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Part Five: Friendly Banter

Durante stared at Angelus for a few moments after Ghiaccio left. She too had stared at him for a few moments before she started to turn her head and look at the large room they were in with awe. She looked up and her mouth started to open and hang agape while she examined the ceiling; which had a large very artistic painting of the night sky complete with stars and even a few celestial bodies; including the sister moons Tristis and Amour.

Durante looked up at the painting and smiled as he said "My uncle and father painted that together when I was four."

"I-It's beautiful." Angelus said in awe.

"Yeah it is. My father told me as they painted it to use it as inspiration to dream of large things." Durante told her then said "Would you like to sit down?"

She lowered her gaze to him and he gestured to the empty chair at his desk. She hesitantly walked over to it and sat down; careful not to disturb anything on his desk. Durante noticed her trying to be careful and said "You're really nervous aren't you?"

She looked at him and shyly nodded her head. He smiled and said "Don't worry, just take your time and relax."

"O-Okay... um... t-thank you." She said shyly.

"Hmm for what?" he asked.

"F-For saving me a-a-and bringing me into y-your home." She said as she looked down at the floor.

Durante smiled warmly and said "You're welcome; I couldn't just leave you there in that ally... it goes against what I believe in."

Angelus looked over to him and seemed to study him for a moment before saying "Y-You seem older t-then you look. How o-old are you?"

"I'm only twelve and my little sister Isa is about to turn ten. Oh and sorry for the way she acted... she thinks the whole world revolves around her." Durante told her as an icy breeze blew into the room causing shivers to run up both of their backs.

"I-It's r-really cold o-outside." Angelus said as she held her sides and her teeth started to chatter.

"Y-Yeah... that o-one was a little too cold for me." Durante said as he stood up and closed the window.

"Oh so you finally decided to close that window? It was getting kinda cold in here." Ghiaccio said as he walked into the room from the doorway.

"Yeah, an icy breeze just blew in. I think it's getting colder." Durante said as he retook his seat on the window sill.

"Colder... colder? It's almost bloody noon! It should be getting warmer; not colder." Ghiaccio said with a little humor in his voice; pointing up with his thumbs before pointing down with his index fingers to indicate warm and cold.

Angelus smiled because of Ghiaccio's antics. Ghiaccio noticed this and said "Look at that, I got her to smile."

"H-He seems y-younger than he is." Angelus said

"He's twelve too as he said... he's just a prankster and loves to kid around." Durante said to her.

"I can speak for meself ya know?" Ghiaccio said; speaking in an accent similar to Nora's.

Angelus gave Ghiaccio a funny look before asking "W-What is that a-accent? Nora has a s-similar one."

"Ah... if I remember correctly it's an Irish accent." Ghiaccio said.

"I-Irish? Why is it c-called Irish?"

Both Ghiaccio and Durante looked at each other before Durante said "We really don't know; it's just like the language my family speaks is called Italian. Why it's called that I don't know but I know that the teacher at school said we'd be going over ancient history next week and that the reasons the languages and accents are called what they are will be covered in that lesson as well."

"Oh" Angelus said.

"So how old are you Angelus... to change the subject that is?" Ghiaccio asked as he jumped up and sat on the edge of Durante's desk; causing a few objects on the desk to scatter.

"Um I-I'm ten..." She said then; as she looked down and with a little sorrow in her voice; stuttering every so often, added "I've been on the s-streets so l-long; I've f-f-forgotten what day my birthday is on. I k-know I'll be turning e-eleven sometime in O-Oct... O-October."

Durante looked at Ghiaccio after Angelus said that and Ghiaccio did the same. Looking back at Angelus Durante said "Well I guess we'll just have to throw you a birthday party somewhere in the middle."

"It's the logical choice after all." Ghiaccio said trying to sound as if he was a smart and logical person; even straightening up as tall as he could and putting his paw under his chin to scratch at it.

Angelus actually giggled a little at the way Ghiaccio was acting then said shyly "Thank you... b-but you don't have to th-throw a birthday party for me."

"Nonsense! I won't hear of it." Ghiaccio said; acting stern "Everyone deserves to have a party on their birthday... but if anyone was to have a party it should be you!" he said with joy in his voice then added in his calm voice "You deserve it more than anyone here... cause of what you've been through."

"You said it Ghiaccio." Durante said and they both smiled at Angelus.

Angelus sniffled and said "Thank you" before looking away and wiped a tear away from her eye.

Durante noticed and smiled less and said "Prego"

Angelus heard him and after wiping the tears away turned around and asked "Pray go?"

Both Ghiaccio and Durante smiled and Durante said "It basically means you're welcome and it's not pray go but Prego"

"It's that Italian he mentioned earlier." Ghiaccio added and chuckled as he pointed at Durante with his thumb.

"Oh... l-like what you and your m-mother were speaking in d-down in the... ah..." Angelus was saying and stopped to think of the word but drew a blank so used another word instead "Music room."

"Oh the orchestra hall... ah when did you see me and my mother in there?" Durante asked.

"E-Earlier this m-morning, when y-you were playing on that i-instra i-ins..." she stopped and sighed "Instrument." Angelus said.

"You heard it too..." Durante asked in disbelief and hung his head.

Angelus nodded her head and Ghiaccio just laughed. Upon seeing her look of confusion Ghiaccio said "When it comes to his music he doesn't like anyone sitting in and listening to it before it's completed. I don't understand it but what can ya do... all I can say is "Musicians" they're such a hassle. Hey Dante why are ya so crestfallen?"

"That's two people who heard me practicing it while I write it." Durante said.

