Chapter 9: V

— SEAMUS —

Zephaniah and Yakov arrived just ten minutes ago and, as i anticipated, Rori is nowhere to be found.

"And where is my dearest sorellina hiding?"

Zephaniah's question causes Quentin and me to share an unamused glance.

"She's feeling poorly," Quentin excuses her. "She's most likely asleep right now. We won't disturb her."

Xavi is particularly frustrated by Rori's decision to miss the meeting, knowing that it will get both of them in trouble; however, our sister made it very clear she is not leaving her room today.

"Is she so ill that she cannot attend?" Zephaniah presses.

"Throwing up by the hour," Quentin lies once more, our eldest brother eyeing him suspiciously.

"I see..." Zephaniah trails off, clearly not believing a word he said. "What a pity, though...poor girl."

I roll my eyes, displeased by his sarcastic attitude.

"Yes...poor girl indeed," Yakov speaks through gritted teeth, sending a meaningful glare in Xavi's direction.

Eventually, we head into the meeting room on the third floor. Zephaniah — after demanding someone bring him his beloved scotch — takes a seat at the head of the table, and the eldest bunch sit nearby.

I silently judge him from the opposite end of the table, pushing my concern for Rori to the back of my mind.

"I have to say, there's something rather peaceful about our sister's absence," he muses, his lip curling to form a smirk. "She was always a bothersome child...I assume she's yet to move past that stage."

If it weren't Zephaniah who is so openly bitching about our sister, i most likely would've laughed at the comment.

Because he's not wrong: Rori has always been extremely annoying.

"We shall need to catch up with her at some point, however, for what is being discussed today affects each and every one of us," Yakov reminds him, or, rather, warns him, causing Zephaniah to roll his eyes.

Anyone would believe that Yakov is the elder of the two, given that he is actually mature in comparison to Zephaniah.

There's something familiar about the way they interact, which brings me a great sense of comfort but also resentment.

They don't seem to have changed in the slightest.

"Yakov, Xavi, and i have decided to merge," our eldest brother begins. "We will no longer work separately and instead work alongside each other. Our individual gangs will become one."

I furrow my eyebrows, confused, despite understanding every word he says.

"And why is this?" Uvaldo asks.

"Because, seemingly, we are being targeted," he explains, "and i don't just mean within the business."

"What, as in the whole family is being targeted?" i press.

"Precisely."

"By whom?" Vinnie interjects. "And why is this the first i'm hearing of it?"

"We aren't sure," Wyatt answers him, ignoring the second question. "But we believe it to be more than just one gang, which is why we insist on merging."

Vinnie shakes his head and scoffs, clearly refraining from speaking out of turn.

"I assure you, this will not end well," he tells them. "I'll bet on it, in fact."

"Go on then," Zephaniah shoots back, the only one amused.

"It isn't up for debate," Yakov makes clear. "We're doing this because we are in a dire situation, not because we want to."

Vinnie turns to face Xavi, raising his eyebrows as he seeks confirmation.

"Yakov is right, Vinnie," Xavi tells him. "This will be beneficial for us in the long run."

I suppress a scoff, locking eyes with Teddy who knowingly shakes his head.

Beneficial my ass.

— RORI —

I am slowly sinking; continuously sinking to the bottom of the lake.

Where darkness surrounds me.

Where no light can be found.

All i want is to be resuscitated, as the water begins to fill up my lungs and deprive me of oxygen.

I feel a large hand reach down and grip mine. It pulls me out, slowly and steadily, and then, when i reach the surface, i am met with his face.

He does not offer me a smile of sympathy, or ask if i am okay. He just wordlessly leads me out of the darkness and into the light again...

I wake from my sleep in a flash, desperately trying to regain my breath as i blindly fumble around for the light switch on my bed-side table.

Accepting that it is out of my reach, i quickly make a grab for my phone and then turn the torch on to illuminate my bedroom. Picking up my water-bottle, i wrap my lips around it and swallow the last of what's left.

I take in my surroundings and remind myself of where i am.

Home, Rori. You're safe and sound, at home.

Except home does not exist.

This is a house, and i am in a bedroom with four walls and a ceiling over my head, but that doesn't mean anything.

Just breathe.

Just remain calm.

Notice the light movements in your chest.

Notice the sound of the oak tree leaves, bristling in the wind.

Notice the sound of your own self, telling you that everything will be okay.

Gently resting my head against the pillow beneath me, i turn onto my side and pull the comforter up to my neck.

I feel the soft draft coming through from the open window and i listen to the spooky yet soothing song the wind plays for me.

Soon, i am sleeping again. I am calm.

I no longer feel like i am drowning in my own body; in my own head.

I am at peace.

I am at peace.

— SUCKER PUNCH —

"I do hope you're feeling better, Rori," a deep voice startles me from somewhere within my room.

I shift around on my mattress and growl in displeasure at being woken from my slumber...yet again.

I hear the unknown person chuckle to themself, as i struggle to fight off the sleep which threatens to take over my body once more.

Slowly, i begin to stretch out my limbs and lean over my bed in search of my phone for the second time this morning. I open one eye and see that it is placed at the spot furthest away from where i am lying.

Shaking off my thoughts of being careless, i stretch my arm further and further.

I grasp the phone in my hand but seem to move too quickly, and, before i know it, my body lands on the ground with a loud thump, causing me to yelp in surprise.

"Well that was pitiful."

I instinctively glance up to glare at whoever is making fun of me, but, once i do, i regret it immediately. My eyes widen in shock before i hastily direct them to the floor again.

What happened to avoiding Zephaniah?

