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motomamithings · 1 day ago

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Shadow of the past running past

My baby, my baby chapter 11

Child of divorce AU

Something that he would never admit was that Uccio always had an eye on the kid.

He justified it to himself as knowing and understanding Rossi’s rival. He tried to find a different in Marquez racing when his son was at the track. Maybe he’d race less aggressive if he knew his child was in the box?

He never did.

Still, the Italian gathered the information he got on the boy. As if as along as he understood every aspect of Marquez life, it’d be easier to beat him. Somehow.

But if he was honest with himself, he had to admit that this wasn’t just for the sake of understanding.

Sometimes when he watched the kid, saw some of the rare videos or pictures, or when the boy was running around in the paddock, he saw a glimpse of his old friend.

He watched how he and little Pedro dragged each other around, one always close to the other. One always braver around the other. They were partners in crime.

He knew the feeling those kids shared very well. Tight knit and close. Those two were siblings without blood.

He watched them sneak around, each an ice cream in hand despite it being dinner time, he didn't even want to know they got it. They were clearly trying to get away from Dani who had bought Pedro along for some KTM duties.

As the Spaniard called out for them and they bolted giggling, he recalled being in the same situation.

He saw himself, just a child, scrambling to get up while Vale had already been on his feet yelling to hurry up. Now it was Pedro who had been taken by surprise while David was already sprinting away.

“Hurry up!” David yelled, his voice a little to similar to what the boy who used to run away with him sounded like.

"I'M FUCKING TRYING" "Ey!" Pedro's father had yelled as he started running too. He was yet to lose his physical strength and athletic build, so it was no problem for him to catch up to the two kids.

"I swear you two are the reason for my grey hair. You and your fathers."

The boys giggled, sharing a look that seemed to contain their own secret language.

Uccio knew that feeling too. The feeling of being caught. Together. Knowing there were no real consequences.

So many summer evenings had been spend running around, sneaking out or stealing treats just to disappear in some kind of field while hiding from Uccios parents.

He shook his head, grounding himself in reality, away from those 1980s summers. But while he returned, the kid Vale stayed. The imagine of a 8 year old Valentino Rossi remained in front of his eyes.

But now the Italian’s eyes were brown and his facial features were slightly different and his Italian had a Spanish accent.

They haunted him.

The imagine of part of Vale, torn apart and mixed with… him… kept haunting him.

He could never quite shake the feeling of those similarities despite the differences. He kept noticing them, like a shadow looming in the background of his consciousness, a reminder of what he had done.

But the shadow came in traces of the child that used to go to the same class as him. A child that used to tell him about cool bugs and stones he had found while wandering off. A boy who would proudly tell and show him every scar he had got, treating them like battle wound.

This child was far away from the legend he’d grow up to be and now it felt like said child was back, waiting to claim the world as his own.

With that thought he watched the small version of his friend sit down in one of the furthest seats away from him on a plane. He watched him from the corner of his eyes, his mimic not changing, his head still forward as if he wasn’t seeing the child.

But he did see him.

He saw how he let himself fall down on his seat, his arms crossed in front of his chest. He pulled his legs slightly up, curling up in himself.

The distance memory of all those boring school mornings came flooding back. Vale entering the classroom, his face closed off, the first sign that it had been a rough day.

Uccio would see how he let himself fall down on his seat, his arms crossed in front of his chest. He pulled his legs slightly up, curling up in himself.

David reminisced the young version of Vale – the one no one knew anymore.

The one that had disappeared long ago, the one that was slowly suffocated by the stinging comments, critics, the confusion antics of it all and the jealousy that would claw at him as he climbed the latter with races, wins, podiums and championships.

It was a version not even Luca could recall. He had been too young. But Uccio remembered. He remembered him so well. Sometimes he was the only reason he was still doing all this.

And now a torn apart version of this boy was there. And no matter how much Uccio tried to deny it, he couldn’t get rid of the truth.

The first hour or so was spend in silence. None of them acknowledge or even looked at the other. Both pretended the other wasn’t there.

But eventually, with more time passed, David’s stomach decided to betray him. Quickly he pressed his arms against his middle as if it would silence the growling noise.

Uccio eyed him, watched how he so obviously tried to stare ahead, his cheeks now flushed pink with embarrassment.

“You’re hungry.” It wasn’t a question. They had boarded the plane in the evening. Nobody had probably thought about giving the boy something for dinner.

