Romeo is putting his pyjama back on when he hears a knock on the door.
"Are you almost ready?" Aurelio asks.
Romeo opens the door but doesn't see anybody yet. He frowns and wants to close the door.
"Down here you idiot." He hears and immediately looks down, the beautiful bi blond body (the BBBB woohoooo I love any artful alliterations! Let's go stylistic devices) is sitting in a wheelchair. He is surprised that he didn't notice that sooner, (But hey he was too busy blowing socks off to look at feet (No not in that way I know what you are thinking you dirty pigs!))

"Has anyone asked for your name yet?" He asks with a chuckle as he turns around.
"Not really," Romeo didn't even notice it.
"Well, you don't have to keep us waiting for it." He says, his tone slightly offended. (You snowflake)
"It's Romeo." He answers with a smile. (Although he does not know whether that is a smile to ease the awkwardness or a genuine one.)
"Oh he's a real little lover!" Gianna says while she puts on some extra lipstick.
"Not every name suits the person Gianna, I hardly think Romeo has ever had an impure thought." Wren says sarcastically as they walk out of the room.
"No need to listen to these fools little Loverboy, it's not as if any of them have any potential of being normal. I am Aurelio. And don't you dare call me anything but Aurelio." The one in the wheelchair says while he turns back to Romeo. "Let's go, it's already late"
Romeo wants to start pushing him when the other frowns and says "You don't have to push me, it's not like drunk driving counts in a wheelchair."

They walk (or roll, how do you say that politely?) through the streets. Romeo trembles in the cold as he tries his best not to ask how long they need to walk for.
"That's the consequence of not trying to take as much things you can find the first time you get thrown out of the house.... Do better next time." He says with a smirks as he grabs a coat from a bag on the wheelchair.
"You had that this whole time?" Romeo says with a frown.
"You needed to learn somehow and I don't know whether you have lice or bed bugs! You looked like a lost puppy, lost puppy's always have some kind of bugs." He explains.
Fed up with the walking and the jokes that are just insults with a chuckle Romeo decides to ask the question.
"Where is your house? Or are we lost because you've had too much to drink."
He looks up at the new recruit.
"Bravo. No, the next one is me."
"Don't pull my leg, it's not funny, they hurt enough as is." He answers, shaking his head as he looks at the villas.
"You do not have any sense of trust do you?" Aurelio sighs "I like it."
He grabs a key an opens the gate in front of an incredibly big villa. He looks back at Romeo smugly.
"Fine you win!" Romeo yells.
"Hush you'll wake the owner!" Aurelio whisper yells. Romeo looks at him with a disappointed gaze. "Fine you got me Lover boy, there is no owner except me."

They enter the villa and are welcomed by warmth and coziness of the villa. The marble floors are surprisingly warm as they're accompanied by the beautiful mink coats hanging in the wardrobe next to them.
"Can I interest you in a hot chocolate before bed?" He asks as he puts his coat on a hanger.
"Oh yes please, I would love one really."
"I'll be back, you can go to the first room on the right." He says.

And Romeo follows his instructions (Although with a bit of hesitation and checking with which hand he writes before forgetting he is a leftie. And only remembering it after the left room turned out to be some sort of walk in liquor cabinet. (well who can blame you if you already have a wine cellar and a walk in closet and still have a room left)) But when he finally arrived in the right room he is blown away by the old Jugendstil furniture, perfectly matched with the new designer lamps standing and hanging throughout the room. He looks at the painting of the seine, the reflection of the water painted with all those small strokes, the couple looking at the stars above it. With a sigh Romeo admires it. He looks around when he starts recognising paintings styles of legends, Botticelli, Rembrandt, Gauguin, Monet, Millais, Klimt, Warhol, and Picasso.
Romeo suddenly recognises the small statue on the side table. It's Rodin's Orpheus and Eurydice.
"Don't knock it over." Aurelio says and Romeo almost does as the sound startles him.
"You need a bell around your neck! You'll give me a heart attack if I need to live here more than a week."
"I've only tried collars till now but whatever you are into darling." He says jokingly as he puts the steaming cups on the table.
"Oh god why can't any of you act normal?" Romeo complains as he sits down.
"Maybe because you are beautiful or maybe because you are a stuck up prick who thinks he is better than anyone so acting normal would physically upset me?" he says with a smile. "Or you are heavily suppressing yourself in order to be normal and hate the fact that we no longer feels the need to suppress ourselves because you envy it." He shrugs and arrogantly looks at Romeo. "But I could be wrong, mister not-a-twink."
And Romeo stares at his cup neglecting to answer it. "That's what I thought, you are the ones wearing pyjamas here darling."
Romeo notices that his cup is half empty and before he can say anything Aurelio has switched them.
"Sorry, that one is mine." He says with a smile before grabbing a bottle of rum and pouring it in there till the cup is filled to the brim. Romeo smiles and decides not to say anything.

