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Chapter Text

When Jake the butler arrived in the solarium/greenhouse, Penelope was in the middle of a delicate procedure: dividing her bird-of-paradise in preparation for transplanting. This required concentration as she had to separate the roots and try *VERY hard* not to break them, so she wasn't too pleased when Jake appeared in the doorway and made his announcement. "Miss Penelope, your three-o'clock is here."

"*Already*?" she exclaimed in dismay alongside one of her companions- an anthropomorphic little green cricket dressed in a snazzy suit and top hat who had been eyeing her work carefully.

"Well, it IS three-o'clock, Miss Penelope." This too was echoed, though this time by a semi-elderly man with a kind face wearing simple, somewhat old-fashioned clothes who had been sitting and whittling at a piece of butternut wood for a figurine that he would later paint -and the latter man addressing Penelope as 'carina' (sweetheart)-. "Your plants look lovely, Miss Penelope- and your own work is coming along quite nicely, Mr. Geppetto sir."

"Thank you, Jake," the young woman and semi-elderly man both replied.

"...How unfortunate that others don't have the pleasure of seeing them."

Now this statement was echoed by a soft, agreeing sigh in response to Penelope's and Geppetto's "-Mm..." issued from the lips of a small-framed boy of about fourteen (though he seemed younger) with thick black hair, pale skin sans the rosy cheeks of Penelope, an elongated button nose, and large blue eyes clad in garments semi-old-fashioned like those of Geppetto yet colorful like Penelope's who gently closed the book that he'd been reading upon seeing Penelope put her bird-of-paradise aside and pull off her plastic gloves. He and his companions including a no-longer-small black and white Norwegian Forest cat and goldfish-turned-long-haired smallish dog KNEW *full well* that she was in *NO mood* for what was about to happen, but they also knew that there was no use, at this point, in trying to put it off.

Pinocchio Edward Wilhern from that point on pretty much blurred everything out in his mind as credentials were listed off via 'Aunt' Jessica and matchmaker to the rich and famous Wanda Gilmore -to the eye-rollment of Wanda's slightly younger sister and Pinocchio's friend/psuedo-godmother Fabiana- (this time Palmer Metcalf, aged twenty-five: Livingstone Prep, Dartmouth- Junior partner of Mitchell and Swinson, Securities- Clearwater Town and Country Club, *country HOUSE* in Woodbridge; father on the board of trustees, spent a year studying at the Soburne in Paris, France ...so on and so forth).

He saw 'Nellie's' big hazel eyes dim as feigning enthusiasm became harder and harder for her, knowing that she was *SO* SICK of *all this* and just really wanted to get back to her bird-of-paradise roots in the quiet(ish) and FULLY *ACCEPTING* *GENUINELY loving* company of her 'uncle', 'cousin', their two pets, and Pinocchio's conscience/best friend Jiminy H. (Hadrian) Cricket -in private and secret by this point and for a couple of years considering Geppetto and Pinocchio as a FATHER and *little brother*, actually-.

So it was not too surprising at all, and not a bit disheartening/depressing/hurtful on her behalf, when his ears caught the sound of Penelope greeting someone politely as her usual (this time in French, which she ADORED), and knowing from the utter silence following that *the LOOK* was being issued in her direction- variations of which could range from disbelief to total shock, from distaste to disgust; sometimes even FEAR, or *downright* *HORROR* ...but *NEVER* EVER so much as *a GLIMMER* of acceptance, never mind liking or love.

He heard the would-be-suitor stutter out an excuse (at least *THIS time* there was no scream), edge toward the door, and then bursting out into the hallway where Jake was waiting with papers for him to sign: a legal gag into secrecy, which was paramount for the Wilhern 'family'.

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"Penelope, WHAT is *the MATTER* with you?!? WHY did you *do that*!? You know better; you CAN'T just *go out there*; you can't just *SPRING YOURSELF* on a man like that! You can't blame him for being shocked!"

"This is completely unacceptable, Jessica! *HOW* do you expect me to *do my job* if Penelope *WON'T cooperate*?"

"-Oh, don't be so hard on her, ladies."

"Penelope, you have to let a young man KNOW you *BEFORE* you *show yourself*. Do you think that I let your father *see ~my MOLE~* on our FIRST *date*?? *NO*, of course not: he had to *LOVE me* first, then he could accept the fact that I WASN'T *flawless*! Isn't that right, Franklin?"

Even through aforementioned man's immediate "You're *NOT flawless*, Jessica,", Pinocchio heard Jiminy's face-palm, Figaro's meowing groan, Cleo's sniffling snort that turned into a sneeze, and even felt his usually-easygoing father's eye-roll/glare at his back directed towards his sister-in-law as she continued pleadingly to her oh-so-*STUBBORN* daughter, "You have to reveal *what's INSIDE* -your *TRUE self*, your *BEAUTIFUL* self!! A man HAS TO *realize* that you're a delightful, charming, intelligent young woman before he sees that.. -BEFORE he *knows* that..."

"-That not only do I have *the face of ~a PIG~*, but *my beloved YOUNGER COUSIN* is wooden with a DONKEY'S ears and tail?"

"Oh, LEAVE that- that little... that little *FREAK* *OUT OF this*, Penelope! He and his father SHOULDN'T EVEN *BE here*! *Why* does HE have to be Franklin's *BROTHER*?!"

"...Sorry, Mother, I've got a bird-of-paradise waiting for me; gotta go."

Pinocchio felt a stinging lump enter his throat as his eyes burned, clenching his small white-gloved hands into tight fists and biting down HARD on his lower lip to *try* and keep it from trembling; Geppetto didn't quite growl or snarl as Jiminy did (though it was more than clear that he was *SORELY* TEMPTED), but did bare his teeth at the blond former socialite who should have had long curls like Penelope's rich brown ones but had cut it to just below shoulder-length and flattened it out instead until it was near-to-flat as her husband's own thinning dark locks; Figaro hissed with golden eyes *blazing* and Cleo's own deep blues glinted through her soft red-gold hair as she snarled quietly, both their furs on end. The youngest Wilhern gulped and blinked hard, but knew deep down that it was useless to try and stem the flow at this point, the well of hurt was so deep.

He turned on his brown leather heel sharply and followed after Penelope to their shared room, trying his best to ignore the white noise consisting the usual after: Wanda threatening to quit her job as a professional matchmaker (though this was an empty threat to cover that she actually cared for the long-lost Wilhern family members as her sister Fabiana did), Jessica accusing Penelope of *RUINING* *her own LIFE* -and *Jessica's* in the process- (to which he heard curly-haired Fabiana and her slightly darker-skinned ballerina own marionette-turned-child of her own Sabina mutter darkly under their breaths almost in sync while helping Wanda file papers "*Oh, PLEASE*; cry me a RIVER, why don't you?"); and beneath the women's voices came the faint words of Franklin Wilhern, doormat extraordinaire who loved his daughter but didn't want to EVEN *REMOTELY acknowledge* his elder brother Geppetto and nephew Pinocchio for *WHATEVER* reason they *wished* they knew, pleading with Jessica and Wanda -though mostly actually Jessica-, "It's NOT *HER fault*; *DON'T* blame *Penelope*: it's *MY fault*, it's *ALL* my fault."

"SCREWBALL in the *corner pocket*, 'Uncle'!!" Pinocchio couldn't help but actually say aloud to himself through a choked-out sob as he entered through the thresh-hold of the room/suite that he, Penelope, Father, Figaro, Cleo, and Jiminy all shared because neither Jessica nor Franklin wanted them in any of the guest rooms; didn't want them *in ~the HOUSE~* PERIOD, but coincided *VERY reluctantly* on the conditions that they were all *PENELOPE'S responsibility* *ALONE*, was that clear?

It wasn't a bad place at all to (try and) console one's self with *EVERYTHING* one could *wish for* in a bedroom: lavish comfortable furniture, including comfy beds fit for royalty (Penelope's having a beautiful canopy); fresh favorite flowers everywhere, magnificent art on the walls (some including Pinocchio's own artwork), walls *AND shelves* possessing Geppetto's many clocks/music boxes/figurines if not Figaro's and Cleo's necessities and cat/dog toys; walk-in closets filled with clothes either found in catalogs/Internet shopping sites, or made by themselves- shelves of handbags and shoes and drawers packed with jewelry for Penelope. She *LOVED* fashion as much as anything French, plants, or her 'secret' family, developing her own style over the years and every season having her closets go through a *COMPLETE overhaul*; she NEVER had to worry about being seen in *LAST season's* styles ...mostly because she WAS never seen.

