Amore Stupido - Chapter 6

6

The entirety of the meeting had been a complete blur to the man. What it was about, he couldn’t have said. His focus was gone; his mind in a whirl. What did he want? At first all he’d wanted was revenge, but not things were unclear. The line between love and hatred had been so easily smeared. Why did he hate the woman? She’d been sticking up for her friend. That meant he’d been the one in the wrong, hadn’t he? Or was it that blond kid’s fault for having walked into him in the first place. Patico’s mobster morals were mixing with ‘normal’ morals. Why had he been so pissy in the first place? It was because he’d been on the plane for so long, wasn’t it? Then was it the flight crew’s fault? He shook his head, trying to get himself back on track. What he truly needed to decide was what to do. One of his men nudged him, gaining his attention.

“Boss, da meetin’s at a break. You don’ look so good,” the large, muscular man said.

“And what do ya suppose I should do about dat, Mickey?” Patico growled.

“I dunno. Maybe ya should go get some coffee.” Mickey suggested.

“Coffee?” The coffee shop! No matter what he decided to do, there was one piece of information the gangster still needed. He stood suddenly, knocking his chair over in the process. “Yeah! I need some coffee! See ya latah, boys!” he called, rushing out of the room.

Everyone had paused in their conversations to watch him go, a woman from the Italian section of the room looking over to the Americans. “What was wrong with him?” She asked.

“I dink da boss got a bit sick on da way ovah here,” Mickey said with a shrug. 

“Maybe he needs ta go lay down som-more.” One of the others suggested. 

Patico himself ran at full pace down the corridor. He hadn’t rented a car thanks to the crazy, backwards way the people in that country drove, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t get to where he wanted to go quickly. There were always taxis! The instant he was out on the street, he held out his hand to hail one. The tiny black car swerved out of its lane, stopping short in front of the man.

“Where to, govnah?” The driver asked, lifting his boulder hat lightly. Normally he wouldn’t have used such language, but Patico was so easily pegged in the city as a tourist, and tourists tipped big when they thought one was funny.

The gangster paused for only a moment to give the man a look of confusion before he climbed into the car. “To the Theatah Angels coffee shop, mistah,” Patico demanded. “And step on it!”

“Righto, Righto~” The driver said with a grin. He loved patrons that allowed him to drive fast and furious! 

Patico yelped, clinging to his seat belt for dear life as the car sped off into the traffic before them. While the meeting had been a blur figuratively, the drive was a blur literally. The man was driving so quickly that Patico couldn’t seem to see properly out the windows. For a short time he was actually praying for the entity up above to spare his life. However, those moments or terror were worth it when the tiny car pulled up in front of the café.

“Wait here!” He said, jumping out of the car. He nearly stumbled, running for the door. “I’ll be back! Keep the meetah runnin’!”

“You got it, govnah.” The driver crooned, once more tipping his hat to the man.

***

Ryu gave a groan as she closed her lap-top. Job hunting was such a pain, especially when there wasn’t all that much to be searching for. The other coffee shops in the area weren’t hiring, and the closest job was a temporary mascot job at the local fair. As proud as she was of her ears, Ryu wasn’t at all into furries or furry suits. Running around in a giant animal costume all day in the sun wasn’t exactly what she pictured as a fun job.

“You okay?” Her brother called.

“Fine,” she droned.

“Find anything?”

“I can be a furry for 2 months. Otherwise, not yet.”

A laugh emanated from her brother’s room, and as Ryu was about to stand and run in to smack him around with one of his own pillows, there came a knock on the door. She stared at it for a moment or two before she actually moved over to the door. They weren’t expecting anyone, and they hadn’t ordered any food. 

“We don’t want what you’re selling,” She called through the wooden blockage, wishing  that the door had a peep-hole.

“I’m not here ta sell stuff,” replied a familiar voice.

“Who’s at the door?” Ran called from his room.

Ryu gave a growl, grinding her teeth together lightly. “It’s the little black rat!” She called back.

“I told you, I ain’t a cat! I’m a panthah!” Patico shouted. 

“I called you a rat, stupid. Not a cat.” With a sigh, Ryu pulled the door open to glare out at the man. “ ‘The hell do you want?”

“I…” Patico trailed off. He reached to rub at his own head, biting his bottom lip. He'd gone through all of the trouble of finding out where she lived, buying a certain thing an then high-tailing it over there...and now he couldn't speak. Even after all of that, he still hadn't managed to make a decision.

“What?” Ryu demanded.

Patico cleared his throat, pulling at his collar. He opened his mouth to speak, then quickly closed it. What was he about to say?

“Spit it out!” The girl shouted in annoyance.

The man jumped, sputtering slightly before he suddenly shouted back, "I want you!" The instant the sentence left his lips, his cheeks flared into a deep red hue and he quickly added, "T-Ta fight me! Yeah. I want ya to fight me!"

"You've got to be kidding me," Ryu droned, rollingher eyes. "Seriously? Why can't you just leave me alone? Haven't you done enough?"

"Just one more!" Patico nearly pleaded. "Then I'll stop tormentin' ya."

"You didn't have enough pain when I punched you in the bloody face?" Or when she'd beaten him after he'd gotten her fired...

"Y-You're a lady. I was holdin' back," the short man said, puffing up his chest. 

