TW: CHARACTER DEATH(S), MENTIONS OF DEPRESSION, SUICIDE
if you wish for this one-shot to have a happy ending, please stop reading when bruno asks abbacchio to move in with him.
after that, it becomes very, very dark in nature and i am informing you again as a friend that if it will put you in a bad mindset, DO NOT go any farther than the scene i mentioned before.
Ever since he was born, Abbacchio only saw the world in black and white. He walked the sidewalk, watching the dull, dark, dreary skyline pass by. It was like watching a film from the 1930s, except this one had sound. 'Achromatopsia' is what the doctors called it, but they could never tell him why he had it so he never let it stop him. Abbacchio could hear the city life bustle around him, each unique voice standing out to him. He could taste the smog in the air, the pollution dancing on his tongue. He could smell the unique scent of New York City, hot dog steam mixing with a middle-aged man's body odor, an unknown woman's perfume colliding with the exhaust from a bus.
Everything around him told its story in colors, but he would never know. This was how it's always been; an uncolored life made interesting only by his other fully functional senses. His job? Producing music, selling hit songs with colorless album covers. Listening to beautiful voices coming from colorless people. Releasing genius albums, consumed by colorless customers. Answering important calls with colorless managers in his colorless office. Abbacchio was so tired of the day-to-day experience being nothing more than a charcoal sketch.
It's not that he dislikes the greyscale world he's been placed in, not at all. Black is an elegant color to him, it reminds him of licorice, his favorite flavor as a child, and of protection. He loves grey, it makes him think of the smell of rain on pavement and compromising on a place to eat dinner. White is delicate to him, it reminds him of the snowy winters he's used to and the fluffy clouds that dot the light grey sky.
After staying all day in his black and white studio, he returns to his black and white apartment, greeting his roommate as he walks through the door.
"Hey Nara, I'm back," Abbacchio called as he shuffled his way toward his room.
"Did you sign that uh-," Narancia paused, trying to remember the artist's name. "-Mint guy?"
Abbacchio furrowed his eyebrows and lifted one half of his upper lip in confusion, and Narancia tried again. "Mister? Mista? Whatever the fuck his name is."
"Oh, him. Yeah, he came by today and showed me his skills. I think I'm going to sign him."
"You should, we need to get a new artist out there. Imagine the headlines! 'NG Record Company: The Big Break!' " He swiped his hand in the air as he spoke.
Abbacchio sighed as his friend rambled on and on about how big their company would make it once they signed Mista. Narancia was wired to think this way; he was the company's CEO, after all.
"But don't you need to listen to his demo first?"
"I guess I do. Did you bring it home?"
"No," Abbacchio laughed. "You know I never bring work home."
Narancia sighed and propped his forehead up with his palm, leaving his head in his hand for a few seconds before lifting it back up.
"I'm so distracted right now that I forgot, I'm sorry," he explained, smiling.
"Ooh, what are you distracted about?"
Narancia chuckled after seeing the sly smile on his roommate's face. "Well, you see, it's kinda complicated."
"How about I order dinner and you tell me every little detail? I have all night," Abbacchio suggested.
"You've got yourself a deal."
Within minutes, there was a knock at the door signaling the arrival of their pizza. Abbacchio paid, closed the door, and then set the two boxes down on the coffee table. He fell back onto the couch, looking over at his best friend and whispering, "Spill."
Narancia sighed heavily. "Okay, so you know how today was my day off, right?"
Abbacchio nodded, and the other continued.
"I decided I was going to treat myself today, maybe go shopping, go out to eat lunch, grab a coffee. You know, stuff for me. Anyway, there was this really cute guy at the restaurant, who I somehow got into a conversation with. He had this platinum blonde hair and these big red eyes, but his voice blew me off my feet. He had this bright green suit on that was obviously from a top-level designer and he didn't seem even the slightest bit insecure. He was so beautiful," Narancia gushed, thinking about the man.
"What's his name?"
"Pannacotta Fugo," the oldest swooned before continuing. "I ended up getting his number, and I'm scared to text him. I don't know how to function, I'm awkward, how the hell am I supposed to text him? I can't even pick up my phone without shaking!"
Abbacchio laughed, shaking his head; he had never seen Narancia get like this over anyone. He stopped laughing when he was hit with a remote.
"Hey, what the fuck? Quit throwing shit at me, brat!"
"Don't laugh! This is serious!"
Abbacchio rolled his eyes. "Do you want me to text him for you? I promise I won't say anything weird."
"Sure," Narancia agreed, handing Abbacchio his phone.
