For the Empire - Inganno

Chapter 33

A/N: **Steamy scene below--avert your eyes to the next chapter if you'd like ;) **

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I stand outside JP's door staring at it.

After a few minutes of debating with myself on leaving him alone or not, I decide to do a quick check-in; that's the least I can do, after all he's done for me the last month.

I knock, but no answer comes.

I knock again and turn the door handle, hoping it's unlocked; I'm thankful that it is, and peek my head around the door. JP looks over at me from his bed.

"Hey. Can I come in?" I ask him quietly, and he nods.

I walk in, closing the door behind me, and make my way over to his bed. The room's main lights are off, but his lamps are on, casting a soft glow. He has music playing softly in the background.

JP's huge music collection consists of many of his mom's music of older bands and musicians. She passed her love of classic songs to JP and even named him after two musicians from one of her favorite bands.

They were before her time, but their music is still listened to and resonates with several generations today.

I climb on the other side of the bed and sit next to him. "I'm so sorry, John Paul. I've been so wrapped up in my own head; I didn't realize what today is. Are...are you okay?"

"It's okay, Char, and yes, I'm okay." He tells me, giving me a sad smile.

"Did you go see her?" I ask quietly. He nods, telling me he did in the morning. It must have been during one of my naps.

I look down and see that he's looking at a photo album; it's the same one he looks at every year on this day. His mom had put it together for him before she died, and it holds all the pictures she took of JP as a baby; several are with her, up until she died.

"You're not drinking today?" I observe as I move closer to him and see he has dry tear stains on his face.

JP shakes his head. "I made a promise to Carmela not to drink my problems away after I got drunk that night, last month." He looks at me, "But I gotta tell you, I'd really like a drink right now." A smile grows on his handsome face, and I smile back at him.

We go through the rest of the album, chuckling over some of the outfits his mom dressed him in. "It's good to hear you laughing again." He tells me, but I don't say anything.

"How are you feeling today?" He asks me, gauging my reaction cautiously.

I clear my throat and give him a slight shrug, pursing my lips. "Mostly the same...but better, I guess. I know I need to start getting myself going again—into my old routine, eventually.

It's hard waking up every day, knowing he's gone now, too. Both of them are gone. Uncle Timo told me today he wants me to see someone, like a therapist or something. I don't think I'm ready to talk about it all, especially to a stranger, you know?"

JP doesn't say anything and responds the way I did by nodding.

"Quite a pair we make, right?" I chuckle, shaking my head, while I pat his hand that's sitting in between us.

JP turns his hand over under my hand and interlaces his fingers with mine. The action makes me look down at our hands, our fingers intertwined together. The gesture feels so intimate as he rubs his thumb over mine.

My eyes move back up to his face; he's watching me, and I take notice of how close we are sitting to each other. I feel that familiar pull towards him, and as we continue to stare at each other, I look down to his lips as they part a little, and I find myself moving forward, and I brush my lips against his lips lightly.