And they were SURROUNDED by *ALL* the entertainment possibilities: books not in the Wilhern library, wide-screen flat TV, the *finest* stereo system and computer in the world, thousands of CDs and DVDs, and video game systems. (Unlike most/many boys though, Pinocchio had NOT *really* been overly interested in the very latter, preferring a good book or film if not a different activity over gaming; his only exceptions being Interactive Storybooks and games like Kingdom Hearts.) Not to mention an *exercise alcove* which included a treadmill, bike, a rowing machine, and a climbing wall- the very latter being everyone's favorite. All-in-all, it was something of a tight squeeze at times, but quite comfortable, calming, and warm.

The one and only thing that a stranger might think was missing from the room straight out of Beast's castle modernized was *a MIRROR*, but Jessica had always felt that it would be WAY *too DEPRESSING* for Penelope to encounter her reflection on a daily basis. However, she had actually not one *but TWO* looking-glasses that the blond harridan *DIDN'T know about*- one was in a powder compact she'd snatched from her mother's handbag years ago, and the other was a large full-length usually artfully hidden by a tapestry.
But neither 'Nellie' nor 'Nocchi' required a full-length looking-glass to remind them *WHY* they *DIDN'T have* a 'normal' life, tears finally streaking their way down Pinocchio's cheeks as he pulled aside the heavy colorful cloth from its usual place and came literally face-to-face with his usual realization: it didn't matter if either he or Penelope changed the angle of the mirror, tilted their heads, looked at themselves in profile, or even lowered their eyelids to blur the image, there was *NO* *possible* way to miss the features that had kept the latter *a PRISONER* all of her life, and the former for seven years now (for Penelope, the feature that had driven away many others besides Palmer Metcalf): the huge, fleshy prominent snout that had marked her since not only wailing her way into the world twenty-five years ago, but *during* CONCEPTION as well, ...and the also-*STILL*-*wooden* long gray donkey ears and tail that he had *NOT gained* from *Pleasure Island* after all, but had possessed since when 'Geppetto's wish went up the line', 'light from a star gave life to a toy, a marionette boy full of wonder and joy'.

Of course, there WERE *OTHER parts* to their faces- the snout, ears, and tail weren't *the ONLY* features, though they certainly commanded the most attention. Their eyes were not half-bad by any means- big, bright, respectively ocean-blue and green/gold/brown AKA hazel, and unusually long/thicked-lashed in Penelope's case. Mouth-wise, in pretty good shape too, along with perfectly straight white teeth; Pinocchio was rather pale, and Penelope was fair-skinned with a pretty naturally-rosy blush- their faces both a soft rounded-heart shape. Slenderly-thin (though not even remotely close to *scarily*-so), silken dark brown locks in delicate waves that culminated in curls that bounced around her shoulders and flowed down to just below the middle of her back and thick raven-black hair that could be either straight, wavy, or a bit of both. There *was* a *SMALL problem* with Penelope's OWN EARS, which if not merely possessing some *pig-LIKE* *elements* were just full-out... well- fortunately, her hair that she often kept down mostly concealed them.

But *NOTHING* could 'conceal' the snout, toy-jointed tail, or both sets of ears in full ...or in Pinocchio's case, 'conceal' his true form: as small and ligenous from hair to feet in his shoes as the night he had been 'born' via the Blue Fairy's magic as the result of granting good Geppetto's wish from the deepest depths of his heart. And no matter how many 'lovely' physical qualities either Wilhern might possess, they were practically all but *reduced* to NEGLIGIBLE under Jessica's sharp tongue and cold blue eyes.

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As much as either one tried their *ABSOLUTE* HARDEST *NOT to feel sorry for themselves* (or, *at LEAST*, more-so *each other*; Pinocchio especially so due to not wanting to be at all SELFISH if he could help it), their hearts and soul were so *SORE* right now that they couldn't help but submerge themselves in a little self-pity; and whenever this mood hit, they indulged themselves in a particular routine.

Futilely wiping the tears off his face, Pinocchio's lips twitched ever-so-slightly upward as he felt Nellie's soft warm arms gently pick him up and place him on her lap as she extracted the Wilhern Family Scrapbook from one of their bookcases and settled themselves in a comfortable rocking chair. She gave him a soft 'squdge' of a hug and lovingly kissed the top of his Tyrolean-capped head as they both turned to a particular page possessing an old sephia print of a family portrait: stern-faced Wilherns posed stiffly in dark serious clothes of Victorian style, probably taken around 1860.
There were five young men in the photo, and Penelope's and Pinocchio's attention was focused on one, the middle son- their great-great-great grandfather Ralph Wilhern ...they blamed him for this *WHOLE* *mess*.

Chapter Text

~Pinocchio (with his conscience/best friend Jiminy Cricket clinging onto both the brim of his Tyrolean cap and that of his own top hat for dear life) shot down a turbulent rapid of seawater headed toward Monstro's belly, passing the debris of previous Monstro attacks as he went- some driftwood, a few pieces of furniture, and all sorts of formerly-sailing vessels. It was like riding down one of the canals on Pleasure Island- only MUCH *scarier* for a different reason.
The rushing water slowed; a moment later, Pinocchio and Jiminy drifted into a quiet pool of water. They were in the belly of the beast, a space filled with a blue glow created by the bioluminescent plankton that made their 'home' in Monstro's belly; boats in various forms of decay looked like little wooden islands- some were impaled in the stomach wall (*yikes*), while others floated. It was like nothing that either of them had *EVER* seen before.

Spotting Geppetto tying his own boat to the wreckage of a whaling ship, Pinocchio cried out happily and began to swim to him; hearing his beloved son's voice, Geppetto turned and spotted Pinocchio. He threw a rope to Pinocchio, though accidentally dunked him with the piece of wood attached to the end of it. This didn't hurt Pinocchio much -though it DID surprise and startle him-, but Geppetto only fretted for half a minute before a soaking-wet Pinocchio popped up over the railing with the cheerful phrase, "-Hello, Pops!"

Geppetto laughed joyfully and pulled his precious son up into a hug. "Oh, Pinocchio- Pinocchio, I'm *SO happy* to see you!! So HAPPY to see *my boy*!"

Pinocchio just hugged his father back warm and tightly, snuggling into his safeness, until a happy '*Mrreow*!' and burbling caused him to pull away. "*Figaro*! You're here, too; *and CLEO*!" he said happily, petting aforementioned little joyful black-and-white kitten with one hand and stroking the scales of a very happy goldfish with his other.

"Yes, yes; we're ALL *together* again! Isn't it wonderful?! -It IS a bit strange to be inside the *belly of a whale*, but we will make do! ...It *IS* a bit *humid*, though, isn't i-?"
Just then, Geppetto noticed something that made him cut off the last of his sentence and instead exclaim with wide, strangely frightened eyes in his kind face suddenly gone white, "-OH! *Pinocchio*! Those ...*those EARS*!"

Shamed and embarrassed warmth flooded Pinocchio's wooden cheeks as he sheepishly looked down, adding meekly, "Uh, -yeah. AND a *new TAIL*. It- It was from when I was on Pleasure Island, like I told you earlier- Father?? Father, what's wrong; whatcha cryin' for??"

For Geppetto's soft blue eyes now filled with *utmost REGRET* as well as the strange sadness and unconditional love were FLOODED with tears that spilled over onto his lightly stubbled cheeks and dripped onto the floorboards of the wrecked ship as he looked like he wanted to sink onto his knees, but instead tightly gripped at the railing beside him until his knuckles were white. "Oh, Pinocchio- Pinocchio, my little wooden-head; my precious son; oh, how I HOPED- *prayed*, even, that this *would NOT* happen for you... *I'm SORRY*; I'm SO *sorry*, 'carissimo mio' (my dearest one)!!"

