of bloodbending. It had nearly broken him. He would prefer his son be a nonbender over that.
“Maybe he can, and maybe he can’t. Being a waterbender doesn’t mean he’ll be able to do that,” Violet said. “And even if he can, it doesn’t mean he’ll become one.” Alberto had learned from a cruel but powerful master. It was unlikely their son would just learn to do it on his own if they didn’t teach him.
“I guess you’re right.” But Alberto wasn’t entirely convinced. His mentor Moira had taught herself how to do it. Their son could too, if he became angry enough. And knowing he had Alberto’s blood in him…
And even if Luca never became a bloodbender, the possibility would always be there in people’s minds. Fear and suspicion would surround him in a way it wouldn’t have if he was an airbender. Alberto had never wanted that for his son. He had never wanted his legacy and mistakes to taint his child’s life.
A wave hit Alberto in the face. He gasped.
Violet giggled. “Bathtime is going to be even more of a struggle now.”
“That’s another reason I would have preferred an airbender,” Alberto grumbled.
~~~~
For the next few years, life was good. Raising their son in their peaceful house together was the life he’d never known he always wanted. He couldn’t ask for anything better.
Then Luca turned six and started school. Alberto and Violet weren’t sure about sending him to a Fire Nation school. Dash was doing his best to reform the nation, but prejudice and propaganda had long been enforced in their schools. Alberto and Violet weren’t sure how much that had changed.
The first few days were fine. Luca would come home and excitedly tell them what he’d learned, reminding Alberto of his namesake.
Then one day, Luca came home and asked, “Dad, what’s a bloodbender?”
Alberto tensed.
“Where did you hear that?” Violet asked.
“Another kid said their dad said you’re a bloodbender. A bloodsucker. And that they shouldn’t play with me because I’ll be one too, just like you.”
Alberto sucked in a breath. Violet put a hand on his arm to ground him.
She turned to Luca. “That wasn’t a very nice thing to say.”
“Is it true?” Luca asked, looking at Alberto with his large blue eyes.
Alberto didn’t know what to say. He didn’t want to lie, but the kid didn’t need to know the truth.
“Bloodbending is just a form of waterbending,” Violet explained. “And yes, your father does know how to do it.”
“Do you bend blood? Like in a person’s body?” Luca asked Alberto.
“Yes,” Violet answered for him. “That’s what bloodbending is. But he is not a…a bloodsucker. He doesn’t use his power to hurt people.”
“But he could?” Luca’s eyes were wide with fear, which sent a pang through Alberto’s chest. “He could bloodbend me if I don’t eat my dinner?”
“He wouldn’t do that,” Violet reassured him with a smile.
Alberto forced out a laugh. “Of course I wouldn’t.”
“He only uses it to help people,” Violet said. “You know your uncle Luca? The healer? The one you’re named after?”
Luca nodded.
“Well, your father is like that too. He only uses bloodbending to heal people,” Violet said. “He saved your uncle Dash’s life once, you know. And mine.”
“Okay. And will I be a bloodbender when I grow up? I don’t wanna be a bloodsucker.”
“You don’t have to be if you don’t want to be,” Violet said. “And don’t use that word. It’s a bad word.”
“Okay.” Luca ran away to his room, his concerns eased for now.
Violet looked at Alberto. His eyes were distant, and she could see the old panic starting to set in. She hadn’t seen that look in years, but she’d never forget it.
She squeezed his arm gently. “Alberto, sweetie?”
“He was scared of me.” Alberto’s voice was quiet and tight, like he was about to break.
“It’s all right, honey,” Violet said. “We explained it in a way he understands. He’s not scared.”
Alberto nodded, but doubt lingered in his mind.
The other parents were apparently aware of his identity as the sole (unimprisoned) bloodbender in the Fire Nation. How many of them secretly talked about him when he wasn’t around? Whispering to each other about his powers? Telling their children that he was dangerous? How was this going to affect their son?
A few weeks later, he got his answer.
Luca came home and said his teacher Lord Knight wanted to meet with them about an incident in class.
“What happened?” Violet asked.