"I see you like the art." Aurelio says.
"yeah the prints are very beautiful." Romeo answers with a smile as he tries to drink the hot chocolate without burning his mouth and failing miserably.
"They're the originals darling."
Romeo chokes in his hot chocolate reminding himself that it would not be polite to spit in his hosts face.(well unless he asked for it) Especially not with boiling hot chocolate. "Are they stolen?"
Aurelio laughs at the bold question. "No, THIS room is all legal art. All bought fair, and all loved to pieces, My favourite illegal one isn't even that well known, the lament of Icarus by draper, the Tate Britain has a forgery. I can't help but laugh about it." He says with a smile. "Anyway, living arrangements are simple. You own the first floor and I own the ground floor. There is a closet with my old clothes, all perfectly clean don't worry, you can choose whatever you want. I no longer like those clothes on me. I have two jobs, my mafia one and my part time day job is professor, so I will be gone for most days, other mafia members will keep you entertained and show you around while I am gone."
"What do you teach? Criminology?" Romeo says with a chuckle.
His smile creeps onto his face, this time it is as if he is enjoying himself as the skewed mouth opens and he says, "Philosophy, I teach ethics."
The young boys eyes widen,
"Other things you need to know? I am twenty, I have partial paralysis in my legs, I can still technically move them. They however cannot support my body. I am bi and too busy for anything that would be influenced by that fact. Anyway good night."
"YOU ARE ONE YEAR YOUNGER THAN I AM!"
"Sleep well Romeo, I hope you don't plan on bringing any Juliets or Julio's here in the coming days because we have strict rules in this house." He says as he disappears into the hallway. "Oh and bedroom is the one at the end of the hall. You'll figure it out."

Well Romeo almost did not figure it out. But to be fair, there were five different hallways and the perceived professor had not mentioned which one. (Or did he? Romeo wouldn't be one to remember). And so Romeo went from thinking he was going to have to sleep on the streets tonight to sleeping in a room with illegal art, with a brown and dark blue canopy bed that would be fit for an emperor, with its lilac silk duvet that must be stuffed with goose feathers. So either Romeo was dreaming or he was going to sleep like a prince (or pillow princess) tonight. (Thankfully the second option is the truth. It would be perfectly cruel though.)

When Romeo wakes up his face is already hot with the kind winter sun. He frowns as he looks around the room but finds no clocks. (Perhaps that's why gays are always late. Or it's so nobody can clock your outfit.) Romeo sighs and walk into the walk-in closet and tries hopelessly to find the least flamboyant outfit. (He ends up with a silk dark blue shirt, and bright orange flared pants from a material even a master designer could not identify. And so we can conclude that he has failed miserably.) Hungry for both life and even more importantly, breakfast he descended the stairs, now wearing instead of no shoes pink kitten heels (he could barely walk in even though they're just kitten heels) on his feet. (Also his brightly coloured socks didn't help to avoid looking like a toddler who chose their own clothes). And so Romeo walked into the kitchen to find Aurelio whistling with his hands covered in blood. (and even though you should maybe you should expect something like that in a mafia house our naïve Romeo did not.) And so Romeo was standing in the door with a face like he had seen a ghost rather than the liquid associated with death (In these amounts).
"Good morning Romeo." Aurelio says as he looks up and his face also turns white as a ghost. "What are you wearing for the love of god and all that is holy?" He exclaims.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Romeo exclaims.
"Oh, I am packing the heads for some enemies." Aurelio says as if it is the most normal thing in the world.
"Horse heads?" Romeo asks, trying his best not to gag (And not in the positive way).
"You've watched the godfather too much. But actually, yeah it used to be like that." He grabs a head of lettuce and puts it on a cutting board. "Nowadays we use heads of lettuce, it is more environmentally friendly." He says with a smile. "Not to mention a lot easier to get your hands on."
"And the blood?" Romeo asks as he walks towards him.
"It's pigs blood, you can buy it by the gallon, but we say it's from aids patients to scare the people a little more, hey if they choose to believe bullshit we might as well scare them with it don't you think?" He says with a smile.
"I guess so." Romeo says,
"But now we need to talk about the real problem." Aurelio says as he closes the box and puts it outside of a door where someone is waiting. He removes the latex gloves and white butchers apron (which is now decorated with red splatters a la serial killer.) "This." He says as he gestures towards the outfit. "Is a mess hotter than the Sahara, Hotter than yourself, and hotter than every partner Guiseppe has ever had. And let me tell you, that boy can take anyone home, from the straightest man in Texas to the best drag queen in NYC."
Romeo shrugs. "I couldn't find anything else."
"Honey please! You don't have to look like that and insult me like that! One of them is enough to give me a heart attack! You are telling me that there are at least 350 designer clothing items in that closet and this was the best you could find?"
"I think if I answer that question I will be the next portion of pigs blood." Romeo says.
"Okay fine, I'll do it myself! As always."

