AU Mafia for @ papichulo

[harderdaddy]

There is never a good time to be called into his father's office, but when Anthony steps in and catches sight of Valentino his all ready pale complexion grows whiter. The man's one of his father's top men, high enough that he's got all his own men under him, and he's probably the son he wishes he had, even over his older brother who ain't always getting himself in shit.

But Anthony ain't scared cause of any of that. He's scared because Val saw him and that new runner in the back alley. Saw him in a position he couldn't exactly explain his way out of. How do you explain away a cock shoved down your throat as anything but what it is?

Which means this must be it. He's told Anthony's father and Val's going to earn himself a heap of praise and Tony's gonna find himself in the Hudson with a new pair of shoes.

He swallows thickly and takes his seat, hardly registering at first that he's not handed down a death sentence. Nothing at all is said of the incident, instead his father just informs him that he going to be working for Valentino for a while, see if his best man can't turn him into something useful. He manages to nod a bit numbly, though a small scowl finds it's way to his face once he properly processes his father's words.

They're dismissed, sent to pack a bag so he can join the crew across town, and as soon as they're in the relative safty of his room Anthony fixes Val with a wide eyed look.

"You didn' say nothin'??"

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[papichulo]

There's a lighter tucked away in his pants pocket, the same one he used earlier to light the joint he split with Anthony, but Valentino doesn't reach for it. Instead, he lets go of the wheel with his right hand waves off the offer, and then he leans slightly sideways toward Anthony, reaching toward... his legs. A broad hand briefly settles against the outside of Anthony's right knee, and he angles both of them slightly closer to himself with a light nudge.

Quietly, he murmurs a low 'watch your knees', even though Anthony's legs aren't anywhere close to being in the way of his reach, and then his hand is gone. He pops open the small glove box in front of Anthony, and inside there's, unsurprisingly, a pair of black leather gloves, a beretta, a neatly-folded map of New York, and another silver zippo. Valentino grabs the lighter and flicks it open with ease, his gaze on the road the entire time, but he takes a moment to look away, slowing to a stop at a 4-way street. He strikes the flintwheel with his thumb and holds the flame steady for Anthony, his other hand still loosely curled around the top of the steering wheel. He should, perhaps, be more careful - it's not as if he's unknown around the streets of New York; out here, he could be recognized by anyone paying close enough attention, and though there's nothing entirely scandalous or incriminating about him lighting his boss's son's cigarette for him in the front seat of his car, his intentions aren't entirely innocent, even if no one knows his intentions but himself.

The thing is, he just doesn't care. He could talk his way out of his own execution, probably, if he had to. Valentino's not worried.

He snaps the lighter closed, and leans again to toss it back into the glove box before closing it back up again, and if he fingers brush Anthony's leg again when he brings his hand back to the wheel, perhaps it's just pure coincidence. There is, after all, not much space in the front.

[harderdaddy]

Anthony over complies, shifting not just his knees but his whole person that much closer. He imagines being welcomed closer still, head down in the other man's lap while the outside world had no idea. A dangerous game, but clearly Anthony plays a little risky, out in the alley where anyone could've happened on them.

"Thanks." He leans into the offered flame, and reluctantly sits back again, smoke curling slowly from his lips. Said lips curl at that touch finding him again, however brief.

"...you ain't seen Marco since, uh...that night, have you?" he asks as casually as he can manage. He must mean the runner, curious if Val knew where he'd run off to.

[papichulo]

Marco. Was that that kid's name? Valentino had already forgotten it by the time he'd found him and Anthony in the alley, and he hadn't bothered asking for it a day later before he'd strangled the breath out of him and left him to sink to the bottom of the Hudson River where he'd never be able to speak of or put his hands on Anthony ever again.

Valentino takes a brief moment to consider his answer. The full truth is off the table, but Valentino's learned that telling parts of the truth within a lie makes them that much more believable. He casts a glance at Anthony, then shifts his gaze back to the road, turning down a side street to avoid what looks like stand-still traffic not too far ahead.