Pinocchio swallowed, now frightened and worried. "What- WHAT do you *mean*, Father?? It- It was *MY OWN fault*; I *went to Pleasure Island* and-,"

"NO, *no*, 'mio caro teroso' (my dear treasure)," Geppetto interrupted sadly and shook his curly-haired graying head. "-I am more than afraid that you have possessed these ears and tail of yours ever since ...ever since that night my wish was granted. How I *DIDN'T see it* at the time, or yourself either, I don't know. Perhaps the -the Blue Fairy, you said she was? Perhaps she- perhaps she thought it a kindness to cover it up for a while so that you wouldn't be frightened; I can only speculate."

Pinocchio was trying *VERY hard* not to cry out of fear, but he couldn't help his lower lip trembling or his own cerulean orbs filling up when his sweet, gentle, slightly overprotective but still unconditionally-loving Father was not only clearly *TERRIFIED*, but *heartbroken* as well?
"I- I DON'T *understand*, Father!" he finally whimpered through the lump in his throat, barely feeling Jiminy pat at the side of his head in an attempt at *SOME KIND of comfort* or Figaro purring as soothingly as possible while rubbing himself up against one of Pinocchio's thin legs. "Wh- *What* *ARE* you *talking about*?"

Geppetto sighed in a way both sad and loving as he sat down upon a barrel. "Come here, my boy," he said gently, patting his lap.

Pinocchio was only too willing to obey, hugging him tightly again once he was cradled in Father's arms upon his lap, Figaro immediately jumping up into Pinocchio's own and pawing for more pets (which he and Geppetto gladly gave).

Geppetto kissed the top and side of Pinocchio's head a few times before saying softly while rubbing his small back, "...I have a story to tell you, son; one that doesn't really have a happy ending (yet), I'm afraid."

Pinocchio was used to Father telling and reading him stories- this was nothing new as he'd done so from the night the Blue Fairy had brought him to life. But a story with a *SAD ending*?? THAT was *new*(ish), and frightening. But he only leaned into Geppetto a bit more and listened silently along with Jiminy (who was still in the brim of his hat and strangely hadn't yet been seen by Geppetto), Figaro, and Cleo in her bowl.

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"This is the story of your Great-Great-Great Grandfather Ralph Wilhern, little wooden-head; the story of -of our Family Curse.
He was not either the OLDEST or *the YOUNGEST* brother; rather, he was *right* *in ~the MIDDLE~* with two older brothers and two *YOUNGER brothers*. Admittedly, of the five young men, he was not the smartest, best-looking, the most athletic, creative, or ambitious; no one would ever have called him 'driven'. He tended to idolence, was somewhat shy, and he was easily intimidated and influenced by his parents and his brothers- EVEN his *two YOUNGER* ones! As far as charm and personality went, he didn't really stand out.

"Oh, he was WELL *aware* of his flaws because his family *ALWAYS* reminded him; nowadays one would say he had an 'inferiority complex', but that scientific idea hadn't yet reached anyone in the 1860's, of course. So he became a romantic to deal with his many inadequacies alongside managing his family's numerous expectations of finishing school, going into the family business (which had SOMETHING to do with *USING money* to *make* money; yes, I know, strange and confusing), refraining from any actions that might somehow injure the respectable reputation of the Wilherns, to marry a good woman from a good family, and perpetrate (that means 'continue') the Wilhern name by way of having children of his own.
"...Well, the last two things, actually, he had some trouble with. Oh, he didn't have any problem with MEETING *eligible women*; he'd done so from the age of eighteen, after all! But Ralph's problem was that they *DIDN'T appeal* to his romantic nature and thought that they were dull- which meant that by the time his older AND *younger* brothers were either married or betrothed/engaged, his mother and father were becoming *VERY concerned* and so put even more effort than usual into his social schedule. Ralph dutifully obliged as he fantasized and wished for romance to come knocking at his door.

"-Then, one day, he met one of his family's servants Clara: a rather pretty and sweet if slightly dim girl whose mother happened to be the local town witch. She was also young -barely sixteen- and had little experience in the way of men. So she fell rather hard and fast for Ralph as he did her, the two becoming inseparable except for when she was chopping the vegetables for the meals in the kitchen for the cook as they met in the evenings ...and then one day, Clara discovered that she and Ralph would have a child.

"Clara's mother was more than happy for Ralph to ask for her daughter's hand in marriage, but when Ralph gathered with *HIS family* in the library to happily convey the glorious news ...*they LAUGHED* upon hearing that she was a *kitchen maid*: Wilherns, in that day and time, *did NOT*, would not, could *NOT* MARRY *a SERVANT*; it *wasn't* DONE- the rules of society (which I have always found rather ridiculous myself, anyway) *would NOT* PERMIT it.
Nowadays, say, a duke may marry a nanny, or a millionare can marry his secretary, and so on and so forth ...but *back then* to the Wilherns (and now still, unfortunately), the *mere* THOUGHT of a *BLUE-blooded* WILHERN *exchanging vows* with a member of the *LOWER class*; why, it was *UNTHINKABLE*!

"I'm *MORE THAN sorry* to say that while Clara HAD *touched* Ralph's romantic side, he really *WASN'T* *a REBEL*- he *WASN'T the type* to flout convention in a *REALLY PUBLIC way*; perhaps his father even threatened to disinheiret him, I'm not sure. -But it didn't matter, in the end: Ralph Wilhern agreed to uphold the family's standing in society and married someone 'more suitable'. And poor, despondent Clara -fell off a cliff down into a well.

"That dark and moonless night, her mother the FURIOUS and *DEVASTATED* town witch hobbled over to the Wilhern mansion with a special mix of herbs, spices, one finely ground hog's tail, and the tail-hairs of a donkey; leaning on her crooked stick, she recited an incantation (a spell) of her own invention as she sprinkled her nasty little marinade around the house. Then she raised her hands towards the house and declared her revenge on the family: not on Ralph himself, the parents who forbade the marriage, or the brothers who laughed; no, the curse that she placed on the Wilherns would instead *HURT* a random couple of members of their future dynasty.

"She declared that the next female born into the Wilhern family would have the face of *a PIG* ...and that some time after this had occurred, the *next MALE* born into the Wilhern family would possess the ears and tail of a DONKEY. And the curse could *ONLY* be lifted on *BOTH of them* when someone of *their own kind* -a true blue-blood- would claim the girl '*til death did they part*- ONLY when *an ARISTOCRAT* could accept the pig-girl *as she was*, would the curse on her and the donkey-boy be broken."

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Pinocchio all this time had been quiet as a mouse as he listened to Father's story, feeling alternately sorry and very angry at certain characters. When Geppetto fell silent, he finally ventured to ask, stammering a little, "F-Father, ...th-this- this happened LONG, *long* *AGO*, right?"

"Yes, my son," Geppetto replied quietly.

"Th-Then, -then WHY would ...*this* happen *NOW*?"

"Well," Geppetto now chuckled sheepishly, "you see, the Wilhern family from Ralph and his brothers up until MYSELF and my younger brother Franklin, had *ALL* SONS- *NO daughters*. -That is, up until eighteen years ago, when your cousin Penelope was born. I've never met her, no; ...Frank and I are *NOT close*."

"Why not?" Pinocchio couldn't help but ask. This was *VERY surprising* to him; from what little he'd seen that fateful morning when Father had FINALLY let him go to school, *EVERYONE* respected and loved Geppetto, from children to adults!
He was a sweet and kind man who made wonderful wooden treasures; WHAT was *NOT to love/like*??

I

Geppetto gave a sad sigh again, his eyes still glimmering with tears. "For *SOME reason*, my dear Pinocchio, he thinks that *I* *should NOT* be in the Wilhern family- he always has. -Perhaps he thinks that the name 'Geppetto' is ridiculous, who knows?"

"...Why was *I* cursed along with- Penelope, Father?? I'm- *I'm* a PUPPET; not ...*NOT* a *REAL boy* *yet*!"

Geppetto gently stroked Pinocchio's black wooden hair and gave him a soft squeeze while (trying to) wiping away his boy's tears from his face as he responded softly, "-Because as you ARE *MY son*, born (if in a different way) after the first Wilhern girl of this generation, so you now possess ...well, what you do, wooden or not."