He rolls towards the stairs. And takes off his red stilettos. Romeo only now notice how impeccable his outfit is. His burgundy suit has intricate gold embroidery on it's lapels. The cut of the suit is slim and elegant, not hugging the emaciated features but also not letting them drown in fabric. His suspenders are the same colour of his suit and his blue shirt has a very thin red line print in it. It is perfect in every way, perhaps Romeo should have asked for help.
Aurelio grabs a pair of crutches and stands up. Romeo wants to run towards him but before he can even move he hisses "I do not need help for fuck's sake."
And he doesn't although he is exhausted when he has reached the top floor he has reached the top floor and that's the most important. He grabs the wheelchair that's not standing far from the stairs and sits down in it.
"Why are you paralysed Aurelio?"
"New rule, you do not ask me about my health. And I won't ask you about your family." He says.
"But I don't mind it if you ask about my family"
"I don't want to know..." he interrupts, his voice breaking.

They walk into the closet.
"Seriously in see second I already see thirty better outfits than the trainwreck that you are honey. What do you normally wear?"
Romeo shrugs.
"You're hopeless honey, I hope you know that." He grabs a white silk shirt with embroidered roses on it. "Guiseppe was supposed to show you around today, but you were still sleeping so we decided to let you. You must be very tired." He says as he looks at the several trousers he has taken out of the closet. "I'll do a red as your main colour to fit your hair." He says as he grabs a red pair in baby cord and throws a dark red leather jacket towards Romeo.
"I'll wait in the room." He says as he leaves the closet. "Oh and remember to come out of the closet, we all know it already. Otherwise I would need to get my gaydar checked with an emergency."
"What's a gaydar?"
"A radar for gay people, think before you ask Romeo." He says while looking in the mirror of the vanity and applying some more of the burgundy lipstick he is wearing.
Romeo emerges from the closet. He looks at his outfit and realizes he feels strangely beautiful in it. Aurelio turns around and looks at him, he smiles while he puts away his lipstick.

"That's better right?" He asks with a smile. "There are combat boots under the bed, they're a bit old and weathered but they're approximately your size and I think you won't struggle to walk on them."
Romeo puts them on and alas, he has regained his ability to walk! It's a miracle. (That's insensitive towards Aurelio isn't it? Oh well, he better have skin that's thicker than his waist.)
Romeo sits down on the chair in front of the vanity and looks into the mirror. Aurelio grabs a comb
"Don't worry, it's a brand new unused one." He says as he tenderly brushes the tangled red hair of the boy that's a year older than he is but acts five years his junior. The way he tilts his head as he looks at the hair, affectionately but impatiently, like a mother. Romeo studies Aurelio's face in the mirror after he noticed the glass of whiskey standing next to them.
"Aurelio, are you wearing makeup."
Aurelio looks up, his lashes trembling as he takes a deep breath, not certain how to respond as it is the first time he can not read somebody's face.
"Yeah I am, I am too ugly to be seen without it." He says with a smile. As he goes on with brushing the boys hair, his own reflection suddenly a lot more boyish than a few seconds ago.
Romeo turns around, his nose frighteningly close to Aurelio's as he moves it slightly back because of surprised.
"Can you do mine?" He asks, his head slightly tilted as he imitates a puppy asking for some extra food.
Aurelio wouldn't call himself expressive but it's evident as his surprise shifts to hesitation and ends at a warm smile.
"Didn't you mention you weren't a twink?" He said with a smile as he pushes the red hair of the other young man back with his hand. He looks him deep in his blue eyes and smile faintly, as if he gives his mask up for a moment. "What do you want? Red eyeliner or a smoky eye?"
"I have no idea what either is, can you do both?" He says as he turns around, almost taunting him.
"Whatever you want princess." He says as he opens the drawers and reveals a stack of brand new make-up.
"Why do you keep these here?"
He shrugs. "The problem with makeup is that every new thing looks incredible but you never use it because you prefer the things you are used to."