"Who, the guy from the alley?" Of course the guy from the alley, it's not as if Valentino and Anthony have very many 'shared' nights between them. Val cocks his head in feigned thought, then shrugs a shoulder. "Yes. Saw him the day after for a minute, but he was gone before we could exchange any words. Haven't seen or heard from him since."

Technically, all true. Watered down (no pun intended) to make it more palatable, but still. Val looks at Anthony again, but this time his gaze flickers down for a moment, noting that space between them has been somewhat reduced. Interesting.

He looks back up, then back at the road. "Why? Are you worried he might talk?"

[harderdaddy]

Is that his worry? Anthony's not quite sure. He tells himself the pair of them would both be in trouble, mutually assured destruction should keep them both from talking, and in turn keep them both safe. And while he didn't have feelings for Marco- not serious ones anyways- it does hurt a little to think he's run off with even a heads up. He didn't have to take Anthony with him, but the guy could've at least told him instead of leaving him to face the music alone.

He gives an unsure shake of his head. "...I don' think he'd be that stupid. Just...figured he might've said goodbye or something if he was going to run." He twists a face. It feels too mushy, but he can't take it back now that he's said it aloud. "It's stupid."

[papichulo]

It's not in him to feel bad for the things he's done - Valentino's list of crimes, from petty to grand, is impressively long, and there's not a single thing on that list that he feels bad about, Marco included. If there's anything he does regret, it's not letting that kid know that he was lucky that his last brush with affection of any sort was from Anthony, and unlucky that it's also the thing that sealed his fate.

Valentino does not feel bad about what he did to Marco, but there's something in Anthony's uncertainty and the underlying impression of abandonment by someone he might have been minimally attached to that makes Val feel somewhat... apologetic. Not for ending some kid's life, but for his actions resulting in Anthony feeling - unimportant. He's too pretty to think someone would leave him on purpose, but there's not much Valentino can do about it now, and he wouldn't take it back or undo it now even if he could. Jealousy put Marco at the bottom of a river well before Valentino got his hands on him.

Now, though, Valentino's hands are much gentler than they were when they were wrapped tight around a gasping throat. He reaches out with his right hand, but this time he lets it hover for a moment above Anthony's knee.

"I'm sorry, Anthony." He's not, but it sounds nice. Val lets his hand settle, fingers squeezing lightly. His thumbs smooths over Anthony's kneecap. "Unfortunately, some people will always disappoint you." He tilts his head slightly, turns it to look at Anthony, dark eyes meeting mismatched brown and blue and holding his gaze. "... And some people won't."

[harderdaddy]

Watching that hand, it seems to take forever before it makes contact, but when it does it's more than enough to shoo any lingering thoughts of Marco away, leaving room only for Valentino. His head tilts slowly at that implied meaning, hoping he's not reading it wrong. Anthony's pale left hand shifts to butt lightly against the edge of Val's fingers.

"...I'll try to land myself in that second group for ya, as well," he promises with a small smirk, despite his very real fear that he'll disappoint. He always seems to.

[papichulo]

Truthfully, Valentino doesn't have too much of an opinion on Anthony yet. Until recently, he's always kept a reasonable distance unless the job called for them to drift into closer circles, but never close enough to get to know him beyond observation and the small talk passed between his men on occasion. He's heard it all - that Anthony is useless, an embarrassment. A disappointment. All claims made by his father and disputed by no one with even half a brain rattling around in their skull. When Valentino was pitching the idea of taking Anthony under his wing for reasons far more self-serving than he he'd ever admit, even he hadn't challenged the idea that Anthony could use a little guidance, regardless of whether he believed that much was true or not.

What he does believe is that Anthony has potential. And maybe his belief is biased and misguided, shaped by pretty mismatched eyes and a dusting of light freckles he can only imagine in places other than the bridge of his nose and the soft swell of his cheeks, led by the thought of someone with so much untapped power and influence secured at his side - but maybe that's all Anthony needs. Someone to believe in him, to push him without breaking him, to show him exactly what he could be and what he deserves.

