𝐀𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐒 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐄 𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐍 ー bruabba.

play the game

prompt: first meeting, eventual angst, hurt/comfort, eventual confession

status: abandoned

⋯⋆

he watches him pour another bottle over his mouth, this time a dribble of wine escaping his lips. this time too, bruno doesn't stop the sigh coming from his own lips.

patience - he hears his father tell him, echoing the very depths of his soul. patience is a companion necessary for living. fishing / is / living. so the key to catching the best out of the best is nothing else but patience.

yet how come with every time he's visited and persuaded this man, his patience ran thin. compared to all of his recruits, abbacchio was a persistent and resounding 'no' despite his attempts of listing the other's traits that could help them succeed in any situation.

it was difficult. abbacchio was a force to be reckoned with, with self-hatred deeply-rooted thanks to survivor's guilt.

even so, that shouldn't even be an excuse to give up on him.

no - nothing should be an excuse to give up on him. there's potential in the man despite not being able to see it himself. it was bruno's job to bring those traits to light even if takes him countless numbers of rejection. hell, he'll do whatever it takes just to bring the other man out of this stump even if all he gets is nothing but a dismissive wave of a hand every time he tried.

"that's enough for today." he stands from his seat, a particular spot he's gotten comfortable and at home with every time he's visited. "no matter how much you drink, those demons of yours won't disappear."

the bottle of wine almost slips from abbacchio's grasp, yet bruno was quick to pull it away - one of his hands already stopping the other man from standing up to snatch it back. "what makes you think another swig of this vile liquid helps?"

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Naturally the man wasn't happy about any of this. He was perfectly content on just having a miserable life to the very end. It only felt fitting to at least try and repent for what he did. But, this complete stranger refuses to let up. The man just couldn't understand why he was so persistent with someone he hardly knew.

It was even a little annoying to him. That someone could believe in you this much on hunches alone. Where did this confidence even stem from?

Abbacchio wasn't really happy when his drink was taken from him and left to stay seated. Alright. So this person just invites themselves over each day and now they're giving orders?

"Why don't you start by telling me what all this is even about? I get you mentioned a gang, but if you know me at all you'd know that's a stupid thing to ask of me. So tell me what you're really up to. It's starting to get on my last nerve." He didn't answer the question, but he made it seem like he would if his question is answered. That or he was just trying to calm his head a bit before starting something.

Part of him knew this man only wanted to help. Which is why he hasn't tried to fight back much each time they showed up at his door.

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he watches him hunch over, pitiful and resigned, but bruno thinks this is better than wallowing in pain through intoxication. with the drink now in his hand, he sets it far from his reach yet the question still remains in the air between them. his back was turned to him, and bruno traces the lip of the bottle, lost in thought.

what was all this for? why didn't he just leave him be and found some other replacement instead? it'd have been easier, saved them both the trouble -