More tears STREAMED down Pinocchio's face and his ears lowered as he came to a crushing realization that made his heart feel like it had fallen to his feet and shattered like a piece of porcelain or pottery. "...I'm not going to be able to *grant your wish*- become a real REAL *LIVE* *living* boy ...until Penelope's AND *my* -curses are broken, am I?" he sobbed out in a small voice.

"-Oh, *Pinoke*..." Jiminy whispered sadly for his sweet young friend as his own warm brown eyes glistened with tears in his little rounded green face, wishing that he was big enough to actually give Pinocchio a proper (other) hug rather than just be able to pat or stroke his head with an infinitesimal hand.

In response, Geppetto hugged his precious boy tighter to him and near-whispered lovingly, "-*Oh, PINOCCHIO*. When you first came to me, I might have made you think that I *wanted SOMEBODY ELSE* (and I am SO *VERY* *sorry* for that!!), but it was YOU *yourself* I was wishing for all along.
"You *honestly* *DID try* with *ALL* of your heart, and that makes you a *TRUTHFUL* boy. And you know *what else* it makes you? *UN-selfish*, and very *very* BRAVE; and kind. I am SO *VERY* *proud* of you-!
"...You will *ALWAYS* be MY *REAL boy*. There ISN'T a *SINGLE thing* I would *change* about you. *I LOVE YOU* *so very MUCH*, and I *ALWAYS* will."

"-I love you too, Father!" Pinocchio sobbed from happiness and relief as he hugged his father back with all the strength in his little wooden body, smiling tremulously when he felt himself being gently rocked back-and-forth as Geppetto murmured further words of love and comfort.

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-Then, suddenly, Pinocchio heard Figaro sneeze, saw the lantern hanging on a beam out of the corner of his eye, noticed the various bits and pieces of wooden rubbish on the wrecked ship as well as Father's own boat, remembered how he had accidentally set his own feet on fire during *THAT time* (and forcibly repressed a shudder while shoving the dark memories back into their closet in his mind)... and asked Geppetto with an idea beginning to form in his head as he remembered EXACTLY *where* they currently were, "...Father, what's inside that lantern?"

"Ironically, whale oil."

"That's right; and I have an idea to get us out of here...!"~

Chapter Text

It was as though he'd emerged his head from water again when Pinocchio was brought back to Earth with Penelope a couple of hours later with Jake's near-monotone, "Miss Penelope, your four o'clock is here."

Said young woman sighed heavily, but put down the Wilhern Family Scrapbook and got up from her chair once Pinocchio had hopped off of her lap -though not before giving her a quick squeeze of a hug and getting one back- and ventured back to the dining room where Aunt Jessica and Miss Wanda were waiting 'patiently'- Pinocchio hanging back in the other room where the rest of his family plus Fabiana and Sabina were seated on various cushions, Figaro batting at Fabiana's dark curls as she petted his soft longish black-and-white fur and Geppetto gently scratching Cleo behind her silky ears, Jiminy perched on Sabina's pink-clad shoulder (her favorite color) as they conversed quietly- probably about dance or just stage talk in general.

Sabina huffed and rolled her big slightly tilted brown eyes at Jessica's crooning, "Penelope darling, I'm *VERY sorry* I spoke to you so harshly earlier, but I'm ONLY doing this for you- for *your FUTURE*; your happiness! -*Penelope*! Are you listening to me?"

"Yes, Mother," Penelope semi-lied, which Jiminy couldn't help but give a little chuckle and knowing smirk at.

"Good- good; alright, then. Now, are you ready? This is an IMPORTANT meeting." ("Aren't they *always*, anyway?" Fabiana muttered with a 'Heaven help me' expression on her kind face.) "Edwin Vanderman is THE *MOST promising* candidate we've ever had."

"*Oh, NO*!!" Geppetto and Jiminy groaned under their breaths at the same time, the former face-palming. "NOT *him*!"

'-GREAT; *just GREAT*...' Pinocchio himself couldn't help but think uncharitably, knowing that not only this would now be his FOURTH visit, but they all already knew *EVERYTHING* about him.
Did he meet with all the requirements to break the curse(s)? Yes, of course: the Vanderman family was prominent, wealthy, and blue-blooded. And most people would say that he was a fairly nice-looking man; always well-groomed and well-dressed, his features 'normal' and all in the right places ...but to Pinocchio and the rest of his family and friends, not only was it personality that held him back (a walking victim and spoiled as well as arrogant/conceited), but he was basically to them a slightly more horse-faced Draco Malfoy with dirty-caramel hair; which was *NOT a compliment*.

But much as they disliked him, he was currently the best choice available. It was too much hope for their Nellie to be ACTUALLY *attracted* to him, but at the end of the day the bottom line was that she (and Pinocchio) needed a man to break the curse- to give her a life.
They all held their breath as Penelope turned the microphone and said quietly but clearly, "Hello, Edwin."

Pinocchio couldn't say that Edwin's face lit up at the sound of her voice- more that there was *at LEAST* a glimmer of expression when he responded 'brightly', "-Penelope! Dear, sweet Penelope, how are you?"

"Oh, I don't know; how eez she?" the live puppet heard Sabina mutter sarcastically under her breath in her thick French/Italian accent, continuing bitterly, "*How about* 'depressed', 'angry', 'fed up' wiz 'er life and ze 'injustice' of eet all- eh?"

But, of course, much as she WANTED to have said all that herself, Penelope couldn't because that wasn't what Edwin (or anyone else that came to call) wanted to hear; so instead she replied politely as possible, "...Fine, Edwin. How are you?"

"Oh, you know: not up to par."

"-I'm sorry to hear that, Edwin. What's wrong?"

"I don't know where to begin."

EVERYONE groaned (in their heads; the microphones picked up *EVERYTHING*) at that.

"Are you having problems at work? Is your father giving you a hard time again?" Penelope queried in her usual sympathetic and endearing (well, Vanderman viewed her tone as such) way.

And from there, on and on he complained, saying that his father treated him like dirt just because at work he treated him like any other employee ("As you're SUPPOSED TO with *a JOB*, you imbecile!" snorted Fabiana with a roll of her usually-warm dark eyes) and had promoted the 'scruffy little jerk' foreigner with the accent OVER *him* due to some nonsense about productivity- that life at home was just as terrible because his mother was constantly nagging at him to clean his room -never mind that they had *servants*!- and ALWAYS took his father's side. "They're both always picking on me."

"-I'm sure that they just want what's best for you, Edwin."

"*Ha*! I'm never good enough for them."

("YOU'RE the one who has *NO idea* about being 'never good enough'-!" Pinocchio couldn't help but spit bitterly to himself, Fabiana giving him a small sad conspirital smile and Geppetto sighing deeply in response; they, too, knew *EXACTLY* what he meant.)

"...Maybe you should think about moving out; getting your own place."

"I could ...if I found someone to *live with*. -Actually, I've been thinking about that *a LOT* lately: my parents said they'd buy me a house if I settled down with a nice girl from a good family. ...I suppose they want grandchildren; typical. They only think about themselves."

("*Ahem*! POT, *meet KETTLE*!" Jiminy coughed into a tiny white-gloved fist.)

At Vanderman's last sentence, Penelope and Pinocchio both swallowed and took a deep breath before the former uttered shakily, "Do ...do you know anyone like that, Edwin? -Someone you'd want to MARRY and *settle down* with?"

"-Actually, that's something I wanted to talk to you about; and NOT *just* because you're *a WILHERN* -of course, the fact that your blood is as blue as ours would make my parents *VERY happy*. Oh, Penelope... you're my only friend- the *ONLY person* who cares about me, who listens to me.
“...Penelope, I think I'm falling in love with you."

("'*Je t'en pre*'! [*Oh, PLEASE*!]" gagged Sabina as her mother and Geppetto scoffed and Jiminy rolled his eyes; Pinocchio just bit his lip as he practically *felt* Jessica breathing down Penelope's neck.)

"You understand my feelings; you can *see BEYOND* my name, my money- my looks. Like you, I've spent all of my life feeling imprisoned by them; you KNOW I'm more than a rich, handsome aristocrat. And I know *you* must be more than your curse: you have the sensitivity to see the *REAL me*" ("WHAT do *YOU know* about 'real'?" Geppetto near-hissed derisively, making Pinocchio smile a little bit), "to let me show you how sensitive *I* am.
Let me *see YOU*, Penelope- the REAL you; let me see beyond your curse.
"I have this feeling, Penelope -dear, sweet Penelope-, that you're the one. -No, that's not right. I *know* you're the one, my one and only. You never nag me like my mother; YOU wouldn't care if I took naps after work- ...you accept me just the way I am. Penelope -is it at all possible that you feel the same about me?"