Valentino's eyes flicker down when their hands brush. He could take it as a sign of disinterest, that Anthony is trying to set a boundary without offending one of his father's top men - but Valentino looks at that small smirk paired with a quiet promise to make him proud, and he knows he's got Anthony exactly where he wants him. The flex of his fingers is subtle but deliberate, a lingering squeeze. He lifts his pinky finger slightly, ring nestled comfortably by the highest knuckle, and hooks it over Anthony's closest finger for a very brief moment before he takes his hand off and away entirely.

He chuckles quietly, shifting back into moving traffic. The drive across town isn't usually too bad, especially when one is familiar with backstreets and shortcuts the way Valentino is, so they shouldn't be too far out now so long as the flow of traffic keeps steady. Valentino cards his fingers through his hair, streak of white-gray drawn back with dark brown and falling neatly back in place.

"You know, mi corderito..." He tapers off, thoughtful, and then continues, vague on purpose, but the way he looks at Anthony again puts more meaning in his words than what's on the surface. "Together, I think we'll work just fine."

[harderdaddy]

Anthony and his father have always butted heads. Whether Anthony tries or not, he's never been what the man wants. Maybe it's just down to him seeing that nature in him from the start. Or maybe its down to Anthony neve really feeling a desire to be trapped in this life like his older brother. He can shoot straight, move product, do what he's told (mostly), but it's not the life he wants.

That moment of contact says a whole lot, and Anthony's face looks hopeful. So much is down to reading those quiet observations, signals he's sure he wouldn't have to pay such mind to if he was interested at all in ladies. It seems so much simpler, but the dance and the danger of it all is kind of appealing in its own right.

"I think so too, Mista Valentino~"

[papichulo]

His own men don't even call him that - Mr. Valentino - unless they're in deep shit or appearances call for more formal displays of respect; it's usually Val, sometimes Tino, but there's something about the way Anthony says the whole thing that makes Valentino want to reach over and grab him by the chin. Push his tongue past his lips to see if he can taste the way his name fits in Anthony's mouth.

Mista Valentino. Fuck him, honestly. Respectfully and disrespectfully. Valentino shifts his knee out slightly, the movement subtle but indicative of his... interest in Anthony. This is very clearly the start of a dangerous game, but Valentino wouldn't be where he is now if he didn't love the thrill of it.

The rest of the drive is easy and relatively quick. The apartment building they pull up to isn't overly-flashy, but it's well-kept and takes up a whole block. Valentino pulls up to the curb and parks, and then he turns to Anthony and lifts a hand to point a finger in his face.

"Listen to me." He doesn't sound too serious, like what he's about to say isn't a major concern, but just a possibility. Nothing for Anthony to worry about too much either way. "Anybody gives you shit? You let me know. Handle it if you want, or let me handle it for you, but you need to tell me either way."

Valentino doesn't expect his boys to cause too much trouble - they've been made aware of a new body in the building, and he can't fault them if having their boss's son occupying the same space makes them a little bit uneasy - but he's already decided that no one will fuck with Anthony and get away with it.

He raises his brows, and then smiles. "Understood?" He does not pause. "Fantastic. Grab your case and I'll take you inside."

[harderdaddy]

It might be a hold over from when Anthony was younger and slightly more respectful, particularly around his father's best man. He understood that feeling the man sparked in him better with age, and while his inner dialogue and fantasies toy with Valentino or Val, he feels he hasn't earned the right in the waking world.

"Yessir-" he starts, biting himself off with just a nod as Valentino continues. He expects to get at least a little ribbing as the new body on the scene, and not exactly a large or intimating figure at that. He let's himself self out and comes round to case the case, straightening his shoulder so he makes the best impression he can.