He shrugged, looking down at the ground. “I got in a fight.”
“A fight?!” Violet exclaimed disapprovingly.
“What about?” Alberto asked.
Luca just shrugged again.
Violet sighed. “You are your father’s son.”
“Hey,” Alberto said, jokingly defensive.
They started the walk to their son’s school. Luca had his head down, his arms folded. Violet almost wanted to laugh at how much he reminded her of Alberto right now.
They approached the school. It was the same one they’d once stood in over ten years ago.
“Remember when we pretended to be Luca’s parents here?” Violet asked, nudging Alberto playfully.
Alberto laughed. “Like it was yesterday.” He remembered his best friend being so eager to attend Fire Nation school, even when they were hiding out and trying to lay low, on their quest to stop Firelord Syndrome. He’d nearly jeopardized their mission by getting in trouble in school. They’d barely managed to pull off pretending to be Luca’s parents in front of a strict Fire Nation teacher. Looking back, he didn’t know how they’d gotten away with it.
They entered their son’s classroom. Lord Knight was waiting for them.
“Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Scorfano,” he said, shaking their hands. He motioned for them to sit.
His eyes strayed below Violet’s face. At first, Alberto thought he was staring at her chest. He opened his mouth to ask, “Is there something interesting on my wife’s breasts you’re looking at?” Then he realized what Lord Knight was staring at: the necklace.
Why? He’d seen it before. She always wore it during parent-teacher meetings.
Lord Knight looked back up at their faces. “Did Luca tell you what happened?”
“No,” Violet said, giving Luca a look.
“He used his waterbending to pick a fight with another boy.”
“I didn’t start the fight!” Luca piped up. “He did!”
“Well, he didn’t throw the first punch, did he?” Lord Knight said.
“He bended me first. He trapped me in a pile of rocks. And then he called me that word Mom told me not to say.”
“And what word is that?” Lord Knight asked.
“Bloodsucker,” Luca said, glancing at Violet.
A chill went down Alberto’s spine. He looked at Lord Knight, struggling to keep his tone measured as he spoke. “So this other kid bended him and called him a slur, and our son is the one in trouble?”
“Well, he hit the other kid first.”
Alberto crossed his arms. “He was defending himself. Are you saying he was wrong to do that?”
“He showed an aggressive and dangerous streak that needs to be stopped, not encouraged,” Lord Knight said.
Alberto bristled. “Aggressive?” That word brought back memories of being imprisoned, feared, and restrained for being dangerous. His blood pressure shot up as he imagined the same thing happening to his son. “He wasn’t being aggressive, he was just protecting himself! Did you want him to just sit there and take it? What would that have done?”
“Well, I see where he gets it from,” Lord Knight said drily.
Alberto clenched his fists. “And what is that supposed to mean?”
Violet put her hand on his shoulder. “Alberto…” He really wasn’t helping his own case here. She’d seen this look before. That fire in his eyes, that spark of anger. The kind that used to get him in trouble when he was fourteen.
“Calm down, Mr. Scorfano,” Lord Knight said. “There’s no need to overreact here.”
Alberto felt like his head was going to explode. “Don’t tell me to calm down! This is my son—”
Lord Knight put his hand out like he was trying to keep Alberto from attacking him. “Sir, we have a security guard outside. So please don’t even think about bloodbending.”
Alberto stared at him incredulously. “Bloodbending? I’m not going to bloodbend you. Why would I–”
“Yeah!” Luca chimed in. “He only uses it to heal people.”
Violet laughed. Even Alberto smiled, his anger fading a little.
“Look, we’re sorry this happened. We’ll talk to our son,” Violet said.
Lord Knight nodded. “Please do.”
They left. Alberto could feel Lord Knight’s eyes on him as they walked away.
“Am I in trouble?” Luca asked on the walk home.
“Yes,” Violet said.
“No,” Alberto said at the same time.
Luca looked confused.
“You did the right thing,” Alberto said.
“Don’t encourage this,” Violet scolded.
Alberto looked at her in disbelief. “So he should have just sat there and let them bully him?”
