Matteo's in his room. You can choose what time of day it is. :3

You'd think being in one of the largest packs in the province would prove to be an exciting way of life. Not if you were the abused little brother of one of the newest members, it wasn't. Matteo barely had a social life, and what little life he did have was spent out in the territory or in the library, being a total loner. His personal life was spent abiding by his older twin's abusive rules, bending over when told and begging for punishment when commanded. Truely, the life of a slave.

The albino lad was really starting to hate it. Day in and day out it was all about Giuseppe. Pleasing the darker brother, being affectionate to him (getting nothing back), being obedient, avoiding severe punishments and trying to still find the dignity to go outside afterwards.

Matteo wasn't usually the bitter type. He wasn't any sort of independant these days, nor was he craving that more dominant lifestyle that he brother and packmates led. No, he'd just woken up sore and cranky that morning, thanks to a late night of wandering leading him to sleep in his clothes. It had been uncomfortable, but thankfully Giuseppe didn't seem to bother with him; Matteo's night had gone on undisturbed.

Now he sat in his room, braiding hemp and trying to pass the time. He had no real job in the pack, more of a pet than a member really. He'd go out and hunt every now and then, usually catching more than his share and giving the rest to the wolves who spent their time in the kitchen and food storage areas, but otherwise his schedule was empty. This left him with plenty of time to practice new techniques in braiding and knotting hemp and string, creating intricate little pieces of jewelry.

This particular piece was a pretty black-hemp chocker with sky blue and silver beads weaved in to give it color. The knots he was using were various joint knots, making the weave into something nice to look at, but far too advanced for any beginner to manage properly. Matteo was no beginner though; hemp braiding had been a passtime even back in Italy as a child. As soon as he could shift he'd been braiding and weaving away, and today he was rather an expert in making such fine crafts.

Despite his bitter attitude that day, boy hummed away as he worked, sitting cross-legged in his brother's bed. He wore his usual black jeans, luperci made from Italy, but nothing else that day. Sitting around in his own room meant he didn't need to bother with the usual shirt and luperci-made boots. His hair was tied back into a ponytail to keep it out of his eyes, a tiny braid dangling just infront of his ear with beads braided in, much like the hemp he was knotting at that moment. Around his neck, Giuseppe's collar was still fastened snugly, the silver dog tag, recently polished, glinting under the flicker of the various lamps the young Trovato had set up around the bedroom.

Yes, he was hard at work. Someday he'd begin trading his little works of art, in hopes of getting more things for himself, like a proper bed and maybe even a horse. Matteo had learned to ride, and walking everywhere was hard on his delicate paws, even when he wore his boots in his Optime form. A horse would make things so much easier for him, especially if he were to start scouting like normal pack members.

Teo's baffled face... I must draw this now. I just had to draw that scene out as long as possible; it was too adorable. xDD I lol'd.

Matteo didn't notice the door open, but he heard it slip shut, the latch clicking softly. He expected Giuseppe, really, since he knew most people looking for his brother knocked before entering. His nose didn't pick up the scent at first; being in a pack, and from a large city, he'd learned to ignore scents that he knew. Having Alaki in the same pack at him made the scent a usual occurance on his various outtings, so nothing new to be alarmed for.

It wasn't until the male came striding up to the bed, stopping a safe distance away, that Matteo looked up from his work. He was actually somewhat surprised to see Giuseppe's business partner standing before him, and not the former mentioned brother. It showed in his eyes, which widened a slight bit. The only reason he knew of the male before him was because he'd been mentioned in conversation with Giuseppe, and the scent was the same.

So there was a strange silence that engulfed the room. Matteo stared at the other male, surprise fading into curiousity and confusion. The other stared back, head tilting to the side. To say that Matteo's expression was cute would be an understatement; it was downright adorable.

The coydog opened his mouth to say something when Alaki suddenly stepped forward, closing the space between them and getting well into Matteo's personal bubble. The hybrid shrank back a tiny bit, mouth closing. The silence went from strange to severely uncomfortable in seconds as the staring continued, and Matteo became unnerved...

...and then utterly baffled when all the other male did was lift his arm and poke the poor lad between the eyes. Teo winced when the arm moved, visably wincing again when the finger came to touch his face, then blinked opened previously closed eyes in baffled confusion when the other smiled and stood back again, seemingly sastified.

Matteo was quite the opposite. He gawked at Alaki for a moment, then his brows furrowed. In that soft voice that never seemed to have grown into the Trovato's near-adult body, the kid piped up finally. "Uh... Giuseppe is not here." It was painfully obvious from the thicker accent that Teo had not practiced English nearly as much as his twin, and he never merged words together when he spoke. Still, it matched him somehow. "You are Alaki, right? I do not know where he has gone to. Sorry."

Back to hemp.

It didn't seem as if the larger male were leaving anytime soon. Alaki plopped down beside him on the bed, and Teo struggled to keep his beads and such from messing up and spilling over. He shuffled a bit to add some more space between them, then went back to fiddling with the hemp braid he had in his hands at that point.