"A lady? I thought you were just calling me a b***h before." Ryu folded her arms as she looked over him. Was this guy serious? What was he fighting for?

"Wait~," Ran called, rushing out of his room. "I had to find the video camera!"

"Seriously?" Ryu asked once more.

"Oh come on. We need something to show at your wedding," He teased.

Once more, Patico found his cheeks flushed and hot. Wedding? Just picturing it made his insides flutter. He could so easily see the woman in one of those long flowing dresses, waliking down the isle with all of her family on one side and his  mafia family on the other. It would be a huge chapel, with her brother as the best man holding out the rings for them. The thought alone made the man's knees go weak.

Perhaps when the child psychiatrist had told him he was obsessive all those years ago, he really should have listened.

"Uhm...Hello~," The brunette man said, reaching to wave his hand back and fourth in front of Patico's face. "Earth to annoying fedora-guy."

"Eh?" The raven-haired, short man snapped out of it, smirking to the two. "Patico's da name. Patico Firarello: head of the Fiarello family."

"What, are you like a gangster or something now, Mr. Brooklyn?" Ryu asked in dis-belief.

"Actually, yeah. I am," He said, tilting his hat down towards her. "And you, my lovely, are goin' ta fight me whethah ya like it or not."

"What does she get if she wins?" Ran asked, his interest piqued. 

"I'll leave her alone. I wont come ta fight her evah again."  

"That's it?" Ryu's brother asked in disbelief. "You cost her a job, and all you promise is that you'll leave her alone? If you're really the head of your 'family', can't you promise her a bit of money on top of that?"

"Fine, fine," Patico said, waving his hand at the question. "Dat can be arranged."

"And if you win?" Ryu asked, still not convinced.

"If I win..." Patico paused to think before he would answer, a sudden grin forming on his face. "If I win, you agree tah become my lil'wife."

The color drained from the woman's face. His wife? His lil'wife? "What?"

"Ha! I called it," Ran shouted with a laugh. Oh, this was just too amusing! "Come on, Ryu, you've got nothing to worry about. You've kicked his a*s before. You'll do it again." He gave a slight snicker, folding his arms as he looked over his sister. "But think about it, either way, you win. If you win, you get money and don't have to worry so much about finding a job so soon. If you loose...well you'll never have to work again!"

"I'll take good care of ya, sweetcheeks. Dat, I can promise," Patico nearly purred, giving the woman a wink.

Ryu shuddered. Getting married was the absolute last thing on her mind at the moment. The money on the other hand was too good to pass up. "No weapons?"

"Of course! I don' wanna hurt dat pretty skin of yours any more den I have ta." He glanced to Ran. "If ya really feel da need, wanna be the Reff?"

Ran and Ryu shared a glance before the woman finally nodded. Ran turned to the other man with a bright grin. "Looks like your challenge has been accepted, my friend. Why don't we take this down to the grass."

The rules were simple:

No weapons.

No clawing or biting.

The first to pin the other against the ground for 5 counts was the winner.

In a way, it was very similar to wrestling. Patico tossed aside his hat and coat, rooting himself to the ground. All he had to do was hold her down. It seemed easy enough. Yet Ryu simply stood there. She didn't look like she was ready for a fight at all. In fact, she simply looked bored. The man felt a bit of excitement rise in his chest. Was she just going to let him win?

Ran gave them the signal to go, and Patico ran for her. His legs moved quickly along the grass, and just as he had been about to throw her arms around her to knock her over, Ryu stepped aside. The action was so simple, and yet so effective. The shift moved her out of harm's way, but kept her foot in front of him to trip him. Down to the ground the man went; his amethyst eyes wide in shock. 

Ryu pulled her legs up, dropping her weight onto the man as she ground her elbow down into his back. The shock was already so great that Patico could do no more than cry out in pain. The fight had literally just begun, and already she hadthe upper hand. He felt winded and  almost weak. When he was finally able to jump to his feet again, once more he saw her simply standing there. 

The man growled, rushing at her once more. Perhaps throwing a punch would work better, even if he had to bruise that pretty face. Yet her next move almost seemed to happen in slow motion. Patico felt like the whole world suddenly slowed down; his legs feeling like weights as the woman bent backwards. As her hands touched the ground, her legsmoved up to wrap around his neck. Her body used his own momentum against him, lifting him into the air and smashing him down into the ground as those shapely legs tightened around him to cut off his air. 

A gasp and a choke left his throat, or at least tried to as he squirmed about in her grasp. He fet dizzy and frantic. His hearing had left him. Patico could see Ran on the ground and counting, but he couldn't hear a word. Just as things were about to go black, her legs released him. A cold but refreshing gasp of air rushed into his lungs, and he nearly choked on it. Patico found himself on the grass, holding his throat and gulping in as much air as he could possibly get.

"Geeze, sis, a little harsh?" Ran asked, looking to Patico with slight worry.

"Not harsh enough," Ryu muttered, moving back up the stairs to their apartment. "You work out the money. I'm going back to bed." And with that, it seemed the convesation was over. When the door was slammed, Ran flinched. 

He smiled sheepishly to the other male, holding out his hand for the panting man. "Let's go get some tea. Your treat."

Author's Note

Please let me know if you see any grammar mistakes~ I'd like to fix them ASAP!