“No…but violence isn’t the answer either,” Violet said. She lowered her voice. “I mean, people are already scared of bloodbending. Is making it worse going to help anything?”
“Well, no,” Alberto admitted. “But what was he supposed to do?”
“Luca, maybe you could try killing them with kindness,” Violet suggested. “Maybe we should invite some of the kids and their parents over for dinner. When they get to know us, they’ll see we’re just normal people like them.”
Alberto didn’t particularly feel like being nice to the kid who had bullied their son, but he didn’t have a better idea.
“And you’re not in trouble,” Violet added. “I shouldn’t have said that. But let’s find other ways to handle this, okay?”
“Okay,” Luca said.
The next day, Luca came home crying.
Alberto and Violet were cooking dinner. They immediately stopped what they were doing and ran to him.
“Honey, what happened?” Violet asked.
He didn’t answer her. He ran to Alberto and clung to him, trembling. Alberto silently wrapped his arms around his son, terrified to even ask what was wrong. Mushi flew over, concerned, and nuzzled Luca’s cheek the way he did to Alberto when he was upset.
“Luca, sweetie, talk to us,” Violet said. “What happened?”
“I asked the other kids over for dinner, like you said, and they laughed at me.” Luca wiped his eyes. “They said Dad’s a cannibal, that he lures people to the woods and cooks them and eats them! Why would they say that?”
Alberto couldn’t breathe. Moira. Suddenly, he was back in her cottage. He could see and smell the grey meat she was putting in front of him. He could hear her voice. It’s a…Fire Nation special.
Violet looked at her crying child and panicking husband, unsure which crisis to tackle first. She knelt by Luca and put her hand on his shoulder. “Your father is not a cannibal. We’re vegetarians.”
“I know. But when I told them that they said that’s a lie, that you just say that so people won’t know the truth. Why would they say something so awful?”
“Because they’re scared,” Violet said. “They don’t understand bloodbending, so they make up something to make it sound bad. People make up stories when they’re afraid.”
Luca nodded and went to his room. Violet watched him go, concerned.
She turned to Alberto. He was clutching himself like he was trying to literally hold himself together. Mushi clung to his arm, purring, trying to bring him back to himself, but Alberto wasn’t responding.
It would be easy if it were a lie. But it wasn’t. It wasn’t just a story that they’d made up out of fear. Moira had been cooking and eating people. Alberto had taken part in that when he’d been staying with her and training under her. One day, his kid would find out the truth, that he really had eaten people, even if he hadn’t done it knowingly.
Even now, a decade later, he couldn’t escape that dark chapter of his life. And worse, Violet and his child were getting dragged into it too. That had always been his greatest fear, that he would drag down the people he loved, and now it was happening. He should leave before it got worse.
But he couldn’t do that. He knew all too well the damage that could happen from being abandoned. But was he hurting his family more by staying?
Violet seemed to know what he was thinking. She put a gentle hand on his cheek. “Hey. Alberto. Look at me.”
He forced himself to focus on her. Hearing his name out of her mouth always calmed him down a little. It grounded him, reminding him he was more than just a bloodbender or a danger. He was a human being. With a name, and an identity beyond what he could do.
“It’s okay,” Violet said. “You’re okay. Breathe.”
She began breathing in and out, slowly inhaling and exhaling. He forced himself to do it with her. Mushi decided Violet had this handled and flew away to check on Luca.
Alberto’s eyes landed on the betrothal necklace again. It had always been a sign of her devotion to him. Now it looked like a target, inviting people to slander her and attack her integrity, to question her judgment. Because of him.
He looked away. “You should take that off.”
Her eyebrows went up in surprise. “What?”
“That necklace.” She should shove it in a drawer somewhere, like a shameful secret. It would be safer than aligning herself so publicly with him and his people.
“Why?”
“Because people are going to use it against you. They see it and they remember who you’re married to. The bloodbender. The bloodsucker. The cannibal. And when they see you wearing it in public, with all these rumors going around, it looks like…like you’re proud of it. Proud of me.”
Violet folded her arms. “So? I am proud of you. Why would I want to hide that?”
