♤12 years later♤

Maranzano Family Estate, Milan, Italy.

7 o'clock was the time that sunshine starts to slowly seep through the cream coloured curtains of the master bedroom. It is when they would slowly start parting to let the golden light and fresh tang of a bright new day in...

Donghae's eyes fluttered open to the distant sounds of church bells

He glanced up at the high ceiling. A light smile blossoming across his lips when he heard the gentle breathing of his husband lying sprawled on the other side of the massive four-poster bed. Donghae stretched his fingers and started stroking Jake's raven coloured hair. He looked more different now, a stubble had started growing on his face that he had no intention of trimming off; and he looked older... they both did. But the colour of his stormy grey-blue eyes had never lost its fire throughout all these years. They have grown.. not just physically, but also mentally...

Donghae's eyes wandered off to the four petaled diamond ring that he wore next to the plain gold wedding ring on his fourth finger...Petali aperti alla luna; petals open to the moon, the priceless promise ring Jake had given him almost twelve years ago... after making up from their first real fight. It made him smile when he remembered how young they had been.. he'd been barely an adult back then...

A lot of things have changed since the wedding that had taken place two years later. Jake's love for him had never wavered even for once, and neither have his, it has only grown stronger and unbreakable throughout the years they had spent together... and they were not the only things that have changed...

He heard the sound of the bed sheets swishing, and Donghae glanced up to see Jake blinking at him through his sleepy steel blue eyes.

"Are you awake?" Whispered Donghae, smiling at him, his fingers still stroking Jake's face. Jake noded, returning his smile while yawning.

"Looks like I'm not the only one" he said graugily, eyeing the small bundle of life inbetween them, cosily snuggled between the warmth of her two fathers...

Amaya Maranzano, their daughter, and the second born child to the Maranzano Family. She was turning 6 months today. Donghae traced a finger lightly along her delicate little features, thinking how absolutely beautiful she looked.

Amaya suddenly started whimpering in her sleep like babies often did when they were about to wake up... Donghae kissed her forhead, while Jake twirled her silky brown hair lovingly... finally, with a cute little yawn, she opened her big honey brown eyes that was the exact colour of Donghae's

"She looks so much like you" whispered Jake, looking adoringly at his daughter. He had often said for the past few years how much he wanted a daughter as well...

Their first born child; Evander, was already five years old... He was the perfect replica of Jake, with his piercingly bright grey-blue eyes, and his wild, playful nature. Donghae braced himself to hear the thundering footsteps along the hall any munite...

Both their children were born through insemination, Donghae clearly remembered how Jake had haunted the Lady Ridgeway Hospital in London almost everyday five years ago, insisting to the staff that he had to personally check on the baby's condition, and the "Evander-must be-feeling-lonely-without-me" excuse he'd always used to get a five-second glimps of their first son.

Donghae had been Jake's comforting shadow along the way, gently stroking his head whenever his husband had felt that the process was unbearably dragging out. Finally, in the middle of winter, when snow flakes and brightly coloured Christmas lights were gathering around the frosty windowsils, Evander Maranzano took his first deep breath and started to cry. He was blessed with each of Jake's dominant features: his delicate rosy mouth, his silky, raven coloured hair, and ofcours, the wide, startling steel-blue Maranzano eyes...

Jake raised himself up, resting his back on the cushioned bed frame with a contended sigh. He watched as Donghae carefully pick up Amaya into his arms. A sudden rush of happiness swept through Jake's heart to see Donghae cuddle and kiss their small daughter, making him scoot closer over to both of them. Donghae lowered Amaya for Jake to see, and he was smilling his old, brilliant smile...

Amaya was giggling in her yellow ducky flannel suit, her small fingers going wild to touch Donghae's hair. She squealed and gurgled when she saw Jake, extending he small arms towards him, her eyes looking like two honey wells. Jake placed a gentle kiss on her rosy cheek,

"Il mio dolce fiorellino" whispered Jake, fondly stroking her face. Amaya crooned at him, her starfish-like fingers finally knotting themselves firmly on Jake's hair.

"Ouch" moaned Jake, while Donghae burst out laughing, Jake was never a natural when it came to interacting with small babies, even for his own daughter...

After spending almost ten minutes of gently untangling Amaya's exceptionally strong grip on his hair, Jake suddenly looked up, feeling Donghae's eyes on him. He was looking at him with his eyes brimming with an impossible amount of love, pride, and trust.

Jake smiled at him, while Donghae nuzzled his forhead against his own.

"I love you so much" whispered Donghae, planting a soft kiss on his forehead, his hand brushed gently across Jake's face, moving along the neckline and stoking his hair

"I love you more than my life tesoro" Jake whispered back, suddenly feeling a lump forming at the back of his throat with all the emotions that was choking up inside of him.... his Donghae, Jake couldn't even begin to explain how much he loved and cherished him... he suddenly remembered their wedding day, years back... the magical moment they had exchanged their rings amidst a sea of white roses and light pink peonies on the altar, that was when he had truly realised that he couldn't live without Donghae's gentle, reassuring presence beside him.. so he had looked into Donghae's light filled eyes and repeated the magical, interlocking vow with all his heart...

meaning every word he'd said.

Jake was just about to kiss Donghae's lips exactly like how he kissed them that day, when suddenly they both heard rushed staccato footsteps running down the hall towards their bedroom

Donghae gently pushed Jake back, with a light blushing smile blossoming across his thin lips.