He'd surprised Alaki by knowing his name, it seemed, cause the male had a look of shock on his face for a moment. He responded, and Teo blinked, ears flicking ever so slightly. "My name is Matteo, sir." His voice was kept low, shy and careful. Surely Giuseppe had mentioned him? Maybe?

He shuffled back a bit againm looking down at his work as he got back to braiding. Matteo seemed dead set on finishing his work, with or without distractions. Giuseppe will come back home soon... he should be home any minute. He'll deal with Alaki and maybe I'll be able to get back to work without any more distractions. Oh how he hoped his brother would get home soon.

Various finished projects were strewn about on the bed too; bracers, necklaces, anklettes... even a ring or two were evident. Matteo was, if of anything, proud of his hemp braiding. It was the one thing he was sure he was good at and that made it something he'd practiced on for many, many months. Since he could shift, really. Now it was obvious just how much time and effort he put into such a simple craft.

Conversation!

Matteo's attention never strayed from his work, even as the other looked about his finished creations. After some silence passed, Alaki breathed out his appreciation for them, bringing the smallest of smiles onto Teo's face. He'd never been told his work was worth the effort, none-less beautiful. He found himself musing over that tiny compliment, shoulders perking up to his cheeks as he curled a bit tighter, shyly.

He was so focused on his work and being bashful and cute that when Alaki's hand touched his head, he started, cringing in that 'oh man' way when his hair was all but messed. He looked up as the visitor spoke of relaxing and the like, the usual lecture. Teo could only nod a bit, then watch as Alaki shifted on the bed, being mindful of Teo's materials this time.

Then he showed off his anklet and the young hybrid became curious. He looked up at it, then leaned forward, hesitantly reaching out to touch. "It is very nice. The knots are simple, but it obviously has history." He smiled some, pulling back and looking up to meet Key's eyes. "I have been braiding hemp since my first shift, just about. It helps to calm my nerves."

Following this little fact, he rolled his shoulder to brush against his cheek, a rather cute motion. "Not that it is any of my business, but how did you come to meet my brother?" He was referring to Giuseppe of course. At the mention of the older twin, Teo's hand moved to fiddle with the silver dogtag hanging off of his black collar. "The people Giuseppe meets generally do not come knocking. I guess you kind of surprised me, is all."

Now with 100% more Hairless Giuseppes!

Teo listened more than intently as the other spoke on about the past, how he'd helped his father make the anklet and the feelings that joined with that memory. Teo could tell right-off that Alaki had been fond of his 'Da', and a twinge of envy hit his own chest. I wish I had stories like that about my dad... The thoughtful smile on the young coydog's face was enough to warm the coldest of hearts, with eyes half-lidded and a relaxed curve to his lips. Then a question came.

"Oh, I read books back home all the time. I came across one that explained the knots, and I guess I just found a hobby in it." He shrugged, having not really been taught anything from anyone when it came to his braiding. It was something he'd taught himself, much like fishing and hunting, two more things he bettered himself at compared to his brother. The boy knew his way around the woods already, despite his tiny size and lack of courage.

It came time to hear the sour truth behind how Alaki and Giuseppe had met, and that wonderful smile faded into a disappointed frown of sorts. Teo went as far as to sigh as Alaki explained it, a hand moving to rub the bridge of his nose in that 'not again' manner. I wonder who's storage he got into this time...? Giuseppe had been known to rebel against the rules back home too. This story came as no surprise to Matteo, who often took the blunt of the punishment in the end.

When he mentioned the lack of knocking and whatnot, Alaki took a moment before cracking up, laughing his tail off. Matteo shot back and stared on, wide-eyed and rather surprised. Finally, Alaki got some words out and Teo couldn't help cracking a smile. With what could've been a hint of laughter came his reply. "That you did. Be careful with that. Giuseppe tends to like his privacy." The tone of voice suggested something written between the lines there.

Deep down, Teo was grateful for the company, despite the way it had occured. Alaki seemed like an okay guy with a good sense of humor, though his speech was lacking that familiar silk from back home. Still, Key seemed okay and Teo wouldn't mind his company for now. Thankful that he hadn't barged in like he had during one of Giuseppe's.... ahem, moments, Teo set down his work and decided to play host.

"So Giuseppe said you had hairy legs..." Teo mused over this for a moment before snickering softly behind his hand. "He really must have been drunk. That has got to be one of the most redundant things I have heard all week." He shook his head a bit, smirking. "Could you imagine a hairless wolf?"

A look of sudden realization hit him just as he said that, and suddenly Teo was holding back a rather obvious gigglefit. Both hands were clapped to his maw, knees tucked up to his chest and eyes closed tight. What sounded like a nice laugh was covered up behind tiny sounds of resistance. Teo had been silly; he'd pictured what he'd said in his mind. The image he'd gotten had been a hairless Giuseppe struttin' his stuff down the halls of Anathema's tunnel system.

What's sadder still is that Teo would gladly endure Giu's punishment and temper just to see his brother even temporarily bald.

