Fluffy Sheepshead chapter :) 

Two gambling Italians are returning ;)))

Enjoy! :)

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Race grins as he enters Sheepshead Races.

His grin grows even wider when they go to Box A--his box.

He will forever be grateful for Spot for getting him this box three and a half years ago.

He's also grateful that Jameson "forgot" Spot's debt to him after the whole debacle of letting free all those who were taken.

Speaking of Jameson, they pass him on their way in, smile and wave at each other, dip their heads respectfully, and hope the other a good day.

Jameson watches as they head in, smile on his face. He's watched those two grow up. Race especially has grown a lot from that eight year old trying to sell him a paper about The Gambler eleven years ago. He couldn't be prouder of how Race turned out.

The first thing Race notices when he walks into his box is that it isn't empty.

He smiles widely. "Ciao, ragazzi!"

Andrea and Giacomo pop up instantly, grinning, waving back at him. "Ciao, Giacatore!"

Race loves their Italian nickname for him. It makes him happy to hear them call him "gambler" in Italian.

"So I can assume ya already have the program, right?" Race asks them, but even before he's done speaking it's already up in his face thanks to Andrea. He and Spot begin to skim it for a moment, trying to pick out which horses they recognize, which ones they think they'll win. Andrea tells them that he has already picked out his horses for today.

Race looks over Andrea's shoulder. "Do ya need to see it, Giacomo?"

"Nah, I'm good," Giacomo replies, focusing on his game of Solitaire he already has resumed after jumping up to greet Race. From the words he starts muttering a few moments later, it doesn't seem like he's winning.

Andrea picks up on this too, and turns around and grins. "Sfortunato a gioco, fortunato amore."

Giacamo turns and sticks his tongue out at Andrea. Then goes back to his cards.

A smile lingers on Andrea's mouth and in his eyes.

Race watches him closely. If he didn't know any better, he would think that Andrea may have some feelings for Giacomo.

He tries picturing if they'd go well together romantically or not. Without thinking he scrunches an eye and sticks out his tongue a little.

Spot, forever in tune with everything involving Race, smiles, and asks him, "what'cha thinkin' about?"

"Just trying to visualize it."

"Visualize...what?"

Race's face goes back to normal. "Nothing too important."

And so they settle into their seats, still looking over the program for today.

Race makes a big show of looking at all the options, but he still knows the whole time which one he's going to pick.

Almost as if reading his mind, Spot instinctually turns to him and asks, "are you sure today is the fourth's lucky day-?"

"Yeah yeah yeah," Race cuts him off, waving his hand in his face like a shooing motion. "I know what you're going to say."

"Actually, it looks like the fourth is a new horse today."

"Yeah-wait, what?"

Spot points at the horse's name. "I haven't seen that name before. So, in all honesty Race, no one knows if they'll win or not."

"Look." Race points to the odds. "20 to 1."

They both let out a long whistle with their eyebrows raised, Andrea along with them.

"Are you sure you're willing to take that gamble, Race?"

He smiles mischievously at Andrea. "I wouldn't be a good Gambler if I didn't take wild gambles, Andrea."

Giacomo chuckles. "He's got you there, tigre." He bumps his shoulder against Andrea.

"Ahh, basta," Andrea bumps him back, reproachful but light hearted.

And does Race see a hint of blush on Andrea's cheeks?

Race is definitely going to ask about that later.

But he can't think on that too long now: the first race is about to begin.

At midday, the races halt for a break. So far, he's had his fair share of wins and losses. Curiously enough, they have not brought this new horse onto the track.

Giacomo gets up, announcing that he's off to use the bathroom and buy some snacks.

The second he leaves the box, Race whips around to Andrea, mischievious look in his eyes.

The quick motion startles Andrea. "Oddio! Perché hai fatto quello...?" Then he sits up straight, eyes narrowing. "Che vuoi, Antonio?"

Race chuckles at Andrea's faltering, and the sudden change in tone when he recomposed himself to ask "what do you want, Race?" But instead he said Antonio which in all fairness didn't break up the flow of the sentence.

He grins. "I wanna know something."

Andrea looks at him cautiously. "What do you wanna know...?"   

Race raises his eyebrows innocently. "Why, if you like Giacomo of course-!"

This is the moment where Spot stops pretending that he was tuning out their conversation and turns too, seemingly just as invested to know as Race.

"Race!" Andrea, on the other hand, is not finding this funny, and starts slapping Race's shoulder lightly and cursing at him in Italian.

