The ties that bind

Chapter 18: Midnight Secrets and Burnt Toast

Alessandro dramatically clutched his chest. "I thought you were Serena!"

Raffaele froze.

His face twisted in horror.

Serena choked on her laughter.

"YOU THOUGHT I WAS SERENA?!" Raffaele yelled.

"I WAS HALF-ASLEEP, OKAY?!"

Raffaele looked personally offended.

"YOU'RE TELLING ME YOU SNUGGLED ME THINKING I WAS OUR SISTER?!"

"I DIDN'T KNOW!"

"SO YOU'RE SAYING YOU WOULD'VE BEEN OKAY IF IT WAS SERENA?!"

"THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT!"

"EXPLAIN IT THEN, CASANOVA!"

Alessandro groaned. "I WANT TO ERASE THIS ENTIRE MORNING FROM MY MEMORY!"

Raffaele crossed his arms. "Same, but I can't, because you VIOLATED ME."

Alessandro's jaw dropped. "EXCUSE ME?!"

Serena, now shaking with silent laughter, pressed a hand over her mouth.

Alessandro scowled. "You probably enjoyed it."

Raffaele scoffed. "Oh, PLEASE. If I wanted to cuddle a gremlin, I'd find an actual goblin in the forest."

Alessandro gasped dramatically. "HOW DARE YOU?!"

"You are the worst sleeping partner!"

Alessandro threw his hands up. "I WASN'T EVEN TRYING TO SLEEP WITH YOU!"

"YOU STUCK YOUR LEG OVER ME!"

"THAT WAS A DEFENSIVE POSITION!"

"WHAT WERE YOU DEFENDING YOURSELF FROM? MY LOVE?!"

Alessandro threw a pillow at Raffaele's face.

"EXACTLY!"

And just like that-

The war officially began.

Raffaele grabbed a pillow and swung it like a weapon.

Alessandro dodged, grabbing another pillow from behind him.

Serena knew what was coming.

And she wasn't stopping it.

Not even a little bit.

"TAKE THIS, YOU BACKSTABBING RAT!" Raffaele yelled, whacking Alessandro across the face.

"YOU STARTED THIS, YOU OVERSIZED LEECH!" Alessandro smacked him right back.

Raffaele stumbled, caught himself, then launched onto the bed like a wrestler.

The entire bed shook as they fought like two angry seagulls fighting over bread.

Feathers exploded into the air.

A pillow tore open.

Alessandro was screeching.

Raffaele was swearing.

Serena?

She was laughing so hard she was actually crying.

Both brothers froze mid-swing.

Serena was laughing.

Like, really laughing.

Not a small chuckle.

Not a fake, forced smile.

But a real, full-bodied, uncontrollable laugh.

Her shoulders shook, her face was buried in her hands, her entire body trembled from how hard she was laughing.

Her laughter filled the room.

And for the first time in seven years-

She looked happy.

Raffaele lowered his pillow.

Alessandro swallowed hard.

She was laughing sooo hard her ribs were hurting but that didn't stop her from the laughter. Serena wiped at her eyes, sniffing as her laughter slowed.

"God," she breathed out, still chuckling. "You two are so stupid."

Alessandro smirked. "Damn right we are."

Raffaele exhaled, feeling his chest loosen in a way it hadn't in years.

She was still in there.

Their sister was still in there.

Peace lasted three seconds.

Then-

"ANYWAY-DIBS ON THE BATHROOM!" Alessandro yelled, sprinting toward the door.

Raffaele's brain short-circuited.

"LIKE HELL YOU DO!"

He lunged off the bed.

Alessandro dodged, weaving past furniture. "You snooze, you lose!"

"YOU CUDDLE ME WITHOUT CONSENT, AND NOW YOU WANT TO STEAL THE BATHROOM?!"

"I DIDN'T CUDDLE YOU!"

Serena, shaking her head in amusement, slowly stood up.

And while they were still fighting-

She casually walked past them.

Slipped into the bathroom.

And locked the door.

Both brothers froze.

Alessandro turned to Raffaele. "Did she just-?"

Raffaele sighed. "She did."

Alessandro groaned, slumping against the wall. "She played us both."

Raffaele ran a hand down his face. "She's still our sister, after all."

Alessandro smirked. "Yeah."

Then-

He turned to Raffaele.

Paused.

Then grinned evilly.

Raffaele narrowed his eyes. "What?"

Alessandro held up a pillow.

Raffaele's stomach dropped.

"Don't you f-"

WHAM!

The pillow slammed into his face.

And just like that-

The war restarted.