"It's so hot..."

I rubbed my eyes and opened them, turning my head to the left and seeing Dino with his shirt off.

"Hm?"

He looked at me and sighed. "It's hot in here."

"Yeah." I sat up a bit and stared at the door in confusion. "Did we fall asleep last night?"

"Yeah."

I rubbed my face and looked to my right to see Romeo still asleep. I stared at him, then looked around the room. "I feel so lost right now. It's hot, too."

I pulled my shirt off and threw it across the room. "Why isn't the AC on?"

I moved off the bed and went to the bathroom. I brushed my teeth and went pee, then found Romeo awake sitting up on the bed.

Dino went into the bathroom after me and I moved to sit on the foot of the bed. "Did you sleep well, Romeo?"

"Mhm," he rubbed his face and sighed. "It was super comfortable, but it's a little hot now."

"Yeah. I don't think the AC is on." I got up and went to the door. "I'm going to see if I can turn it on."

I opened the door and could hear talking going on downstairs. I saw all the other doors open so I went downstairs and scratched my elbow as I peeked in the kitchen.

"Yeah, it's not turning on right now." I saw Rocky talking on the phone with someone.

I turned around when I heard steps and saw Georgie walking towards me. I furrowed my brows. "Is the AC not working?"

"Nope. Uncle Jace and Uncle Reece went out to buy some groceries. The AC stopped working a while after they left." Georgie moved his arms around my waist. "How did you sleep?"

"Good. Dino, Romeo, and I ended up falling asleep in my room last night." I kissed his cheek and pulled away as Vito walked closer.

"Is that a hickey on your neck?" He poked the right side of my neck and I felt a bit of soreness.

I remembered last night. "I guess it is. Probably from Dino."

Vito scoffed and walked away, but I shrugged and looked at Georgie. "Not my problem if he gets mad. Where's Tony and Frankie?"

"Outside. Probably by the pool."

I nodded and went outside after slipping on some slides. I went out to the pool and found Tony and Frankie sitting on the lounge chairs by the pool.

"Hey, guys." I yawned and rubbed my head. Tony pulled me down on his lap and hugged my side. I kissed his cheek and looked at Frankie. "How did you guys sleep?"

"Good, but it got hot inside so we came out here." Tony answered and I nodded.

I stared at the large rectangular pool. "It's fresher out here than in the house."

"That's why we came out here." Tony tiredly chuckled.

The backdoor slid open and Georgie, Rocky, and Vito came out. They joined us on the chairs and we stared at the pool.

"We should go in the pool later." Rocky suddenly said, and we all agreed.

We sat in silence, then the backdoor slid open again. I saw Dino's head peek out and he stepped out, Romeo following behind him.

"The AC isn't turning on. That's why it's so hot." I told them and Dino nodded.

"It was hotter since we were sharing the bed, too." He tucked his hands into his pajama pants and stared at the pool. "The pool looks really good."

"We were thinking about going in later."

I got up from Tony's lap and patted his head. "I'm getting hungry. Might eat some ice for breakfast."

I pulled Romeo and Dino back inside the house and looked through the fridge. "What do you guys feel like eating?"

"Cereal." Dino simply replied and I glanced at Romeo, but he said he wanted cereal too.

I grabbed three bowls, the milk, and told them to choose a brand of cereal as I listed the names out from the pantry. I grabbed two boxes and slid one of them toward Dino. We fixed our bowls of cereal and began eating.

I took my hair-tie out and rubbed my head, feeling how tangled it was. "Do you want anything else to eat?"

I asked Romeo and Dino, but they both shook their heads.

We cleaned up the mess we made, and while we were heading up the stairs, the front door opened.

I peeked over the railing and spotted the back of Papa's head and ran down. "Papa?!"

He turned towards me and smiled. "Hey, Luci."

I hugged him tightly and he kissed my head. "Where's Dad and Bubba?"

"They're bringing stuff in from the car. Your uncles are here, too." Papa stroked my hair. "How come you haven't brushed your hair?"