All Race does is giggle and stick out his tongue in a wide smile.

Spot rests his chin on his hand. "So. Do you?"

Race and Andrea stop. Race echoes Spot's words, also eager for an answer.

Andrea hesitates. Then he lets out a sigh in defeat. "Mmmmmm forse un po'..."

Race and Spot turn to each other and squeal in delight. Spot's learned a thing or two about Italian over the years, and definitely knows un po'.

"But don't tell him, ya hear?" Andrea tells them quickly in a pleading tone. "I haven't sorted out just how I feel about 'im, even less if I wanna tell him, and well...y'know..."

Race and Spot sober up instantly, nodding that they are in understanding. "Of course." "Certamente."

A look of relief comes over him. "Grazie, ragazzi."

And so they fall back into a relaxed silence.

Not too long later, Giacomo comes back, four hot dogs in hand. "Here, today I am showing you the kindness of my soul. Next time we're here, I'm hoping that you all will show me the kindness of your souls by buying me hot dogs. And if you bet on bum odds today, well. I'm expecting to see more than one hot dog from each of you next time."

Andrea throws his head back with a hearty laugh. "Just come here, amico." He grabs Giacomo's arm and yanks him back down into his seat when he's done passing out hot dogs.

Amico hits different in Race's ears hearing it from Andrea's mouth meant for Giacomo after the conversation they just had.

He can't think on it too long, though, because the races are starting again any second.

And he's not going to miss out on the racing action for anything in the world.

Finally, it's the last race.

"So, you all must be wondering why we have not let the fourth out onto the track already today," they hear the announcer's voice loud in clear.

There is much murmuring of agreement coming from the crowd.

"It's because this horse is new for this track. And we wanted to work up some suspense. So let's see who will win this race: a long time favorite? One who has had it a long time coming? Or our new one, who we are very excited to show off?"

There are murmurs of anticipation throughout the crowd now.

Race leans forward, extremely curious, and eager to see what happens.

They line the horses up.

And then, in the fourth stall, there stands the most beautiful horse he has ever seen. Sure, most of these horses are beautiful, or at least have their little things about them that makes them stand out...but this one stands out so much to Race, and he can't figure out why.

He never takes his eyes off the young mare once the gates open. He doesn't take his eyes off her the whole time.

And he doesn't because he can't believe his eyes. It's the third, a seasoned horse, that's been winning most of the races today, but now he's falling behind. He hears many shouts around him: turns out many weren't expecting this younger and inexperienced horse to be so fast.

It seems that it's only Race who is not surprised when she wins. He's delighted of course; he jumps up when she wins, saying "I won! I won!" but he's not surprised. He can't explain it, but it's like he knew that this horse was going to be the winner.

"Non ci credo," Giacomo states, awed smile on his face, shaking his head slowly.

"What did you say the horse's name was again, Race?" Andrea asks. "I think I wanna invest in this horse."

"Manhattan Morning Mist," Race answers.

He always did love alliteration and a good sentence that feels like a loop dee loop.

And so the races come to a close, and everyone starts rushing to the stands to get their prizes or pay their debts before exiting the track all together.

The four stand up, stretching their legs, but wait for the lines to die down.

Race is still watching where the fourth left from.

Manhattan Morning Mist.

He can't explain it, but the name, it...resonates with him.

And he thought he was already invested in the horses at Sheepshead.

Spot gives him a gentle little nudge. "You about ready to go?"

"Mhm," Race nods, still picturing that horse. He's going to be thinking of her for a while.

Andrea turns to Race. "That's right, today's you're big moving out day. Well, what's next on your list?"

Race grins. "Visitare i miei nonni."

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And so scene!

Glad that didn't drag on forever haha.

There will be *new* content soon, I promise. I just kinda wanna have lil slice of life moments and revisit important players before going into real unknown territory.

...why did I use three different emphatic techniques there haha.

So the thing is,, in the last one, I never really specified Andrea and Giacomo's relationship, and some people were asking if they were going to be gay...so what if...there might be a lil somethin more going on...?

Alliteration has been a term since the 1650s.

Yayyyyy grandparents time! :)

Is that all I have to say? I think that's all I have to say.

Please, no homophobia/transphobia/aphobia, profanities directed at other wattpad users, hate etc in the comment section at all times.

Best,

~Your Beloved Author (who has kinda fully become a night owl again and is struggling to wake up by 1o am)