“What do you mean? Because people think I’m a cannibal! Why would you want to be associated with that? Violet, please, just until this blows over…if it ever does…”
“Alberto.” She said it calmly, in the gentle yet firm tone that always shut him up. She touched the necklace, running her fingers over the blue stone. “Do you remember the day you gave this to me?”
He nodded. “Of course.”
Like it was yesterday. Every fearful breath, every awkward word, every doubt in his head. It all came rushing back.
~~~~
They were eighteen. That seemed so long ago now. But he still remembered being a mess of constant confusion, adrenaline, and hormones. But even through all of that, there was one steady, calming certainty: her.
The sun was setting over the Fire Nation. Alberto and Violet were sitting on the roof of the palace. They technically weren’t allowed up here, but he’d convinced her to break the rules. He was good at that.
“Who cares about rules when your brother’s the Firelord?” he said as they sat down.
Violet rolled her eyes but with a smile. “I guess you’re right.”
They looked out at the sunset for a while, sitting in comfortable silence. Alberto’s heart was pounding in his chest, and he worried Violet would be able to feel it.
He could feel the necklace in his pocket. It suddenly felt like it weighed a hundred pounds.
He looked at Violet and opened his mouth. Then he closed it again.
Violet looked at him. “Are you okay?”
“Fine,” he said too quickly. “Why?”
“You’re very quiet. Too quiet. Un-Alberto quiet.” Her tone was teasing, but he could sense the unease there. She was probably worried he was trapped in one of his guilt-ridden spirals again.
He took a breath. “I’m just thinking.”
“About what?”
He put his hand in his pocket and fiddled with the necklace. “So. Um.” He’d planned this out, writing and rehearsing a whole speech, and he’d just forgotten every word. “Well…I made you something.”
Violet looked surprised. “You did?”
“Just…don’t laugh,” Alberto said as he took the necklace out. He held it out awkwardly, his hand shaking. “Sorry, I know it’s not great.” He cringed as she looked at it. The stone was worn and unpolished. The carving was messy and crooked. He’d spent so many hours on it, and it looked like someone had done it in five seconds while intoxicated. She would laugh at him for sure.
But she didn’t. She just smiled. “Did you make this?”
He nodded.
“I love it. Thank you.” She undid the clasp.
“Wait,” Alberto blurted out. “Before you put it on. You should know.” He paused, his face going bright red. “Well…in the Water Tribe, we give necklaces like this when we wanna…it’s…it’s a betrothal necklace.”
Her eyes widened.
“And you don’t have to say yes. You don’t have to wear it. Or keep it. Or look at it. I won’t be mad. If you wanna just throw it off this roof right now, I’d understand—”
“Alberto,” she said.
He stopped.
“Are you asking me to marry you?”
He looked at her. She didn’t look disgusted. She wasn’t laughing at him. “Yes. But only if you want to. I know I’m a lot. I know this bloodbending stuff is messy, and I have a whole boatload or two of trauma, and I'd totally get it if you didn’t want to deal with that forever. But…I want to show you that I’m worth it. Because I can’t imagine my life without you. I want to be with you, and build a life with you.”
She sucked in a breath. “Alberto…”
“And again, you can say no. I just…wanted to tell you how I felt.”
“Putting it on means saying yes?” Violet asked.
Alberto swallowed. “Yup.” Now she probably didn’t want to wear it. He shouldn’t have done this. He should have thrown the necklace in a lake, like he’d considered doing so many times while making it.
Violet put the necklace on. No hesitation.
His heart leapt. “Are you…”
She laughed. “Of course!”
“But…it’s crooked…”
“It’s messy. But charming. Just like you,” she teased, tucking a stray curl behind his ear.
Alberto laughed, shaky with relief.
Violet took his face in her hands and kissed him. A long, tender kiss. He embraced her. She pulled away and smiled at him.
“I’ll make you a better necklace, I promise,” Alberto said.
“Don’t you dare,” Violet said. She touched the necklace. “This one’s perfect. I’ll never take it off.”
He grinned. “Okay.”