"Here he comes" he said,

The double doors crashed open, between them; dressed in a Pirates of the Caribbean franchise pyjama that was half falling over over his delicate body, stood Evander Rineiri Maranzano. The moment his eyes fell on Jake and Donghae, a wide smile lit up his small face, making his steel blue eyes glitter like two burning stars

"Papa!!! Daddy!!!! buongiorno" He squealed in fragmented Italian, rushing into the room like a zooming tornado. He sprang onto Jake's chest, tackling his father roughly back onto the mattress, that ended up in delighted squeals, groans, and yells. Jake raised him up, making Evander roar out in hapiness... Donghae imidiately put out a protective hand over the squealing Amaya before Evander could crush his little sister into pieces in his haste.

"Who's my little wild tiger!?" Yelled Jake laughing in Italian, Evander screamed along with him

"ME!" he yelled, wrestling again with his father

Panting, Jake brough him swooping down and put out his hands around Evander's waist, keeping his wild wriggling frame pinned onto his chest. Evander gave up and sat on Jake with a pout, suddenly, he put his hand into his pyjama pocket an took out a squashed piece of a half dribbled doughnut...

He held the lumpy piece proudly towards his baby sister,

"I brought this for Amaya" he announced grinning, but his smile faded half way through, "but-" he faltered, giving a small little guilty glance that the food.

"What is it Angel?" Asked Donghae, stroking Evander's rich black traces of hair, 'Angel' was a nickname that derived from Evander's original christened name Evangelico. Hyukjae and Donghae used it on Evander whenever the little boy was needing reassurance. Although Evander always declared that he hated being called Angel, he broke down his walls easily and poured his heart out whenever the name was used on him.

Evander took a deep breath, then he sighed,

"I wanted to give the whole thing to Amaya, she's turning 6 months today you know?, but I couldn't help myself Papa, it smelled so nice so I.. so I took a teeny bite-"

Evander pulled his thumb and forefinger close to show them how 'teeny' the bite had actually been..

Donghae pulled him close and kissed his forehead lovingly.

"It's alright baby" Donghae whispered, kissing his hair, "We are glad you told us what happened, and I'm sure Amaya won't mind"

"Really?!"

Donghae nodded, carefully taking the soggy doughnut from his hand and placing it on the bedside table. (Amaya tried to take it from her brother)

Evander laid himself flat on Jake contentedly, giving a little sigh of relief. Jake stroked his back, looking down at his son. His little frame felt warm and alive under his hands. Jake hugged him tight.

Suddenly Evander's head popped up to look at Jake,

"You know what Papa?" He said, with his eyes shining. Jake smiled at him, nodding his head for the little boy to continue

"What is it?" He asked, sliding his fingers through Evander's silky black hair

"Luca told me that he will teach me how to fight!!"

Evander could barely contain himself with impatience. His whole body was vibrating with joy.

"He did?" Asked Jake with amusement, Luca had clearly been Ev's source of hero worship since the day that he was born... The big bodyguard, who had mentally aged 20 more years since the day Evander had started pestering him, was currently away in Australia to take care of the Falcon industries that has been initiated not long ago. And Jake knew that Evander missed him deeply, however how much trouble he'd caused for Luca

Evander noded his head vigorously. "He said he'll teach me on one condition... what's a 'condition' Papa?"

Jake smiled, "it means that he will only teach you if you do what he says and be a good boy" he said cunningly

"O-ohh" faltered Evander, looking downcast, "he said if I can stop being naughty and give him a peaceful week, then he would consider"

"You will first have to go to school Evander" cut in Donghae who had been listening to this conversation, and Jake clearly heard the firm edge in his voice. He knew that Donghae was not keen on dragging their children into the world where he and Jake both had to suffer so much.

Evander's face dropped, and he looked imploringly at Jake. Sighing, Hyukjae kissed his son's forehead,

"What your daddy says is true Evander... but I promise when the time comes, you will get to learn how to fight"

Donghae looked at him, and Jake gave him a steady, measured look back. The Maranzano Family may be lying low for the time being, but if Evander was to ever take his position in the Falcon Circle when he grew up, then he'd have to learn all the skills he can... everything... including what happened.

"Like Jack Sparrow Papa?" Asked Evander in a hushed voice, his eyes huge as sauces, "I will learn how to fight bad guys?"

Jake sighed. He smiled and kissed Evander between his eyes.

"Yes cub" he said, "Very much like the Captain"

"Okeii!" Said Evander satisfied. He jumped down from the bed and zoomed away to the open balcony, sword fighting with a bunch of imaginary Pirates.

Donghae watch him go. He glanced back at Jake, who was also looking at Evander's disappearing figure through the satin curtains.

"You know I don't like this Jake" he said calmly, a small frown appearing between his eyebrows. Donghae hated to see Evander and Amaya being raised in cold blood. They did not deserve to suffer.

"I know" said Jake, still looking away, "but imagine what would happen if he learns it on his own? Without any explanation?"

Donghae was silent.

"Promise me then" said Donghae eventually, grasping Jake's hand, "Promise me Jake, nothing... not a word until they both turn fifteen... atleast give them their childhood"

"Evander and Amaya should learn about the Falcon Circle and their legacy" said Jake measuredly, "and they both will train, not now, but eventually when they start growing up"

"But why?" Said Donghae, tasting tears in the back of his throat,

"Because the world is unfair love" said Jake, looking at him. Amaya was cradled in his arms, silent for once. Jake pulled Donghae closer to his chest. He put his arm around Donghae's shoulder, and planted a soft kiss on his forehead.

"I want to protect our family... and I want my children to know how to protect themselves as well" said Jake, "You can never know what the future will bring Donghae, but I wish with all my heart that it'll be a golden flowery road for the four of us"

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*Scroll down for the Acknowledgements chapter and many more!! :)