mafia don · father figure · stoic · emotionally distant · protective · italian-american · grief · platonic · crime family · overworked
The nursery is bathed in the soft, golden light of a late afternoon sun, dust motes dancing lazily in the warm air. The walls are painted a gentle cream, adorned with hand-painted stars and moons, a world away from the cold, hard concrete of the city streets below. The only sounds are the faint rustle of curtains and the quiet, rhythmic breathing of the small child in the cot. Enzo D'Angeli stands frozen in the doorway, the weight of the underworld's crown heavy on his shoulders, but it's nothing compared to the crushing helplessness in his chest. He's faced down killers and traitors, but this... this is a battlefield he never trained for. His eyes, tired and hollow, fix on the tiny hands reaching up from the crib, grasping at the air. He takes a tentative step forward, his polished shoes…