No one in the back room, especially Jiminy and even Pinocchio, could resist an amused 'snork' when Penelope murmured carefully while touching her snout to see if it was growing at all (the irony!!), "It's ...possible."

"Penelope, *please*- I'm begging you: come to me. Come out. Sweet Penelope, -*let me in*; Penelope, let me in."

It happened suddenly- Penelope moved so swiftly that she startled Pinocchio, whose feet slipped under him as they usually didn't; as Penelope swept into the living room through the two-way mirror, he fell over into the room himself at the same time with an "*Ouch*!"
And as he looked up, his soul sank, eyes widened, body froze, and his heartbeat quickened because THERE it was: *the LOOK*. -But this time, not only in Penelope's direction ...HIS, *as well*.

"...Omigod. Wha's- WHA- NOOOOO!! Don't come any closer; keep back!! Stay away from me! Somebody, *help me*!! *HELP me*!! She's *a PIG*!!! *It's ALIVE*!!
She's a KILLER PIG!! It's a LIVING DUMMY with *DONKEY parts*-!!"

......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

"How ya doin', Lemon?"

"-Not bad."

'Yeah, sure, Pops. You're not foolin' ANYBODY, let alone me,' snarked a tall-ish (malnourishment did not a giant make), lanky teenage boy with a snub nose, deep brown eyes, and scruffy hair a darkish shade of red clad in slightly shabby clothes in shades of brown and green with touches of yellow and black to himself with an eyeroll ...though a fond(ish) one.
Lemon (YES, *really*) Peter Moore may have still been a nobody reporter on the same old beat with an eyepatch that would make a pirate proud, but he still cared for his dad even though he'd been one angry, hurting kid way back when he'd knocked on a random door and then burst into his little apartment upon seeing the face that his Ma had hated until her dying day. ...Okay, *fine*- loved him. It just took him a while to admit it.

"Anything happening, Al?"

"Not much. Four-car pileup on the highway; break-in on Eighty-Fourth Street- a brawl behind the Madison."

"Any celebrities involved?" queried the redhead out of simple curiosity, shrugging his shoulders and adopting a casual attitude (hands in his jeans pockets and slightly slouching against the desk).

"Nah."

"-Meh; shoulda figured."

Then the door to the station suddenly burst open, and a distraught man resembling Draco Malfoy from the 'Harry Potter' series but with more horse-esque features than a ferret face and brown in his own shiny blond hair rushed in screaming as he looked over his shoulder fearfully (oh, hey; he had a British accent to match the comparison- whaddya know??), "HELP!! I need help! -Are they behind me?!"

"Something wrong, sir?" a sergeant asked politely.

"*I've been ATTACKED*!!"

"-Yes, sir. Who attacked you?"

"Not 'who', 'WHAT'!! A creature- a MONSTER!! You *have to* go after them; ARREST them, lock them up!"

A couple of cops and the lanky teen snickered as the sergeant behind the desk rolled his eyes. "...Yes, sir: a monster attacked you; *that's TERRIBLE*. Hey, Joe- we got any space in the tank for him to sleep it off?"

"I am *NOT* DRUNK!" the aristocratic-looking man exclaimed indignantly. "Do you know who I am?!"

"No, sir; I'm afraid I don't."

The teen himself didn't either ...but saw that *his POPS* did as he said to the other man, "-You're Vanderman's son, aren't you?"

"I am Edwin Humphrey Vanderman the III, yes, and I'm *telling you* that not just ONE, but *TWO monsters* attacked me!!"

"...Can you be more specific, please, Mr. Vanderman? What kind of monsters are they?"

"IT and *she*!"

"-Four arms, eight legs; head of a dragon?"

"No, no; two arms and legs each, *but WOODEN* like ALL OVER, *including* the *DONKEY parts*! And face of *a PIG*!"

Father and son drew in sharp breaths as the latter jerked from a flashback:

~"BLIMEY!! -Look what we just fished up off the bleedin' street: *a little wooden boy*!"

"*LOOK AT 'im*- he's made outta WOODEN SLATS! -I'm Lampwick. What's your name, Slats?"

"-My name's 'Pinocchio'."

"So what's your story, Slats? Why ya made outta wood??"

"Because I'm a puppet. But, I can become a *REAL boy*...!"

"C'mon; to hear you talk ...you'd think somethin' TERRIBLE was gonna happen to us.
"*Conscience* -RIGHT! What *a CROCK*...!"

"-Uh... Lampy, you might wanna check your-,"

"What do I look like to you?? A *jack-ass*?! *Hee-haw*!"

"Ha-ha! You SURE are- *haw*!"

"...Hey, you sound just like a- *nee-haw* donkey! -Did that come outta ME??"

"-Uh-huh...!"~

Lampwick Romeo Moore hardly registered the rest of the conversation between Vanderman and the sergeant- it was like his head was underwater again when he'd made a desperate leap off of the cliff after 'Slats' himself (presumably with his precious 'conscience' in tow) had jumped to escape Pleasure Island and the evil scumbag of a Coachman. How exactly he'd turned human again (and what he'd really done to deserve it), he'd never really found out- all he remembered was swimming for dear life until he reached the shore and collapsed exhausted onto it, waking hours later with the faint sounds of *someone FAMILIAR* at first humming and then singing what sounded like a lullaby through desperate heartbroken sobs ringing in his donkey ears even though Pinocchio himself was nowhere near, then feeling a slightly tingling *teardrop* fall onto his chest over his not-so-small-black-or-stone/ice heart before *PAIN* exploded through Lampwick's body as his tail disappeared, ears shrunk back down, face changed shape once again, and jackass pelt fell away...

He wasn't a newsreporter's son with street smarts for nothing: this wasn't just the son of a wealthy tycoon having a nervous breakdown; no, there was a *BIGGER story* here. But while the pig-girl thing made clear enough sense as he'd heard the story about the Wilhern Family Curse from Pops, ...WHAT did that have to do *with SLATS*?? According to just about every version of Pinocchio's story that he had read and seen/heard, he should be a 'real boy' *BEYOND by now*, right? Sure, more often than not (including in 'canon' AKA Carlo Collodi's original book), it took a couple of years- but *seven*!? Well, that WAS a magic number; but still...

And such as Lemon already knew about Penelope Wilhern's snout for a nose (the 'rights' for which to the story he'd lost his right eye for a la her mother wielding a soup ladle), LAMPWICK had seen from first spotting Pinocchio on a deserted crossroads after dark, scooping him up via the Coachman's net that everyone got a chance to use for 'collecting', and his landing hard smack-dab inbetween that slimeball and Lampwick that *BEFORE Pleasure Island* and all its gluttonous 'glory', he'd ALREADY possessed those dove-gray donkey ears and tail both longer than that of a usual 'jackass' and as wooden as the rest of him. The redhead had the feeling that ONLY *he himself* had seen this, however- that *even SLATS* *DIDN'T (yet) know about* his unusual additions that *surely* 'Signor' Geppetto had not originally included; his son was an outcast enough as it was...!

Lampwick only managed to drag himself out of his memories upon hearing his Pops saying to the sergeant about to haul Vanderman into a cell to 'sleep it off', "Wait- wait, hold on there, Victor. I think ...this guy's with me and Lampy.
"Come with us, Edwin; I personally want to hear all about your pig-lady ...and my son here was wondering: you were saying something pertaining to someone *wooden all over* with a donkey's ears and tail?? -He/She happen to have blue eyes, rosy cheeks, and a somewhat strange nose of their own as well...?"

"What does THAT matter??!" Vanderman sputtered in response to Lemon's casual query.

'Nothin' *to YOU* likely, ya bozo ...but a HECK of *a LOT* great deal to me,' the other Romeo said in his mind.