Angelus looked over to Durante and said "What you w-were playing woke me up. I h-heard it while I w-was sleeping."

Durante looked up and stared at her in surprise and said "You heard it all the way in that room?"

"You sound like you're surprised." Ghiaccio said.

"Yeah, the room she was sleeping in is the furthest room on the first floor of the west wing." Durante said and chuckled before adding "You have really good ears."

Angelus laid her ears back as she blushed and looked to the side as Ghiaccio made some sort of lighthearted comment about her blushing. While she looked to the side she noticed the several instruments sitting in their stands on the other side of the room. The one that caught her attention was the violin that looked like the one Durante had played on in the Orchestra hall.

Both Durante and Ghiaccio were laughing when Angelus pointed and asked "D-Durante? Is that t-the violin that y-you played on?"

Durante looked at the one she was pointing at and smiled "No but it's my favorite violin."

Durante stood up and started walking over to the violin in question as Ghiaccio stood up and started heading towards him. Ghiaccio looked at Angelus and waved his paw; signaling her to follow. She slowly got up and started following them. Once she got to where they were Durante picked up the violin and gently handed it to her.

"Careful, this was my great grandfather's violin. It's over seventy years old, my grandfather received it from his father and since my mother didn't play he gave it to me instead. I only play on it during special occasions." Durante said.

"Is this the one you're going to play on at school when you play that piece you're working on?" Ghiaccio asked as he looked at it while Angelus carefully turned it around and inspected it.

"Yeah, I might as well since that piece will give me an A for the final. Plus on this violin it will sound fuller and richer then on the school violins or any of the others we have here at the manor."

"S-So you're almost d-done?" Angelus asked as she carefully handed it back to Durante.

"No, we were just informed in music class that we would have to play a large piece for our final. I asked my teacher if I could play a piece I was creating, she said I could if it was finished before the finals." Durante said.

"Yeah only cause you're the teacher's pet in that class." Ghiaccio said and laughed.

"And? You say that like it's a bad thing." Durante said with a smile.

"Well for you... maybe not but for any other shmuck it is a bad thing." Ghiaccio said and laughed.

"W-Why would it be a bad thing?" Angelus asked.

Ghiaccio stopped talking and thought for a moment before saying "Well both me and Dante know some martial arts so if anyone picked on us we could teach them what for... but for someone else, they would be a target of ridicule and bullying."

"R-Riddecuol?" Angelus asked.

"Ridicule: to mock or make fun of." Durante said as Ghiaccio gave him a look. "What?"

Ghiaccio leaned in close to Durante and whispered "Nerd..."

Durante looked at him and hit him in the back of the head "I'm no nerd, but you have to remember she really doesn't know the meaning of words like Ridicule. I was just informing her for her own knowledge."

"Nall w-what?" Angelus asked.

Ghiaccio and Durante looked at Angelus and Durante said "Perfect example." Before he hit Ghiaccio again and gently set down the violin back in its stand before saying "Knowledge... ah how to explain... um ah here we go. Knowledge: basically it's what you know like... for example I'm very knowledgeable in the musical arts; playing instruments."

"Oh" Angelus smiled as she understood what he meant.

"Hey, is it cool if I ask how long you've been on your own?" Ghiaccio asked.

"W-Which way?" Angelus asked.

"What do you mean be which way?" Durante asked curiously.

"How l-long I've been without m-my parents, or h-how long I've been on t-the streets?"

"Isn't it the same?" Ghiaccio callously asked.

Durante looked at Ghiaccio and said "Hey take in some consideration would you."

Angelus gave Ghiaccio a dirty look as Durante spoke before she said "N-No, I've only lived on the street f-for a year and a half." She then looked down and said "I l-lived in an orphanage t-two years before that."

"You didn't have to answer that Angelus; Ghia can be inconsiderate and thoughtless at times. Though he doesn't mean anything bad by it... at least to you, right Ghiaccio?" Durante explained then gave Ghiaccio a look.

Ghiaccio thought about saying something other just to piss Durante off but instead said "He's right, I'm sorry."

Durante shook his head and went back over towards his desk, followed by Angelus and Ghiaccio. Durante retook his seat on the window sill while Ghiaccio plopped back down on the desk, leaving Angelus to sit in the chair.

Durante sighed then looked at Ghiaccio and asked "So, are you staying for dinner?"

"Cant, got school work to do. Pops said to be back by two... ah speaking of which what time is it?" Ghiaccio asked.

"Well you could look at the clock sitting next to you." Durante said.

Ghiaccio moved his tail over and saw the clock and said "Oh, look at that." The clock read one forty four and Ghiaccio said "Oh crap... I gotta go."

"Yikes, you're gonna have to run part of the way." Durante said.

"Will y-you get into t-trouble if you're late?" Angelus asked, not wanting him to get into trouble because she was there and made them lose track of time.

"I won't be late; I found a quicker way to get home. Well, Buon giorno it was a pleasure meeting you Angelus; I hope to see you again." Ghiaccio said before he calmly walked out of the room waving his hand.

Now that Ghiaccio was gone, Durante looked at Angelus before bringing up his feet and placing them on the window sill and leaning up against the wall as he sat. Since there was nothing else to do Durante decided to ask Angelus a few questions "So Angelus, is there a last name you go by or do you not bother with one?"

Angelus looked at him for a second before slowly nodding and saying "Sette."

"Sette?" Durante said and thought for a second before adding "That's Italian for seven."

"That's I-Italian? I d-didn't know it was I-Italian but I k-knew it meant seven." Angelus said then looked up at Durante and said "As I s-said earlier, I had lived in a-an orphanage. Well it was h-horrible there, me and six others e-escaped from there..."