"I noticed you slept in and wanted to check on you," he offers, unconvincingly. "I was told that you were seriously ill yesterday."

His tone of voice seems taunting, making a mockery of my predicament.

Zephaniah knows i don't want him anywhere near me.

That's why he's here.

His tall stature towering over me makes me feel vulnerable and weak. Even more so, i feel embarrassed once i realise i am sitting on the floor of my bedroom wearing The Lion King pyjamas.

This is not what i had envisioned for my re-encounter with my eldest brother.

I'll never get over this.

"Zeph," i voice in a murmur.

"Ri," he mimicks.

He analyses my dishevelled appearance from head to toe with an amused glint in his eyes, clearly suppressing a laugh when he notices the words 'Ready To Rule' written down the side of my pant leg.

"I see some things never change." his gaze shifts to mine, a teasing smirk etched onto his face.

I take in Zephaniah's appearance.

His dark brunet, almost black, hair is styled to perfection. He wears an all black suit and several pieces of jewellery, which includes a gold signet ring similar to that of Yakov's.

Seeing my two eldest brothers after five years has been weird to say the least. It's like they both went from being baby-faced twenty year olds to now being grown men pushing thirty.

In my case, however, it is probably a more drastic change in appearance. Considering when they last saw me, i had just turned ten.

"Cat got your tongue?" he mocks.

"Get out." i glare at him.

"Why so testy, hm?" he ignores me, smirking at my irritated demeanour.

"I said get out," i seethe.

Within less than five minutes of being in his presence, Zephaniah has successfully managed to get on my nerves. How typical.

But i won't put up with it.

He has no right to be here. No right to be speaking to me.

I hate him.

"Is this how it's going to be? You giving me attitude as soon as i walk through the door?" he questions, condescendingly.

I scoff, folding my arms into my chest to prove a point.

"Well, i see you still have the maturity of a ten year old."

"Likewise," i clap back.

Zephaniah simply laughs at me in response.

"Your pettiness amuses me," he says.

"I thought i told you to leave." i glower at him.

He rolls his eyes.

"You know, it's hard to take you seriously when you're wearing The Lion King pj's," he sneers.

"It's hard to take you seriously at all," i retort. "Now leave me alone."

Zephaniah now wears a stoic expression, his eyes narrowed as he glances down at me.

His impressive height still manages to make me feel small, despite the fact i have grown a fair amount over the past five years.

"Next time i organise a family meeting, you will be there," he demands. "I won't accept your brothers making excuses for you."

I continue to glare at him, not uttering a single word, and he shakes his head at me in warning.

"Do you understand me, Rori?"

I remain silent, my expression unchanging, which only angers him further.

"Mi hai sentita, non farmi ripetere, monella."

"Capisco!" i snap.

"Perfetto."

He flashes me a sarcastic smile, before wordlessly heading towards the door, and i flip him off once he can no longer see me.

Only, as if remembering something, he turns back around.

"Come and find one of us later on so we can loop you in, considering you missed out yesterday."

As soon as he leaves the room, i break down crying.

I so badly want to stand up to Zephaniah and tell him how i really feel, but i know that's not possible.

He doesn't listen, he doesn't understand, and he certainly doesn't sympathise.

To Zephaniah, i am worthless.

I am the little sister he never wanted.

But for some reason, no matter how much he has hurt me in the past and no matter how much he continues to hurt me, i find myself longing for his love and for his approval.

And the sad fact is, i'll probably never experience it.

𝙰𝙿𝙿𝚁𝙾𝚇𝙸𝙼𝙰𝚃𝙴𝙻𝚈 𝙵𝙸𝙵𝚃𝙴𝙴𝙽 𝚈𝙴𝙰𝚁𝚂 𝙰𝙶𝙾...

On the fifteenth of August, the year two thousand and three, Aleksander and Mariana Łabanowski welcome the birth of their final three children: Seamus, Rori, and Quentin.

Their eldest child, Zephaniah, is the first to meet the newborns. The first to meet his only his sister.

He was half relieved when he found out his mother had given birth to a girl, as, after so many boys being born, he was afraid she would not give up. However, he is also fearful for the baby's future.

It's not as if his parents had been hoping for a girl without reason.

He knows exactly what her purpose is.

His brothers are surprisingly quiet for newborns; however, his sister is the complete opposite.

Rori would not stop crying when being held in her father's arms, though Zephaniah did not blame her.

And when the twelve year old holds baby Rori for the first time, her cries immediately lessen and she begins to fall asleep in his arms.

Zephaniah — having been a big brother for over a decade — is not phased in the slightest.

He simply rocks her in his arms, and that is that.

He finds it extremely amusing that her loud cries are only heard when she is in the arms of her mother and father.

"Small but mighty...like a lioness cub," he whispers to her, in his native tongue. "Your cries are so loud, the whole of Europe will be able to hear them." he laughs.

Zephaniah isn't necessarily excited at the thought of having a little sister, but he is sick of brothers and so the change is nice.

With that being said, he is fascinated that his new siblings are triplets. Each born within the space of twenty-one minutes.

"We won't get along," he then tells her. "I can't stand children...especially annoying little babies, like you."

His sister merely wriggles around in his arms, still sound asleep, and he gently places her into the crib, between where her twin brothers are laying.

He looks down at the three of them, sighing when he realises the burden that has just been placed on him.

Because despite hating children — and only nearing thirteen himself — Zephaniah is forced to be responsible for nine.

(Edited)

A/N: I really hope you're all enjoying the story so far! Let me know your first impressions of the characters 👀.