Chapter Text

Everyone on the 'Disney' side of the Wilhern family all shrank back and hid away from the *MASS hysteria* that had taken over the household: Jessica sobbing buckets of tears and wailing at the top of her lungs while Frank tried to comfort her, Wanda (understandably) screaming at Jake "WHAT do you *mean*, you *COULDN'T catch* him?!!" when she found out that Edwin Vanderman *HADN'T signed* the legal gag into secrecy before he had fled the premises; Jessica pacing back and forth while ranting before turning on Penelope and demanding *WHY* she had revealed herself *so soon*??! She could have PUT IT OFF!

"Mother, *what else* could I do? He was BEGGING me to come out; 'put him off'? For *HOW long*?? He was already saying that he loved me- eventually, he'd *HAVE TO see me*. I don't think that putting it off would have made ANY *difference* ...and again, I'M *NOT the one* who *ran*, Mother!
"YES, *yes*, *I ~KNOW~*: '...Do you think I showed your father *my MOLE* on *our* third date? NO, dear- *no*! I had the *good sense* to WAIT until *AFTER* we were married!' But *I* didn't show him my MOLE, Mother -*I showed him ~my FACE~*...!"

From there, it was the usual spiel of "Oh, sweetheart- he REALLY *LIKED you*!"

"NO, Mom; he really *didn't*."

"No, he *DIDN'T like* your *nose*!"

"...But, it -IS *MY nose*, Mother."
"*No*! It's your great-great-great-grandfather's nose, on your father's side! But YOU are *NOT* *your ~nose~*; you are NOT *you*! You're ...you're, you're- SOMEBODY ELSE inside that's *waiting to come out*...!"

"...I don't know if I can TAKE *any more* of this madness," Jiminy muttered with an eyeroll (meaning *JESSICA'S madness*, of course, NOT *Penelope's*).

Geppetto just sighed heavily and rubbed at his eyes tiredly, Fabiana and Sabina echoing the sigh and shaking their heads in saddened disgust ...which only intensified when Jessica suddenly squealed, "I can't believe we *DIDN'T think of* THIS *sooner*!! The Curse: there was no mention of NATIONALITY, was there?? 'Prince Charming', the man who can break the Curse; he has to be 'one of our own kind', but that *JUST means* a BLUE-BLOOD, right? -He doesn't HAVE TO be from *around here*, does he?

"All this time, we've been trying to find an aristocrat among our own local set -why not *a FOREIGN* one...?! Wanda, you said once that other nationalities have *DIFFERENT standards of beauty*: 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder', and some nationalities behold people differently from others! -Also!! Europe is *FULL* of decayed aristocracy: people with titles and castles but NO *money*, so a significant dowry could be very appealing to them!
"-*NO, Franklin*, we DON'T have to move to Europe; haven't you ever heard of Eurotrash?? The city's FILLED with ex-pat Europeans: they come here for temporary jobs, but then they want to stay, which *they CAN'T* because they need passports, green cards, visas, or something. -And WHAT'S the *EASIEST way* to get a *permanent* residency? *Marriage*!!

"We have to get to work on our database! There's a whole world full of foreign Prince Charmings out there, and we have to identify them; we need *ALL* the help we can get, and there's *NO time* to lose...!"

From THERE it was now a scurry and flurry of *excitement* (which Wanda was faking, but Penelope's parents didn't know that) that Geppetto, Jiminy, Fabiana, Sabina, and even Figaro and Cleo scoffed, groaned, and rolled their eyes at; not because they didn't believe in 'Nellie's' sweet strong spirit, but due to the thought of a 'foreign Prince Charming' *NOT screaming* at the sight of her nose -and ears-. *TRUE beauty* was found *within* ...but what would THAT matter to even those aristocrats whose various countries had different standards of *OUTER beauty*??

......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Once Vanderman had rushed out the front door screaming about a 'killer pig' and 'living dummy with donkey parts', a startled and scared Pinocchio had shakily stood up, brushed himself off, and shrunken back with the rest of his family and friends to hide away from Aunt Jessica's cold accusing glare.
He'd stood frozen by Father's side and mostly tuned everything out (mostly because he'd heard it all before ONLY *ten minutes ago*) ...but once he heard about the blond former socialite's newest idea to find 'Prince Charming', he hung his head and slowly shook it in sadness and disbelief, long gray 'burro' ears lowered and black-tufted same-colored tail swishing madly behind him as he felt his eyes go hot, heavy, and wet again while he tried to swallow away the lump in his throat.

Usually even if just back to their room, Pinocchio would have told someone where exactly he was going, -but currently he felt as though he would COMPLETELY *lose it* and do nothing but cry if he opened his mouth to even just *TRY TO speak*.
So he just silently slipped away back to their shared suite, only barely noticing that Figaro and Cleo were following closely at his heels in order to keep him company, or their gently nudging at his side and one of his arms with their noses while giving a respective would-be-soothing purr and sympathetic whimper when he reached the usually cozy and comforting large room and sank down beside one of the bookcases before curling up into a tight ball, wrapping his thin wooden arms around himself as he buried his face in his knees, then rocking back and forth and hugging himself as tightly as possible while his tear-filled eyes BURNED.

As optimistic and *NON-selfish* as he tried to be for himself and Nellie (and their family) daily, to 'have COURAGE, and *be KIND*', he just almost *COULDN'T take it anymore* at this point- practically DIDN'T *believe* anymore. It had been SEVEN *years*, up to now, of smashed broken windows and twisted/broken ankles via would-be-suitors and Jake's chasing after them and catching them in order to sign the legal gag into secrecy that would protect Penelope's (and Pinocchio's) privacy until finally shatterproof glass was installed and sneakers were bought for Jake; seven years of *the LOOK*, horrified screams, and terrified stutters...
WHEN, exactly, would it *ALL* *end*??! Was he supposed to still believe that if a *FOREIGN 'Prince Charming'* DIDN'T scream in French/Spanish/Italian/Norse/Danish/Swedish/German and run away, proposed tomorrow and then said 'I do' to Penelope some time later, *by now* not only would Penelope's curse be broken, but HIS OWN as well? *HIS OWN 'malocchio'* that SHOULDN'T have been *that kind* of magic spell in the first place, but something that should have been broken at least a couple of years ago if not right after his original adventures that sometimes had him still waking up at night choking back screams and tears whenever he dreamed of them??

He *knew* FULL WELL that the Blue Fairy, when she had come down and made the magic tunnel that would lead the Caspari family plus Jiminy Cricket from the shores of Siana, Italy to the front door of the Wilhern mansion, had sadly explained that she unfortunately could not break Pinocchio's part of the Wilhern Family Curse because it would lead to *a WAR* between the Fae and the witches if she did so, that this would be yet another ordeal he had to pass in order to be 'truly real' beyond the beholding of hers', Jiminy's, and Father's eyes outside of proving himself brave, truthful, and unselfish and learning to choose between right and wrong with the help of his conscience (inner and outer)- but, OH, how it *stung* ...how it *HURT* that because Pinocchio was *a WILHERN*, the only *TRUE way* to become 'real' -HUMAN- (and have his *NON-Pleasure Island-induced* donkey ears and tail wooden as the rest of him DISAPPEAR) was for 'one of their own kind' to FULLY *accept* his cousin/big sister Penelope just as she was 'til death did they part!!

Maybe it would have been for the better if she had *NEVER* *covered up* his cursed appendages when she'd granted Father's wish; at least THEN, he more than likely would have known what exactly to expect from people, even if it was only swearing, screaming, and being laughed at as he'd been the very latter via the other kids in the village when *LITERALLY kicked out* of school by the headmaster because ~"School is for *REAL children*; *NOT* ridiculous PUPPETS! *Puppets* belong in *puppet SHOW*!"~ on that wonderful-turned-awful morning long ago...
-Would HE have left him alone; *NOT hurt* him?? Or would Pinocchio have been considered by HIM as 'exotic cuisine' with his donkey ears and tail alongside his small body and 'pretty' face...?