“No” David muttered. His eyes flickered to the Italian who was still looking at him. He shook his head, his face visible unsure about the situation.

Annoyed the older rolled his eyes. His own kids were a lot more polite. Not that he had expected anything else. Still, a part of him couldn’t help but want to care for the boy. Afterall he was just a little boy.

“Yes you are. I’ll get you something and you will eat it.” He said. He got up and quickly heated up one of the prepared lunches they had on the plane. He placed it in front of the boy who was sitting up straight now.

“Thank you” he said, looking up properly for the first time and looking straight at Uccio with something he could only describe as a polite smile. It felt weird to see, so the Italian just scoffed.

“Shut up” he hissed.

David blinked but quickly focused on his food. As he silently eat his noodles, he decided that – no – he would not play the role of some kind, obedient kid. He wouldn’t let himself be pushed around. He wasn’t raised to be pushed around.

In his head he wondered what Pedro would say. He wondered what his friend would do. He slowly chewed his food as his voice filled his head, more mischievous ideas coming up.

He spend the next hours watching a movie, his eyes getting more and more heavier. Slowly he was getting pulled into sleep. But he didn’t want to. He didn’t feel safe enough.

He clutched to the little bear in his arm, the one he had since he was born. He had always taken it everywhere with him and now the teddy was sitting next to him on this plane.

He let out another yawn, but blinked, making his eyes as big as possible to stay awake.

“Jesus, just get some god damn sleep.” The Italian muttered. “Not tired” he replied, making a face to show he didn’t care about what he said.

“I don’t care… Sleep” “Why?” he asked, his voice dripping with suspicion. Uccio gave him an annoyed look. “You think I’m gonna kill you in your sleep?”

David just shrugged. “How would I know?” “Well, if I were to kill you in your sleep, I would get in very big trouble with the authorities. I mean, everyone knows we are traveling together so it’d be pretty stupid to kill you here since I would be immediately the main suspect”

He expected to have scared off the younger with this. Even if it was just a little. But instead David nodded knowingly. “Yeah. You’re right. And then you’d go to jail”

“And you think you’re worth going to prison for?” he asked. “I wouldn’t even go to the store for you”

“Thank you” he muttered. Then he suddenly sat up. He basically bolted in his seat “Wait!” he said loudly. “Shit. I almost forgot. I got something for you” He pulled his backpack closer and started searching it.

Confused – and slightly curious – the older watched how he searched through it. “There!” He sat back up, staring right at Uccio with a big winning smile. In his hand – nothing.

He just did a middle finger gesture towards the Italian, as if he had just pulled out, while smiling the same evil smile his father had.

The adult rolled his eyes in annoyance. “Little shit” he muttered. “Truly a Marquez, as rude as you are. It’s very obvious what Marquez teaches his son…” “Ey I learned that on my own” David shot back, immediately ready to defend his family.

“Did you now?” he asked, annoyed, massaging his forehead with two fingers. He was getting a headache – probably just from flying but he preferred to blame it on David. “I basically live at race tracks. Go figure.”

“Can you shut up and just fucking sleep now? You’re causing me a headache.” “……Good”

With that, David turned around, ultimately ending the conversation.

He clutched the plushie to his chest. It felt like a life line. Like a small connection to his papa. Quickly he gave the bear a kiss on the head, just like his papa always did before bed.

In his head, he said a quick prayer. He wanted his father to be okay. He still fully know what happened and how he was doing. He just hoped he’d okay and he’d allow him to come home again. And he hope his uncle Alex and his grandparents were okay and they weren’t too worried.

With the thought of his family, he finally settled enough to actually fall asleep.

He dreamed of his home, his family, bikes roaring.

He slept all the way through after that. Afterall he hadn’t got much sleep in the last few days. He wasn’t even sure what day was now.

But eventually he was woken up by one of the kind flight attendants. The man explained in wobbly Spanish that they were going to land very soon. David knew the procedure well enough to nod.

After a few more minutes – and doing his bets to ignore the Italian – they finally landed. He gathered all his stuff, getting out the plane.

As the Italian sun hit him, a weird realisation set him. He hadn’t really put much thought in it yet and looking back it felt ridiculous that he needed so long to actually understand. But he was about to meet his father.

He swallowed hard as he realized that he would actually meet his father. The one that had constantly ignored him now had to actually face him.