"I just woke up half an hour ago."

"It's past twelve, Lucio." Papa deadpanned and I nodded shyly.

"I know, but Romeo and Dino slept in, too."

Papa looked at the stairs and spotted them, softly smiling at them. "Good morning, boys."

"Good morning."

"Lucio!" My dad walked in the house with stuff in his hands. "Go help bring stuff out of the car."

I quickly kissed his cheek and went outside. I greeted Bubba and my uncles and helped Bubba with the stuff. My cousins came outside after and helped as well. We were all excited that our parents were here so we didn't complain.

Once everything that was in the cars were sitting on the kitchen island and by the front door, I asked what everyone was doing here.

"Well, because the family is all together now, we decided to have a little barbecue." Bubba explained and my cousins, brother, and I cheered.

Dad rubbed my lower back and I shivered when I felt his cold hand. "Where are Romeo and Dino?"

"By the stairs, I think."

"Bring them here." Papa said, so I walked to where the front door was.

I saw them sitting on the stairs and quietly talking. "My papa said to bring you both to the kitchen."

They nodded and I grabbed Romeo's hand. I knew he was still nervous around my family, so I wanted to let him know that I would be with him the entire time.

I led Romeo and Dino in the kitchen and my dad smiled. "Did you both sleep well?"

"Yes, sir." Dino answered for him and Romeo.

"Lucio, go brush your hair." Papa squeezed my shoulder and I nodded. "Romeo will be fine here with Dino."

I looked up at Romeo and he nodded, so I kissed his cheek and went upstairs.

I walked in my room and grabbed my brush. I brushed my hair out and felt how much softer it was, then tied it half up, half down. I brushed my hair a bit more, then went down and walked in the kitchen, finding Dino and Romeo bright red while everyone else was smiling or smirking.

My papa had his hand on Dino's lower back and when I moved beside Romeo, I asked what had happened.

"Nothing, Lucio." Papa replied.

I squinted at him, but let it go.

"Are you going to try to fix the AC?" I heard Tony ask his dad, who nodded.

"If any of you moved something on the thermostat and I fix it with a button, I swear..." he glared at my cousins and I, then went upstairs.

"I didn't touch it!" I held my hands up, then the next second, we heard the AC turn on.

"Anthony!"

Tony's eyes widened.

We all knew he was the one who usually touched the thermostat. He moved behind Uncle Gio as Uncle Manuel stomped down the stairs, but grabbed him by his shirt collar and pulled him outside.

"That's what he gets for touching the thermostat." Vito grumbled, and we laughed.

"You boys can do whatever you want. We'll start prepping the food." Bubba said, and we nodded.

I grabbed Romeo and Dino's hands, but Dad stopped me. "Can I talk with you three later tonight?"

I nodded, then furrowed my brows. "About what?"

"We can talk about it later." He looked at Romeo and Dino. "Enzo and Amir will be there, too."

They nodded. I pulled them upstairs and flopped onto the bed.

"So what do you guys want to do until the food is ready?"

"Swim." Dino responded and I flipped onto my back.

"Do you actually?"

Dino nodded with a smirk. "We can teach Romeo how to swim."

I rolled my eyes and sat up. "Want to learn how to actually swim, Romeo?"

"Yeah." He nodded and his eyes brightened. "I'll try not to drown us this time."

Dino and I actually laughed, and Romeo asked what was wrong. I shook my head and smiled at him. "Nothing, Romeo."

I went into the closet and pulled three swim shorts out. I gave the looser pairs to Dino and Romeo. We changed into them and I grabbed three towels.

"Ready?"

They both nodded so we went downstairs.

We walked past the kitchen, but Dad stopped me. "Wait, Lucio. We brought extra clothes for you boys. Go take the bags up to your room, and don't forget to put sunscreen on."

I sighed and turned right back around. "Yes, Dad."

Dino and Romeo helped me carry the three large duffel bags up to my room. We set them on the floor and Dino looked through one of the bags.

"These are my clothes."