He turns the chair around and grabs some brushes and vials that could be poison or makeup, either one. (Well as long as it works right? Can I hear my roman lead ladies!!!)
"Okay, so I am doing a foundation right now, I have taken one shade lighter than your skin and mixed that in with one that matched your shade because I personally like the pale appearance without a white cast you know." He says as he taps it onto the face, his face peaceful and almost professional as he does it.
"How did you learn how to do your makeup?" Romeo asks while he looks at him.
"First of all hun, do not look at me while I do your makeup, it makes it a but creepy. Secondly, I learned it the same way as you are. Valentino did my makeup for a few weeks before he taught me how to do my own better than the first time he saw me."
"So Valentino did the same for you as you do for me?" He asks trying his best not to look at the concentrated face of aurelio.
"Yes, Valentino took care of me like a son, he found me when I was 14, aside from Natan, you know him as Natalia, he's a drag queen honey, don't forget he is not a trans woman, and Ivo I know Valentino the longest."
"That's interesting, then why did Ivo say you aren't capable?"
"I am alcoholic honey. Don't act dumb, and I wheelchair bound, it's easier to shit on people lower than you." He says with a chuckle.
"Was makeup the first thing Valentino taught you?"
"No, he taught me how to make a mean martini first, secondly he taught me his nonna's ragù recipe. but then he did teach me how to do makeup."
"Do you like makeup because it is beautiful or...." Romeo asks.
"You ask and awful lot of questions and regretfully they're all interesting, would you please revert to the idiot you were two minutes before?" He says as he gestures him to close his eyes. "You know Romeo, stop me if I stop making sense, I can hardly walk with this much alcohol in my system." He says with a chuckle, "Anyway, what I wanted to say was this: The community is like makeup. It is not supposed to hide you, but it enhances you in ways you can't even imagine. So promise me one thing darling, however much makeup you are wearing. Never ever, hide yourself. Hold your head up high. Even if people pity your reality, pity is power. Now open your eyes."
Romeo looks up at him, innocently, but with his head held high, proud for the first time in years.
Aurelio laughs to himself, genuinely joyful.
"Your face looks absolutely beat bitch." He says enthusiastically.
"Wait! What? Why did you beat it up??" Romeo says, genuinely concerned.
Aurelio shakes his head and chuckles. "No, it means that your make up is beautiful, look at it yourself." He turns the chair towards the mirror.

As Romeo sees the result of it he can hardly believe he is seeing himself in the mirror, it's the first time he has recognised his own face in a long time. The recognition in his eyes is mesmerizing. As a smile creeps onto the face of Aurelio as he looks at his creation, the glittery red smoky eye looks like something out of vogue.
"See..... who is a twink now?" Aurelio whispers proudly as he puts a hand on his shoulder.
Romeo touches his own cheek, admiring the man he has become in half and hour in the mirror.
"I am." He says, his voice trembling with excitement and admiration.

"Well I am glad you like it so" Aurelio says as Romeo turns around buy before he can finish his sentence the redhead has embraced him. The surprise can be read on the emaciated face as his body shivers in hesitation and his eyes stare at the reflection in front of him. His breath trapped inside his lungs as he dares not to breathe out the air he has taken in through shock. And yet he is not sure what to do with the warming hug that feels so genuine yet so foreign. And so the man puts his hand on the others back, hesitant to the norms of expressing kindness.
"Thank you." Romeo whispers. And all Aurelio can do is nod as his tear-filled eyes are focused on the ground.

They suddenly hear loud music.
"That's Guiseppe, I think he wants to show you around." Aurelio says. "Here" He gives him a wallet and a bag. "There's some money in there, don't spend it all in one place and be careful." He says.
Romeo takes it and runs towards the stairs.
"Aurelio, will you get down safely?"
"Don't worry about me, enjoy yourself." He says as he smiles. Romeo nods and runs down the stairs as the smile plastered on the alcoholic fades. He takes a sip of the whiskey standing there and looks at himself in the mirror, The sickly shadow of himself stares back, he is not who he is supposed to be.