28 - Risotto Nero x Reader

Chapter 18 - Eyes

We got to the airport and hopped on the first plane leaving for Sardegna. There weren't many passengers and a lot of seats were empty. We sat in the back, in a slightly hidden spot. Risotto has connections of his own in Venezia, connections not related to Passione, so boarding went more smoothly than I thought.

-What are we gonna do when we get there?

I asked quietly.

-We'll look for clues about the Boss's identity. He couldn't possibly have made every single record of himself disappear.

He answered without looking at me.

-Yes... I wonder what Bucciarati's team will do. I'm sure they'll go to Sardegna, Trish probably has more clues in mind than us.
-Let's lay low and look for leads until they arrive. I think Abbachio's Moody Blues will prove itself useful.
-Good idea.

After that small exchange we didn't have much else to discuss in regards to the situation, and we fell silent. The overall quietness and stillness of the airplane made me feel... uneasy. It had been a hectic day or two, and this had been the first time since the train ride that we didn't have to be on constant edge. It was weird for life to have finally slowed down a bit.
I looked outside the window next to Risotto. We were in the clouds... It had been a long while since I'd last flown. And I was doing it with Risotto, I still had in mind the way we figured out that we were looking for a place in Sardegna, and the way we got to Venezia. Risotto sure knows every place in this country huh... I wonder if he has travelled a lot before? It would be fun to go on a guided tour trip together somewhere, exploring the hidden jewels of Italy, or of the world, even. I was a bit sceptical of him in the beginning, all that talk of being "scary" that Nicolo gave me. But I've grown to like his personality. I already treated him respectfully as my senior in Passione when we first met, but now I respect him for so much more. Now that I think about it, it would be nice to be "friends"...

But we can't. Our lives are on the line, and we have a mission to bring to completion. Then... I guess I'll be sent back to Grigio, and we'll never speak again unless it's for work, which will be rare.

But... We haven't completed our mission yet.

-Can I ask you a question?

Risotto's eyes turned slightly towards me.

-You've asked me questions this whole time.

He said breaking the silence. I lowered my head slightly and felt my cheeks redden lightly from the realization that he was right, I stayed quiet, and only muttered a small " sorry ". Risotto looked at me.

-"... But sure. Ask me whatever." You didn't let me finish.

He said after a short pause, looking back outside. I blushed a little bit more before speaking. Why am I even blushing??? I'm just trying to have a humane conversation with a very dangerous hitman while chasing an even more dangerous mafia Boss what is there to blush about!?!?

-So... How long have you been part of Passione?
-... It's been a while. I joined nearly a decade ago. Why?
-I was just curious. A decade is a long time...And did you always have the same team?
-... Yeah. My team has pretty much always been the same. I had a few more members in the first months of my leadership, but they...left.

He paused briefly.

-I've seen many people come and go through the years.

His expression turned slightly sad. I knew exactly what he meant by "go".

-So I guess things were the same as today back then...

Risotto scoffed at my comment.

-The Boss has always been this way, he's only gotten worse throughout times...

His words got filled with spite, which I couldn't help but feel sad about. The Boss has hurt him deeply, so deeply... I wish I could help make it right somehow...

-The organization hasn't changed at all compared to the times even before I joined.

He finished explaining

-Then why did you... join Passione?

He got silent. His glance dropped, lost into nothingness, before he basically forced himself to turn away from me.

-That is none of your concern.

He spoke in his usual strict, cold, monotone voice in a distancing way. But, there was more behind his tone... There was sadness, not the kind he expresses (and tries to suppress) when it's about Gelato and Sorbet, this went so much deeper. This was so much more painful...

-I'm sorry I didn't mean to ask that...

I apologized taking a slight peak at his face, and in that moment, I don't know what, but I felt something. I saw his eyes, those watchful eyes wearers of the colours of obsidians and rubins, become the colour of fires and ashes, illuminated by the rising sun of our Mediterranean Sea, making them sparkle and shine like gems I'd steal and not even bother to make jewels out of to keep their beauty all to myself. And behind those precious blood-red irises and pitch-black pupils, the sadness, the grief, the desperation, the anger, and then sadness again of a lost piece. Many lost pieces, fused into one deep wound on his heart, deep enough to lacerate his soul.

After that second that I wished would have lasted centuries I looked away from him. I slowly placed my cold hand on his warm one, gently caressing it before slightly holding onto it. And to my surprise, he took my hand in his, almost squeezing it, and I carefully rubbed my thumb against his palm, which he didn't oppose. He didn't look at me, and I didn't look at him. He stayed quiet and so did I. We were just holding each other's hands, in silence. Anything to ease his burden. And it was in that moment, that I had realized it.

I don't want to go back to Grigio.

💖A/N***

Me: oh I'll post more regularly from now on!
also me:*disappears for months again*

so I'm sorry again for probably the longest hiatus I've had on this story, wanna guess what happened? School... again. But I promise from now on I'll be a ton more active, I actually took a month off myself to practice, and I'm not sure if my writing has improved, I tried my best I haven't written for Y/N in a long time :'D

but anyway I hope you enjoyed this and have an amazing day my lovely readers!! And thank you so much for the votes and comments you're the best!❤

Arrivederci!