I looked over his shoulder. "My parents probably went to the school and took some clothes."

I then thought about something. "You don't have your phone anymore, huh?"

"Nope. Do you?"

I shook my head and asked Romeo if he did. "No."

I nodded, then shrugged. "We can ask Bubba for new ones later. Now let's go swimming."

I grabbed the sunscreen and we went downstairs. We went out to the pool and I placed our towels on one of the chairs.

"We need to put sunscreen on or my dad will get mad at us." I huffed out as I squeezed some sunscreen onto my hand.

"I'll be fine. My skin doesn't get sunburnt." Dino jumped in the pool and I side-eyed him, looking through the glass door and seeing my dad glaring straight at me.

I quickly looked away and handed the bottle to Romeo. "Hurry before my dad gets mad at me for not making you put sunscreen on either."

"Put it on, Anthony! You too, Vito!"

I turned my head to the left and saw Uncle Jace rubbing sunscreen on Tony and Vito's faces who were whining.

"It's too much, Papa!" Tony pushed his papa's hands away, but then quickly apologized when he received a dark glare. "Sorry!"

"See?" I looked at Romeo with wide eyes. "You don't want to be like them."

I rubbed the sunscreen on my entire body and Romeo did the same. When we finished, I led Romeo in the pool.

"Took you two long enough." Dino swam over to us and looked at Romeo. "So you want to swim?"

"Yeah, if I can."

Dino nodded and grabbed Romeo's hand. He pulled him to the deeper side, but then Romeo started freaking out once they reached nine feet.

"Keep your body relaxed. If you tense up, you'll become an anchor and you'll sink straight to the bottom." Dino laughed which didn't help Romeo.

Dino grabbed him and pulled him to the edge, so I followed. I listened to Dino tell Romeo to relax and each time, he still managed to sink or barely keep himself up.

"It's cold." I looked at the stairs and saw Papa walk in the pool.

I smiled and swam over to him. "I thought you were making food?"

"Too many people. Manuel, Gio, and I barely know how to properly barbecue so we left it to everyone else. Your dad and Reece are inside making stuff, but Amir, Marco, and Jace are about to start grilling the meat." Papa wrapped his arms around me and I hooked my legs around his hips. I moved my arms around his shoulders and kissed his head, hearing him hum. "What's Dino doing with Romeo?"

"Dino's teaching him how to swim. He keeps sinking each time." I placed my head down on Papa's shoulder and whined. "Papa?"

"Yes?"

My face warmed up and I watched my cousins play in the less deeper side of the pool. "Dino, Romeo, and I did some stuff last night...but my insides...it's still bothering me."

"What? You haven't had something inside you?" Papa kissed my shoulder, and I nodded. He kissed my ear. "You could've used your fingers, baby."

"But I wanted more..."

"You could've asked Dino or Romeo to help you."

"No, I want to do that with them at least until we go out on a date." I briefly explained and he nodded.

"Then why are you telling me this?"

"Because...I would've gone to everyone else, but I said no because I would feel like I was cheating on Romeo and Dino even though we're not together. With you, Dad, and Bubba...it's just different."

Papa nodded. "I'd love to help you, but if Romeo and Dino don't know about this, it would be cheating too, baby. You could either wait for them, or you could take the risk and tell them about how things work between you and us, then I'll be able to help you, but until then, I won't be doing anything to you."

I hummed and kissed his neck. "I know."

Papa carried me around the pool for a while.

He kissed my head. "Your birthday is in a few days."

"Mhm," I lifted my head up. "I want to spend it with our family like usual."

Papa nodded and kissed my cheek. "Alright."

He gently squeezed my thigh and looked behind me with a chuckle. "It's been almost twenty minutes and he's still sinking."

I looked back and saw Romeo pouting as Dino shook his head. Papa went over to them and Dino stopped talking.

"You can't swim?" Papa let go of me and I went to the edge of the pool.

"No, sir." Romeo shook his head and Papa laughed.

"Here."