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When the vicious storm swirling and howling inside of him seemed like it had abated at least for a little while, Pinocchio stilled, sniffed, and gingerly raised his head; he tried to smile upon feeling Figaro's and Cleo's soft warm fur gently brushing against his arms and face (and Cleo's tongue licking his cheek) in an attempt at comfort, but couldn't.
Even though no tears had fallen this time, he still wiped his face and under his eyes out of reflex with one hand while his other one reached out toward the bookshelf and his white-gloved fingers took hold of a familiar tome- this time NOT the Wilhern Family scrapbook, but a beautifully illustrated edition of Carlo Collodi's telling of the youngest Wilhern's life story. He laid the book on his lap, opened it, and flipped through the pages idly until he came upon what he was looking for ...and it wasn't what you would think he would be searching for given his current state of mind/heart/soul, either (the very end of the book when after staying up to study his school lessons and make rush baskets to sell until midnight rather than ten o'clock as his usual, he fell asleep and was visited by the Fairy with Turquoise Hair in a dream where she kissed him and said that she forgave him all the wrongs and mistakes of before because he had cared for his sick aging father so well, and when he woke up the next morning he was a *REAL HUMAN boy* at last).

-No, the page that Pinocchio stopped on and the passage that he brushed his fingers over instead had to do with a certain rapscallion red-haired freckled boy-turned-donkey that despite his cheating, laughing at, and teasing 'Slats' (as he'd apparently preferred to call Pinocchio; well, to be fair, his actual name WAS *rather long*-!) for his genuinely kind and sweet 'goody-two-shoes' nature even on Pleasure Island, Pinocchio could sense that there was STILL *a CONSCIENCE* deep inside of *him* and dearly wanted to be actual friends with him.
And this had only intensified when he had kicked over a pool table in the Coachman's and his terrifying shadow/fog minions' faces so that Pinocchio -with Jiminy thankfully in tow!- could not only escape their evil clutches, but hightail it (*heh*- LITERALLY!) off of Pleasure Island altogether; teasing and laughing at aside, he had basically saved Pinocchio's life- and through it all -despite certain nicknames- he had just seen 'Little Wooden-Head' as basically *another kid*, rather than a commodity to be sold, exploited, or gawked at...

#'Among Pinocchio's friends and schoolfellows, there was one that he greatly preferred and was very fond of. This boy's name was "Romeo", but he always went by the name of "Candlewick", because he was so thin, straight, and bright like the new wick of a little night-light.
Candlewick was the laziest and naughtiest boy in the school, but Pinocchio was devoted to him...'#

Would there ever come a day, 'Nocchi' wondered to himself wistfully as finally one tear escaped his lakes of eyes to trickle down a pale wooden cheek like a raindrop on a windowpane, when not only would the Curse be broken, but he saw Lampwick again- got a chance to thank him for saving his life while embracing him affectionately and kissing him between the eyes; ...to actually become his friend -if not more?
Or was he too late, and 'Lampy' was as gone as in 'Signor' Collodi's point of view...?

Chapter Text

~"-Father, with how I look now... puppet or not, I'm not going to be allowed inside school, am I?"

"...No, my little woodenhead; I'm afraid that you are right. Or *in TOWN ITSELF*, either."

"They'd be afraid- and laugh at me even more..."

"If not outright CURSING, apparently, I'm sorry to say, Pinoke."

"What- What will we do, then, if we CAN'T *go back HOME*??
"...M- Miss- *Miss Blue Fairy*?? It's you?"

"Yes, Pinocchio- it is I.
"...Oh lovesome child, I know what you are about to ask of me, but I cannot do it; not without causing great harm to others as a result."

"-Begging your pardon, 'signora', but what do you mean, exactly?"

"Good Geppetto who made a wish from the depths of his heart though his feelings were tangled and knotted like twine, -if I undid your son's part of the Wilhern Family Curse, then a WAR would wage between the Faeries and witches as the latter magical beings would consider the 'non-earning' as an insult of the MOST *grievous* kind.
"I dearly *TRULY* wish that I *was* able to, for it is *NOT deserved*, ...but I cannot."

"So, to be *TRULY real*, Pinokes still has to pass an ordeal, as you said earlier, Miss Fairy; a *FURTHER one*?"

"I'm afraid so, Sir Jiminy Cricket."

"-*Well, CRIMANITLY*! No offense meant, ma'am!"

"I- I don't ...I *DON'T want to* HURT anybody, so... so -if I can't be a REAL, real, *live* *LIVING* boy just yet ...I guess I'll just have to wait patiently until my cousin Penelope's Curse is broken. P- Positive thinking, right?"

"Oh, Pinocchio; my sweet Pinocchio... you have tried SO *VERY* *hard*, making mistakes along the way as one will, conscience or not; and just as your father is proud of you for it, so am I. -Come here, little one.
"Before I lead you and your family to your new home where you will be safe and protected, I want to tell you a secret- a great secret that will see you through all the trials that life can offer: always try to remember to have courage, and be kind. People like yourself and your father have more kindness in your little finger than most others possess in their WHOLE *bodies*; and it has *POWER*- more than you know."

"-*Kindness* has power??"

"*And MAGIC*- truly. Remember: when there is kindness, there is goodness; and when there is goodness, there is magic. And where there is *THAT kind* of magic, there is happiness.
"Even when things seem at their darkest and bleakest, please try to have courage and be kind, precious one. ...Will you promise me?"

"I ...I promise, Miss Blue Fairy."

"Good- good. And you DON'T *have to* call me 'Miss Blue Fairy', even though I know full well that you are just trying to be polite as is your wont!"

"-What, ...what should I call you then?"

"Amongst the Fae, one of the terms of respect for our kind is 'Aunt' (or 'Zia', in your language). So -just call me 'Zia Evelyn'."

"Al- Alright. ...You have to go after you take us to our new home, don't you?"

"Yes, Pinocchio; I do. Not only do I have other 'clients' to look after and grant wishes to, I have a family of my own as well. Perhaps someday, you can meet them."

"...Well, thank you for all you've been able to do, Z- Zia Evelyn; you tried *YOUR hardest*, too!"

"'Si, Signora Evelyn'- thank you with *ALL our hearts*."

"You are very welcome (though I was only able to do so little, in the end); and *thank YOU* very much, Pinocchio, for your kind words.
"-Now, just follow the blue light through that tunnel, and in a little while, it will lead you to the front door of the Wilhern mansion."

"...Goodbye, Zia Evelyn."

"Goodbye, sweet child- though it is not forever. I cannot say exactly when, but we shall meet again, I promise. Goodbye, good Geppetto- Sir Jiminy Cricket."

"'Arrivederci, fata gentile' (Goodbye, kind fairy)."

"So long, Miss -or *Mrs.*, I guess, if you have a family!- Evelyn..."

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

"...Oh, WHY *you again*?!?"

"Because, 'brother dearest', as you can CLEARLY see, *my own* child despite being wooden at first and not traditionally born as other children *has NOT* escaped the consequences of the Wilhern Family Curse anymore than poor Penelope has."

"Couldn't you all just STAY *in ITALY* where you *belong*?!"

"Sweet sister-in-law Jessica, if we COULD, *we WOULD*, believe you me. -But thank you very much, I would rather *NOT* risk Little Wooden-Head's safety any time soon again. SURELY, as a parent *alone*, you can understand that??"

"*You're* *NOT supposed* to BE HERE!!"

"Mom, what are you shouting about now? ...Oh; hello, Uncle Geppetto- or, 'Buongiorno, Zio', I guess!"

"Why, 'buongiorno' yourself, 'mi nipote' (my niece)! How *VERY nice* to FINALLY meet you!
"What a 'bellissima' (very beautiful) young woman you have become; eighteen years old you are now, yes?"

"...*Wow*; I think that you're the very first person who's ever actually MEANT that sans gaslighting AKA 'that's not your face', Zio!
"'Oui', yes, I *am* eighteen ...and how old is the cute little sweetie hiding behind you so shyly?"

"Ah; Pinocchio -I believe that he is around seven. Pinocchio, 'figlio mio' (my son), come out from there; come say 'Hello' to your cousin. No need to be so shy-!"

"H- Hel- Hello, cousin Penelope; how -how do you do?"

"Well, aren't YOU *the MOST* polite little gentleman that I've yet met...! Hello, Pinocchio; well enough, I suppose, as one can possibly be when cursed.
"-Not really sure how to respond to that one, huh? Can't say that I blame you, 'petit cousin' (little cousin)."

"...PENELOPE, *what* are you *DOING*!?"