~~~~
Violet’s voice brought him back to the present. “Your reputation wasn’t squeaky-clean then, either. I’d seen you at your darkest, at your lowest, at your most broken. And I said yes anyway. I stood by you when Fire Sage Anton was doing everything to smear your name. I’ve never run from the rumors.”
“I know.”
Her fingers closed around the pendant protectively. “So no, Alberto. I’m not taking it off. We both agreed I wouldn’t. No take-backs now.”
Alberto didn’t argue, but he didn’t agree, either.
“And if you ask me again, I’ll throw you off the roof.”
That got a chuckle out of him. Violet stepped closer to him.
“They’re just rumors,” she said firmly. “You don’t have to answer for them.”
He knew this was true. But he couldn’t just sit and let the rumors hurt his family. If he didn’t refute it, was that a silent confirmation? Would that just let it grow?
“The best thing you can do is just be yourself,” Violet said. “Prove them wrong by just living your life.”
“But it won’t prove anything. I could still be eating people in secret as far as they know.” His voice was rising in frustration. No matter what he did, he would never be able to prove his innocence. This would follow him forever, even after he died.
“You can’t control how everyone sees you. But whatever happens, we’ll be with you. Our son. Me. Luca. Dash.”
Alberto shook his head. They shouldn’t have to risk their own reputations for him. “I don’t want to hurt any of you.”
“You’re not hurting anyone. We’re choosing to walk with you because we love you.” She took his hand. “Please remember that. We love you. I love you.” She squeezed his hand, like she was trying to physically make sure her love was felt.
He smiled. “I know.” He’d had periods in his life where he doubted whether anyone could truly love him. But he didn’t doubt that anymore. Violet’s love had stayed true and consistent through the years, allowing him to believe she meant it.
“Good.” She kissed his cheek.
He put his arm around her, silently thanking her for her support.
Together, they went to check on Luca. He was on his bed, his head under his pillow. Mushi sat at the foot of the bed like a guard animal.
“Hey, Luca,” Alberto said, a little awkwardly. “Are you okay?”
Luca didn’t look at them. “I don’t wanna go back to school.”
Alberto and Violet looked at each other, unsure what to say. They sat down on the bed. Luca hugged them.
“I'm sorry you had to deal with that,” Violet said, stroking his hair. “What happened to you today, and the other day, was wrong.”
“But you need school, buddy,” Alberto said. He wanted his son to have the education he’d never had. “And you love it. Remember all the cool stuff you’ve been learning?”
Luca smiled. Then it faded. “But the other kids are so mean.”
Alberto just hugged him tighter, wishing he could fix it.
“Are there any nice kids you like hanging out with?” Violet asked.
“Yeah. A few.”
“So that’s good,” Violet said encouragingly.
“I guess.”
“We won’t let this bullying go on,” Alberto said. “We’ll talk to the school. Or the other parents. Or something.” He didn’t know if it would do any good, but they would keep fighting. They had to.
“We’ll figure it out as we go, all right, buddy?” Alberto said.
Luca nodded. “Thanks, Dad.”
Violet smiled. That was their personal mantra, now being passed down to their son.
There were worse things to pass on.
They sat there for a moment, enjoying this moment of peace in the chaos. Then Violet said, “So, who’s hungry?”
“Me!” Luca shouted, raising his hand.
“Good. ‘Cause we’re having your favorite: your father’s noodle soup.”
“Yay!” Luca scrambled off the bed and ran out to the kitchen.
Violet and Alberto laughed and followed him.
Luca smiled at Alberto as he placed a bowl of soup in front of him. “Thanks, Dad. You make good food. The other kids are missing out.”
Another pang went through Alberto’s chest, this time from overwhelming love and pride. He almost wanted to cry. Instead, he just tousled his son’s hair and said, “Thanks, Luca.”
He sat down and looked around at what he’d built. A family. A home. He was surprised by the sense of calm settling over him despite everything.
What an incredible feeling, he thought. To have people who could make you feel that way even in the depths of fear and despair. What a testament to the love they shared.
He took Violet’s hand and kissed it. She smiled at him.
He didn’t know what would happen next. But for now, they didn't have to worry about it. They could just be.