Papa pulled on Romeo's hand and dragged him to the less deeper side. Papa swam to the middle of the deep side and looked at Romeo.

"Swim to me."

"I...I can't though." Romeo blushed, and Papa moved his head left to right.

"Just walk towards me and move your arms like how I did." Papa simply said and Romeo looked past him at me.

I nodded and Romeo took a deep breath in, then walked towards my papa. I could tell when Romeo wasn't able to touch the floor anymore. He moved his arms and Papa told him to relax and to breathe normally.

Although Romeo sank down to his chin, he managed to reach my papa who held him up. "See? It's that simple."

"How..." Dino blinked a few times. "How the hell did he do that so easily?!"

I smiled. "That's how he taught me. It's really easy."

Papa moved closer toward the ledge beside me and told Romeo to swim towards him. Romeo slowly swam towards him and I smiled once he grabbed hold of the ledge.

"You did so good, Romeo!"

"Yeah, that was easier than how Dino was teaching me."

Dino scoffed while Papa laughed.

"Just make it simple and you'll learn quickly." Papa swam away and told Romeo to follow him, so the latter did.

Dino and I watched Romeo follow Papa around in the deep end. This went on for about an hour, then Dad said that the food was ready.

We all got out of the pool and I sat on the pool chair with the towel wrapped around me.

"Want me to bring you your food, Lucio?" Papa asked me, and I nodded.

"Yes, please."

He nodded and went to grab me food. Romeo and Dino were helped out by my dad, and I laughed to myself.

Dino was darker than before. His skin definitely got some more color, but after a shower, I knew he was going to turn red.

Papa came back a few minutes later with two plates in hand. "Here you go."

"Thank you, Papa!" I smiled and he sat beside me, so I kissed his cheek.

"Of course."

I looked at my plate and saw the potato salad, carne asada, rice, and a little piece of some type of sausage. I hummed and picked up my fork, eating some of the potato salad.

We all ate together, Romeo and Dino across from me and Papa.

We talked a lot with my family and I could see Romeo as well as Dino becoming more comfortable around my family. I was happy to see that, but didn't say anything.

We ate dessert, which were the fruit tarts that Frankie's dad made last night, and it was super good. I ended up eating two, but there were still quite a bit left.

Since the sun was already down, we helped bring stuff inside, and were sent to shower. I went up with Romeo and Dino, and we showered together.

We dressed in loose pajamas and I brushed my hair, then tied it up. We went back downstairs to watch a movie with my family, although we talked about other stuff, and Tony, Vito, and I maybe sneaked another strawberry fruit tart.

Once it was late, we all said goodnight to each other, dispersing into our own rooms. Every single one of us had our own rooms in the house, but because Romeo and Dino were here, I had to share which I didn't mind.

I had absolutely no complaints, but my parents knew that they were in my room since there was a knock at the door while Romeo and Dino were finishing up their night routine.

"Come in!"

The door gently opened and Dad peeked his head in. "Remember we were going to talk?"

I nodded and watched him, Papa, and Bubba walk in. They closed the door behind them and sat at the foot of the bed while we waited for Romeo and Dino to finish.

Bubba patted his lap, so I moved closer to him and felt him pick me up and set me on his lap.

"Did you have fun today, Lucio?" He rubbed my knee, and I nodded.

"Mhm, but I'm tired." I leaned my head on his chest, but he tilted my head up and pecked my lips.

"You'll be able to go to sleep soon."

I smiled and felt him rub the side of my thigh.

Romeo and Dino finished after a few more moments, then stepped out and I heard them stop.

I saw Dad turn his head back to look at them. "I told you both earlier, but I said Amir, Enzo, and I wanted to talk with you both."

Dino nodded and Romeo looked at me. I shrugged and mewled as Bubba rubbed behind my ear.

"I-I don't know either."

Dad patted the bed. "Come sit. We'll try not to take too long."

___________________________________

Uh, let's see what they wanted to talk to Romeo and Dino about. 0.0

What do you guys think?

Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed! See you all next time, BYE!!! :))

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