From behind his hand and another fit of (muffled) giggles, Teo listened to the other's 'plan' with a strange interest. A prank on his brother? It would result in punishment, sure, but the thought of Giuseppe losing his fur was one that left poor Teo in gut-busting histerics. Literally. Boy suddenly lost his collective shit, the thought of his brother putting down the bottle thanks to a 'bad batch' making his hair fall out... his bald brother...

He toppled over on the bed, unable to hold back the laughter now. It was probably the best (and most sleep-deprived) image he'd gotten in his head in a long time and laughing felt... it felt good. Sounded good, too. Teo hadn't laughed, honestly laughed, in a long time, and now here he was on his side, trying to find his breath again.

When he came down from his 'high', boy choked back a few deep breaths, still not bothering to sit back up despite his head being closer to Alaki's lap now. He whined at the hurt in his side, but grinned despite it. "I am sorry. The image I got in my head from that... it would truely be worth any punishment he could ever dish out." More giggles escaped before he finally sighed that 'oh, it's good to be alive' kind of sigh, hand flopping across his stomach and eyes slipping shut.

After a moment to catch his breath and resolve, Teo opened one eye and peered up at Key, still smiling but now in a more... relaxed way. His mood was fixed. "Alaakii~!" Matteo played with his company's name, letting each part of it roll off his tongue lazily. "Where have you been hiding? I have not laughed like that since I was a pup." Not too, too long ago, but still a long time for a luperci. Especially one going through a daily torture schedule, broken only by hunting and those moments alone when he was left to drown in his thoughts.

And it felt good to laugh again. It felt good to smile an honest smile, to have fun, to joke around and to just relax. Maybe it was the fact that Teo hadn't slept very well since leaving Italy, but the young lad was suddenly finding a moment to just enjoy another person's company. As long as he stayed away from the 'secret', everything was bound to be fine. If I wake up next week and Giuseppe's fur starts falling out, I know who to blame... A sly grin almost snuck its way onto his face. And who to thank for a damn good laugh.

Sounds like a plan. Teo gives Alaki a gift. <3 Also; touch pp's are fine. I hereby grant you permission from here on out to do so without asking.

Matteo lost himself for a moment. He listened silently as Alaki told him off, crossing his eyes to try and focus on the finger invading his personal space. As the taller male finished off with how Giuseppe couldn't pull off the hairless look, Teo let out a tiny giggle again. So innocent.

He closed his eyes and hunched his shoulders as Key played with his hair at first, but slowly he eased into enjoying the feeling. It was a guilty pleasure, but Teo loved it when friends or relatives played with his hair. It reminded him of being groomed as a pup, that gentle touch that meant him no harm. Matteo's hair was soft, sure, but his scalp and skin were sensitive. Each touch eased him slowly into such a relaxed state that when Alaki suddenly spoke up again, Matteo actually started, eyes snapping open again.

Oh great, I've given him ideas. Despite the thought of his brother becoming the victim, Teo smiled. When Alaki winked down at him, that smile became a sort of mild smirk, tail twitching near the tip. When the company stood, that smile faded into a look of very mild disappointment. He'd just gotten comfortable!

"What were we discussing again?" Matteo, despite his broken status, was still very much a Trovato; pranks were worth every bit of hurt, if it meant a good laugh was to come. Teo loved laughing; he still felt slightly bubbly from before. Alaki was also quickly, so very quickly, rubbing off on him. The thought of acting out was a tempting one, as it always was to the poor Albino. No doubt Alaki would get the poor lad into a lot of trouble... but somehow, Teo hadn't a doubt that it would be worth every scratch.

"I suppose you will be leaving, then?" He glanced at the door, then back at Alaki, almost sounding disappointed. Their meeting had been short lived, but Teo had work to do, and Giuseppe would be home soon. He wanted to get this necklace done first. "Before you go... something..."

Suddenly the boy was sitting up, searching the bed almost desperately. Finally, he seemed to find what he was looking for. He held up an intricate cross-weave necklace with black beads and the usual colored hemp. It was a finished product, and very nice, with an adjustable neckline. "A gift. You complimented my work. You are the first packmate to notice. I thank you." Was that a blush coloring the boy's face under that thin white fur? He held it out as if afraid Alaki wouldn't take it, or else he'd strike out. So timid. "It... It matches your hair."

Sorry, had to follow it up with a short ending post. Gotta love the end of it there. Onwards to birdie thread!

Matteo seemed to mimic the other's grin. He likes it! Dual-colored eyes shone brightly, despite the obvious walls behind them, showing off just one surface emotion; absolute delight. He wiggled for a moment, then that smile faded as Key pointed out his impending departure. He murmured an 'okay' rather half-heartedly, then sat back on the bed, leaning against the well-carved wall of the room. Just like every other moment of joy, this one was quickly fading away.

Alaki called back one last 'goodbye' of sorts with a 'nice to meetcha' and Matteo forced a smile, lifting a hand to wave him off. "Addio per ora, nuovo amico." As the door eased shut, Matteo let his eyes drop, his head rolling back to rest on the wall. Softly, under his breath, with a rather hopeful smile, he whispered. "Si prega di tornare indietro e salvami ancora presto, buon cavaliere."

And with his prayer softly said, the scene faded to black.