[papichulo]

While the outside of the building is clean and cared for, it's also fairly unassuming, brown-red brick stacked up like most of the other buildings on the block. Inside, it's a little more luxurious than outward appearances would suggest. The lobby is spacious with a small set of stairs leading up to an elevator and what looks like a concierge desk tucked away just off to the right, manned by a single person that's probably paid very well.

Valentino leads Anthony inside with a subtle tilt of his head, indicating for him to follow. This time, though, the space left between them is intentional, and Valentino makes no move to take his suitcase off of his hands. He stops by the desk to the right of the elevator to ask for a specific key, briefly introduces Anthony to Eugene - the man behind the desk - who nods his head politely but otherwise doesn't say too much, and then Valentino guides Anthony to the elevator.

The lift takes them up four floors. Valentino reaches to slide the cage-like door open, and gestures for Anthony to step out before him, following him out. He leads him down a narrow hallway to a door near the end, uses the key they picked up in the lobby to unlock it, and then pushes it with his fingers so it swings open wide, creaking on its hinges.

"Fortunately," he says, sliding his hands into his pants pockets and leaning his shoulder against the wall just outside of the apartment. "We have room for you. Usually the building is full."

Another half-truth. This apartment has been vacant for a while now, used for storage more than anything else, though it's recently been cleared out. Compared to the rest of the building, it's nothing special, and it clearly has not been kept up with or updated in who knows how long. The paper on the walls is peeling in places, and there are a couple cobwebs tucked into corners here and there. A layer of dust on nearly every flat surface, water stains on the ceiling, carpet that looks like it should be ripped up and tossed in dumpster because there's no saving it. The apartment isn't tiny, but it's relatively small.

Val gestures with one hand for Anthony to go inside and have a look around. "Unfortunately... this apartment has seen better days."

[harderdaddy]

The change demeanor's not entirely unexpected. Valentino's the boss, and his image needs to be safeguarded. Even if he weren't, that sort of flirting isn't something to be practiced out where anyone can see.

The lobby seems impressive enough and Anthony hopes are raised unfortunately high. Standing in front of that open door now, he does his best not to let the disappointment and apprehension show too plainly on his face.

"It's uh...it's fine," he tries to assure, taking it in with increasingly drooped shoulders. It's a mess. But he can hardly complain about it. He'll be labelled the bratty, pampered, boss's kid, and they'll be no shaking it. "I don' need nothin' special..."

[papichulo]

Valentino's job requires many things of him, and one of those things is being able to read people at a glance. Analyzing body language, identifying motive, anticipating someone's next moves, etc. As much as Anthony tries to hide it, Val can see the disappointment threaded in his expression plain as day. He schools his own face easily to mask the subtle, satisfied smirk that wants to tease at the corner of his mouth, and pushes away from the wall with his shoulder so he can step into the open doorway.

Valentino laughs quietly and crosses his arms over his chest, lingering a small distance behind Anthony.

"It's a shithole," he says plainly. "You don't need to lie to me."

It's the worst apartment in the building, and no one's occupied it in years for a reason - but it's not the only vacancy. If Val just happens to casually forget to mention the other unoccupied apartments elsewhere in the building, well - he's a busy man. Sometimes things just - conveniently slip his mind.

For a few moments, he says nothing and just lets Anthony take in the state of the place. Eventually, he takes one step into the apartment, another, uncrossing his arms to drag his fingers through the dust on an old mantle.

"If you want it, it's yours." A pause as he rubs his fingertips together, much like he did back in Anthony's room. His voice drops slightly lower in volume and tone. "If you don't, I might have - something else for you."

[harderdaddy]

He flushes and there's a bashful laugh.

"...it's a shithole," Antony agrees, setting his case down, "But I'm a big boy, I can handle a bit a mess." A whole...whole lotta mess. He happens upon a rat trap that's done it's job some time ago from the looks of it, and he backs away closer to the perceived safety of his keeper.

His head turns with interest, then looks briefly apologetic, but it doesn't stop him from pressing- "Something else?"

