Fear and Fate(poly)(bxb)

Nine

I mentioned it briefly yesterday. It didn't go well.

Von had just gotten back from an assignment and I expected his short temper. His total lack of sympathy, however, I didn't expect his cruelty. I emphasized the idea of missing my final chance to see my father. Von stared at me with no emotions to appeal to.

When I mentioned it to Seven, he quickly kissed me on my forehead goodnight. After my romantic night with Kimori, he can't even look at me today. Not without fidgeting and not without proceeding to the nearest exit.

Here on the morning of my father's funeral, Von looks entirely apathetic. He's wearing a suit, his work attire lately. He's seated comfortably yet controlling as he is the only one in the room doing so.

"He's dead." Von's voice has always been so deep. It touches somewhere most men can't reach. "Seeing him one last time isn't gonna change that."

I have to think before I speak with him. Rosemary's corpse burned right in front of us all, but he got the closest glimpse. I can't say it was worth it.

"Don't care. I've been stuck here for days. I have to go see him." I speak up keeping it nice and short for him.

Speaking of nice and short, "It's for your own safety, Mia," Seven says. He slowly approaches me but I quickly realize where this is headed.

I don't want things to get violent. It's not possible for me to get through the gang of four men like this. Seven, Kimori, L, and Romero all physically stand between me and the front door. Von hasn't gotten up from the kitchen table and doesn't care to.

"They're going to take you away from us. Is that what you want?" Seven asks and he's four feet closer to me now.

I can see the emotion in his eyes. His button down shirt had a deep V that reveals more of his milky skin. He liked my father's idea of him, how pristine and diluted it was.

"I don't want that," I confess. I lean against the wall for support.

Down to the paint on my nails, I wore completely black. I knew all the police would be doing the same. He's going away forever.

"We were gonna move in on them tomorrow actually." Romero flexes the strong arms folded across his chest. He doesn't even glance toward me but I know who he's speaking to. "You can't show your face before then. It would ruin the surprise."

I look at the door; I don't look at him. I can feel an ache in my shoulder and I don't want to make any sudden movements just yet.

I hear the sound of metal scrapping. Von is cutting into his eggs. They're sunny side up and runny when he forks them into his mouth. Steady tattooed fingers on the utensil with his deadpan eyes set on me. I have to appeal to him first.

"Tell them to let me go," I say bluntly, garnering a scoff from Romero.

"You tell them." Von is still chewing and his sharp jawline is driving me crazy. "Let me know what they say."

Seven giggles and I decide now is the best time to move. They stand there impenetrable and unmoving like cops at a protest. I go towards Von whose eyes look black instead of blue this morning.

"I just need to see him one last time." I stumble in front of him. "I mentioned you to him."

The room tenses as the rest of the men react on Von's behalf. Sucking their teeth and fidgeting, they watch as I try and plead my case. I feel too many pairs of eyes on me as I search for my resolve.

"With everyone else I used nicknames but he knew yours exactly remember?"

"Yeah and that was fucking stupid. What did I tell you not to do?" Von asks.