He tried to think of something to say, but the more he thought about it, the more fear he felt. He feared he would screw up already during the first meeting. He feared he would say the wrong thing. Do the wrong thing. He feared he’d lose this one chance forever.

With his papa, he knew what to do. He knew he would just need to run to him and hug him and he’d be picked up. But now he wasn’t even sure if he’d be acknowledged. Or touched.

He felt a tingling feeling in his stomach, like his whole body had been emptied.

He suddenly spotted a car, two person lingering around it. One of them had to be his father. For a moment he felt warm and cold at the same time. He wanted to finally meet him properly – not just some annoyed glances and twisted comments - and run at the same time.

His first instinct was to turn around, look for his papa and ask him for advice on how to deal with the situation, how to behave.

But as his little head turned more out if reflex, he was harshly reminded that there was no one.

He was on his own. He was alone. He was completely and utterly alone in a country he barely knew, with people that didn’t want him.

He felt tears swell in his eyes and he just wanted to disappear. He didn't want that. After all that time where he had asked about his father.

Alex and his grandparents had barely talked. Just said he wasn't like this. Only his papa sometimes talked about him. His words soft.

He once had asked that if his father had loved them as much as Marc said, then why wasn't he here?

His papa had just smiled and caressed gid hair. "Your father made a mistake. He believes someone he shouldn't. Someone who is very close and very dear to him. But he lied. And Vale keeps trusting him. Not out of some kind of... Evil spirit. It's just a mistakes. And everyone could have made that mistakes. He is yet to realize that."

David looked ahead. He stared at Uccios back who was a few steps ahead of him.

He was the one that had lied to his father. He had caused all of this.

He thought that the man who destroyed his family was so close - still so close to his father - made him angry.

But he knew he couldn't say anything. There was nothing he could do about it.

Yet.

“You will make a mistake” he whispered. “And then you will pay”

Not yet. But eventually. He knew that. So he just continued walking towards the car and it felt like he was walking towards something bad.

He looked at one of the man, recognizing him as Valentino Rossi – his father. He had his arms crossed in front of his chest. A pair of sunglasses covering his face. He had a disapproving, annoyed look under his faked neutrality.

David took a deep breath. He wanted to act tough, even just for a moment, to cover up his own fear.

Then he saw the 2nd man, leaning next to Vale, talking to him. He recognized his silhouette without a doubt.

He couldn’t help but grin widely, his fears gone.

“Uncle Luca!” he yelled and immediately started running. He was sprinting down to the car, ignoring everyone else. He passed Uccio and he passed Vale, not even looking at him a second time.

But Uccio did.

Uccio had seen how there was a slight twitch in his old friends face as he watched how the boy jumped on his younger brother.

Luca too had smiled widely and quickly kneeled down. He had gathered the boy in his arms, standing up like it was nothing while having the 9 year old in his arms.

David pressed himself against Luca, his eyes closed as he hold onto the little bit of family he had and knew here. His small hands were buried in the fabric of his clothes, refusing to let go.

"Missed you tio Luca. Missed you so much..." he whispered before a small sob left he's body. "I love you."

Luca closed his eyes. He pressed him even closer. He couldn’t image how David felt, so he just let him. He softly cooed, mumbling reassurance in hope to keep him calm.

"I missed you too. And I love you too. Soooo much."

He was aware he was being watched by his older brother, but he didn’t care one bit. Instead he just gave the boy in his arm a soft kiss on the head.

“Hola pequeño“ he said.

It was a silent power play. He wanted to show that – even if he loved David dearly and wanted to protect him – his place was in Spain. Not Italy.

“Did you have a good flight?” he asked softly. David just nodded. “Good. Good, that’s good” Carefully he lifted his head and looked at Luca.

He smiled brightly at him. “Hey there” he said. David smiled too. With Luca by his side, he felt a lot more settled. He felt save, protected.

Then Luca turned a little. David turned too, now facing him. His father. Valentino Rossi.

It felt weird. Whenever David had imagined meeting his father, it felt – warmer. Now he was just afraid.

“That is my brother – Vale… Vale, David” he tried to introduce them. David looked him up and down and lifted his hand. He gave him a small wave. “Hello Valentino”

No nickname. No dad. Just Valentino.

The Italian gave a short nod, his arms still crossed in front of his chest, standing next to Uccio.

“Ciao” he replied.

#RAY YOU LITTLE FUCKING GORGOUS GORGOUS GENIUS #I WANT YOUR BRAINNNNN

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