[papichulo]

Val doesn't elaborate, but he does guide Anthony back toward the door and out of the shitty apartment, walking behind him with a hand settled in the space between his shoulders. In the hall, Val drops his hand, and takes a second to lock the door back up like he expects they probably won't be coming back even though Anthony has yet to see his other option.

They take the elevator again, this time to the top floor, though it's only one above the one they were just on. The hallways on this level are a much more comfortable width, and there seems to be far fewer doors - only five, it seems, all labeled in single roman numerals. Val leads Anthony to the very end of the hall, where there's a single door marked with a 'V', and fishes a different but familiar set of keys from his pocket and unlocks it.

Like the other apartment, Valentino pushes the door open with his palm and steps aside to let Anthony enter first. He follows him in, but this time, Valentino closes the door behind them.

Perhaps the most immediately-noticeable thing about this apartment is that it's obviously lived in. Very clean, but it's not hollowed out like the first one. It's fully furnished with expensive pieces, and the size of the foyer alone is nearly half the size of the entirety of the shithole downstairs. The walls are painted, not papered, the floors are swept and vacuumed, surfaces dusted, and there's not a mouse trap in sight. Three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a decently sized kitchen with modern, top of the line appliances. A sitting room, a dining area, a den, and more. It is massive, and luxurious, and probably the nicest place in the building.

"Well," Valentino starts, casual like he hasn't brought Anthony to his own fucking apartment. "Have a look around."

[harderdaddy]

Very curious now, Anthony only just remembers to snatch up his case again before he's swept off and out to whatever this mysterious other option is.

And fuck, it's like stepping into a whole other side of town. Anthony looks around in cautious awe, waiting for the other shoe to drop. This space clearly all ready belongs to someone...to Valentino? So...-

"It's beautiful," he concludes, turning to look back to Val, "Are you...sure there's room for me here?" he asks, "I wouldn' be intrudin'?" He peers into what he can only guess is Valentino's room with a coy smirk.

[papichulo]

Similarly to when they were in his car, Valentino looks at Anthony lingering in his bedroom doorway with that teasing little smirk on his lips, and his mind wanders.

He pictures Anthony standing at the foot of his bed, chin lifted slightly so he's looking up at Valentino. His eyes are so fucking pretty, his mouth soft and tempting. He imagines Anthony laid out on his bedsheets, his skin milky white where Val's peeled him out of his clothes, dotted with light freckles nearly everywhere, his back arched. He imagines bruises at his throat like a necklace, sucked into delicate skin, and fingernails digging sharply into his back, stinging and hot.

Is there room for Anthony here? Valentino thinks he would knock out a whole wall to make space for him without a second guess if there wasn't.

But he doesn't say this. Instead, he takes a moment to wet his lips, maybe the only indication that he's been thinking less-than-modest thoughts about Anthony at all. He takes a slow, sauntering step closer to Anthony and catches his chin between his thumb and index finger, turning him slightly so they're eye to eye.

"I'm sure." Voice low, slightly rough in his throat. Briefly, his gaze flickers from Anthony's eyes, down to his mouth, and then back again, and it's not subtle. "There is more than enough space... and I can keep a better eye on you this way."

His thumb shifts just slightly, touching the corner of Anthony's mouth.

"You are mine, now." His responsibility, his charge, technically, one of his men. His to look after and command - but there's no way he's not implying more than that.

[harderdaddy]

Swallowing thickly, Anthony has muster all his strength to keep his eyes from falling away again. Val's gaze seems hot enough to burn, like he can see right inside Anthony's mind and every one of those dirty thoughts his inspires.

His breath shutters, the corner of his lip quirking, and his eyes drop to Valentino's lips longingly, and then back again.

"Yours," he find himself murmuring, nodding his head softly. He wants to taste that thumb...those lips.

"I could see likin' that..."

[papichulo]

"Yeah?" he murmurs back, and the temptation to lean down and take what Valentino wants is so intense that he finds himself curling his other hand into a loose fist at his side in an attempt to resist. It's clear to Val that the two of them are on the same page when it comes to their... attraction without a doubt - there's no mistaking the way Anthony's gaze drops, that look in his unfairly pretty eyes.

Val could claim him right now if he wanted, he thinks. He hums a low note, thoughtful.

"Play your cards right, and maybe I'll make this... permanent." Again, it's possible he's just taking about the arrangement of taking Anthony under his wing, guiding him and shaping into someone his father might speak about with more respect, but the closeness, the way he's holding Anthony's face is awfully intimate for him to just be speaking business.

[harderdaddy]

Even for as long as Anthony's had a crush the hopeful light that brings to his eyes says he clearly starved for love and affection, ready to accept it from whoever will offer. If Marco had played his card right he could've had him wrapped around his finger. Not that it matters now...

"Yeah," he repeats easily cheeks hot again, but he's less shy about it now. His head turns in Val's hand so that his lips brush against that thumb, before he moves to take a half step back.

"I'll try my best, Mista Valentino. Promise."

[papichulo]

The amount of self-control it takes to keep Valentino from reaching out and catching Anthony by the front of his shirt when he moves to take a step back is impressive. Though he's known for being charming and capable of getting just about anyone to eat out of the palm of his hand, he's also known for his short temper. He's known for being impulsive and brutal and, sometimes, out of control to the benefit of the whole operation, but he can already tell Anthony is going to try his patience in ways he's never had to navigate before.

Like now. That subtle brush of his lips against Val's thumb, his big, bright eyes looking up at him - Valentino wants to devour him.

He lets him go instead, allows him to step away. They have plenty of time, he reminds himself not for the first time. He's watched Anthony from a distance for so long now, he can wait a little longer. Take things slow, make Anthony his. Do it right.

Valentino rubs his fingertips against the pad of his thumb, hand hovering about waist high. He smiles a little, gold flirting in his mouth again. Mister Valentino. God, he loves that, accent and all. There's just something about the way Anthony says it. Maybe Val's just a sucker for anything that rolls off Anthony's tongue.

"Pick a room." Any room, his included, honestly, but he doesn't clarify or specify. If Anthony wants one of the spare bedrooms, that'd be fine too. Val's certain it'd only be temporary, anyway. He tugs his hand free of his pocket and checks the time on his wristwatch. "I need to step out and follow up with a guy, but -," he gestures vaguely at the entire apartment with one hand, "- make yourself at home."

[harderdaddy]

A show of force would certainly capture Anthony's attention in the short term, but this is probably the best way to keep him for however long Valentino might want to.

Anthony nods, and as much as he wants to settle in Val's, once's he's left alone he picks the spare that's closest and puts his things away. He works quickly, taking a small bump from his stash unsure when or if he'll be able to get more.

Curious to explore the space, Anthony finds himself back in front of Val's room, the drugs making the risky choice far easier as he slips inside to see what he can glean. He looks for pictures, books, anything to give him incite that isn't strictly hidden away. Even lets himself stretch out on his bed for a moment as he indulges in his high. At least he only means for it to be a moment...

[papichulo]

As far as insight goes, there's not much in Valentino's room that suggests he's anything other than what's on the tin - nothing glaringly obvious anyway. There are no photographs on display, but there are one or two - one of them of vox (another one of Anthony's father's top men) and another of a very pretty woman with tanned skin and beautiful hair, both of them candid - tucked away between the pages of books with random, uninteresting titles. There's a smaller black book in a bedside drawer, pages filled with seemingly nonsensical notes, vague on purpose as to not be incriminating, and several doodles and drawings of random objects and people, sketched by a talented hand.

Valentino is gone for a little over an hour, meeting with a few of his men to confirm the smooth transfer of product and collection of proper payment. When he returns, he doesn't make a point to be particularly quiet, but he doesn't announce himself either. He sets his keys on a small table by the front door, and starts unthreading the leather wristband of his watch as he pads through the apartment, curious to see where Anthony's settled.

His disappointment over finding Anthony's suitcase in one of the spare bedrooms is minimal and brief, replaced with intrigue and something else when he finds him, instead, in his own bedroom sprawled across his bed like he belongs there. Val pauses in the open doorway for a moment and just watches him, eyes dark with interest. It's dangerously similar to the scenes he'd played out in his mind earlier.

Quietly, Valentino steps into the room, footsteps muted somewhat by the carpet as he makes his way to the dresser pushed up against the far wall.

"Well," he starts, setting his wristwatch down neatly on the top. He turns, leaning his butt against the edge of the wardrobe, legs stretched out slightly and crossed at the ankles as he starts to roll down his cuffed sleeves, eyes on Anthony. He can tell, even with just a casual glance, that someone's been snooping, though how he feels about that is difficult to tell on purpose. "Don't you look comfortable."

[harderdaddy]

Time seems to pass in a blink, and Anthony starts into consciousness with a panicked look.

Shit.

Even with the flirting, there's no way to spin this where he comes off innocent, and it's just the level of foolish fuck up he's sure his father's expecting. Ahead of schedule even.

The shame is evident, shifting to right himself. Is it better to stand or stay frozen in place? His eyes are still tinged with that high, and it's clearly making it hard to make rationale choices.

"...said ta make myself at home?" he offers, hoping he can charm his way out of this.

[papichulo]

Anthony's lucky he's so fucking pretty, even luckier that Valentino's had his eye on him for as long as he has, because if literally anyone else had the balls to go looking through his things and then make themselves comfortable in his bed like they fucking owned the place, he'd have more than just a few choice words for them. As it stands, Anthony looks like he's right where he belongs, at least to Valentino, so he can't really bring himself to be pissed about an assumed invasion of privacy. Val did invite him into his own home, with maybe less-than-innocent intentions, after all, and it's not as if Valentino has anything to hide. Not here, anyway. He's not that irresponsible.

It does not go unnoticed by Valentino that Anthony's pupils are a little bit blown, the whites very slightly rosy near the edges. Valentino's been known to indulge a lot himself - in drugs, in booze, in sex, in a number of vices - but he's measured and careful when he's not behind closed doors. Briefly, he wonders if Anthony maybe has a bit of a... problem, or if he's just anxious about a significant change. Maybe he's just comfortable. Valentino can't say he doesn't like the idea of that.

"You're right," he smiles, his brows lifting and his chin dipping in a slight nod as he shifts to his opposite sleeve, folding it down toward his wrist. His tone and his relaxed body language suggest he's not bothered in the slightest. Anthony is quite charming. "I did say that, didn't I?"

Still, he can sense the uneasiness and the tension underneath Anthony's attempt to diffuse the situation before it's even become one, and he decides to try and ease some of it himself. He loosens the buttons at both of his sleeve cuffs, and then his hands move to his collar to start with the buttons there, a thin gold chain teasing at his throat.

"Are you afraid of me, Anthony?" he asks, his expression curious more than anything. Plenty of people have reason to fear him - in fact, Valentino prefers it that way, especially when it comes down to business - but he's curious if his reputation has shaped Anthony's perception of him before they've even gotten to really know each other. Curious if he can change it. "Did you think I would be upset?"

Valentino chuckles quietly under his breath and pushes away from the wardrobe with his hips, long fingers still pushing buttons through buttonholes down the length of his neatly-pressed shirt. He wanders towards a closet, putting some distance between himself and Anthony, and shrugs out of his shirt so it falls off of his shoulders, torso covered by a thin white a-shirt, arms bared, back to Anthony.

"I wouldn't have left you here alone so easily if I didn't trust you." That's a lie, maybe only partially. He has no reason to trust Anthony other than the fact that he's his boss's son (which might be more of a reason not to trust him, depending on how you look at it), but he also hasn't been given a solid reason not to trust him yet, either.