"Oh, I don't know, Mother; WHAT *am* I doing?
"As far as I'm aware, ...currently being polite and courteous towards our estranged relatives whether or not they too have been touched by the family curse. Just because YOU *and DAD* dislike them for *WHATEVER reason* (and on that note, SHAME ON YOU, Father!! They're YOUR *blood*; what is your problem??!), doesn't mean that *I* have to; also, I *don't WANT* to!"

"...FINE; fine. From the looks of *you*, you can't go out in public yet anymore than Penelope can. Stay, if you need to; you *ARE* Franklin's blood family, loathe as I admit it.
"*But*, they are *YOUR responsibility* ALONE, Penelope Christina Wilhern- is that clear?"

"*Crystal*, Mother- Father.
"Come on, newest family members (pets included- no, I'm sorry, Sir Jiminy Cricket; I didn't intend to mean *you* in that category!); my bedroom suite should be big enough for all of us- a little tight at times, maybe, but hopefully you'll soon think of it as 'home'...!"~

......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

"Pinocchio -Pinocchio? Time to wake up, my little woodenhead."

Would-be-lashed large blue eyes heavily blinked open both at the sound of a familiar soft, kind voice and the affectionate stroking of a large semi-roughened hand along his black hair gently pulling their owner away from the Land of What-Had-Been into the realm of wakefulness.
When he turned over, rubbed his eyes, and beheld Geppetto's kindly handsome face smiling sweetly down at him, Pinocchio mustered up all of his strength to smile just as kindly back as he murmured "...Good morning, Father" while leaning up to sweetly kiss him on his lightly stubbled cheek and hugging him, -but found that he couldn't, try as he might.

'Good Geppetto', as the Blue Fairy Evelyn called him, took no offense whatsoever to his son's being unable to even somewhat grin at him this morning (after all, he had *tried*, and that counted in his eyes-!)- his own sky-blue eyes merely took on a sad glimmer as did his smile as he gently embraced him back and leaned down to press a kiss to his precious child's head. "Good morning, my son."

"Morning, Pinokes; up and at 'em! We've got a *BUSY day* ahead of us!" chirped Jiminy as he attempted a chipper tone while he jumped up from his matchbox bed on the night table beside Geppetto's and Pinocchio's own berth.

"-I know. Good morning, Jiminy," was all 'Pinokes' replied softly in a polite tone of voice.

'Oh, dear,' Fabiana thought to herself worriedly as she rose from her own bed and began to brush her medium-long dark curls.
'That doesn't sound quite promising, so far; he's TRYING, bless his sweet heart-! But- Oh, "per favore caro dio" (*PLEASE, dear God*)- don't let him lose hope as he once almost did; not our sweet boy...!'

Sabina mirrored her worried thoughts and prayers while doing her morning ballet exercises, and Penelope fretted herself while showering, putting on nice clothes, and brushing her hair, not liking the look in Pinocchio's eyes that practically mirrored her own now. He was almost always the cheerful, optimistic one sans the fakeness of her mother Jessica- did he have his own bouts of melancholy and submergence of bad memories occasionally? *Of course*! Everyone did -but not to the point of basically being young ...no, NO; that was *WAY too mean* a thought to finish, even if she didn't intend to say it in a bad way.
"Look at little Nestor, there's nothing he can do!/Nestor's heart was broken and his eyes were full of tears..."
Yes; that was better and nicer (if still sad) to refer to 'Nocchi as 'Nestor' than a 'young Eeyore' -his personailty, sad or not, was more like that of little Roo, anyway!-.

Clean of clothes and body as everyone else was for this special occasion -donkey ears and tail included-, Pinocchio just stood silently beside his family and friends in the back room with Jiminy perched on his shoulder- for once not even attempting to chat as he didn't really feel like talking.
Figaro and Cleo both rubbed their soft bodies along his legs, and he petted them gently in return; he knew that they were trying as Father, Nellie, Jiminy, Fabiana, Sabina, and even Miss Wanda were, and he appreciated it; the very former tenderly rubbing the shoulder unoccupied by his 'conscience', and second and third females (one darker than the other in skin-tone and with hair more dark brown than black) giving him a gentle sympathetic smile while they all watched foreign aristocrats of various European backgrounds nervously mingle with each other in the living room.

But Pinocchio KNEW *full-well* what was going to happen despite praying/hoping/wishing/dreaming otherwise, and his heart, soul, and spirit shattered further when Penelope strode from behind the mirror in amongst the would-be suitors with a blithe "Hello, I'm Penelope! And you must be-," And from there, she was cut off with a dead silence as expressions ran the gamut from shock to terror. Response times varied, but within *seconds* there was a crush at the other door as they all tried to get out at the same time. "...Late for tea?" the curly-haired brunette with big hazel eyes finished in the same tone as before while turning and going back out the way she came in.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------—————————————————————————————————

There was the usual pandemonium and tumult in response to suitors running away ...but this time, Pinocchio didn't hear it; not in full, only partially. It was as if he was underwater, any and all sounds muffled/muted as his ears rang, eyes blurred, and body shook. Feeling as though there were a *BOULDER of salt* lodged in his throat, he suddenly swung around with his hands clenched into tight fists at his sides to face his family.
He didn't say a word verbally, but *the LOOK* in his eyes all but SOBBED and *screamed* 'I *TOLD you*!! *I ~TOLD~ YOU*!!' before he abruptly whipped around again and blindly ran he DIDN'T *care* where as he broke down into tears he could no longer fully hold back or least keep quiet.

"*Pinocchio*!!" Fabiana exclaimed out of heartbreak, tears glistening in her own dark eyes as AWFUL memories came rushing back to a brief dark time when the downpour outside of a Romany caravan had matched a (quiet) storm of tears. "Oh, no; *PLEASE, no*- not again...!"

"'Mon cher ami' (My dear friend), come back!" Sabina worriedly cried, holding out her slender brown arms hopelessly as if to catch the brokenhearted stringless marionette in a warm hug and clasp him to her breast while he cried.

"Pinoke- kiddo, please don't run away!" Jiminy choked out from where he'd landed not quite softly in the palms of Geppetto's hands after being accidentally shaken off, his own soul splintering at the horrid sight he had just beheld, wishing more than ever to be able to comfortingly embrace the sweet cursed boy whom he had eventually grown to love as his own son as much as he was Geppetto's.

Geppetto's voice shook when he said as gently as possible with tears spilling down his own cheeks, "J- Jiminy, let ...let him be for now. It's- it's what's ki-kindest at present; but *oh, my poor little woodenhead*- my precious boy ...my poor son-!"

Figaro meowed softly in answering sympathy as Cleo whined dolefully, their own golden and deep blue eyes shining from tears.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

His heart and soul BURNED as much as his damp- no, *SATURATED eyes* as Pinocchio wept on the balcony railing of his family's shared suite. He blurrily looked up at where the North/Wishing Star would be if it were night, choking out through sobs, "...*I'm sorry*, 'Zia' Evelyn; *I'm SORRY*-! I said that I'd have courage; but I *don't*- not anymore!
"I- I just *CAN'T believe*; there's NOTHING *left* to believe in ...*NOTHING*! I *DON'T believe* anymore...!"
He whimpered heartbrokenly as he unconsciously shoved the side of his white-gloved hand into his mouth, tears falling so thick and fast that they actually dropped off of his face and nose down onto the ground below.

'*Splat*!' "'What a curious thing! There is not a single cloud in the sky, the stars are quite clear and bright, -and yet it is *raining*! The climate in the north of Europe is really dreadful; the Reed used to like the rain, but that was merely her selfishness. -What is the use of a statue if it cannot keep the rain off? I must look for a good chimney-pot.
"'Who are you? ...The "Happy Prince"? Why are you weeping, then? You have quite drenched me.'"

...*No*; no, it just *COULDN'T be*-!!

Pinocchio's tear-filled cerulean-blue orbs for eyes opened wide asudden at the sound of the familiar rough Brooklyn-accented male voice speaking a passage from classic literature so flawlessly when usually he was so crude and curt from where he stood cool as you please below, older and taller, still wearing slightly ragged clothes of dark brown/black and green on his tall lanky, thin-yet-muscled frame, complete with newsboy cap perched atop his scruffy darkish-red hair, usually hard deep brown eyes now WARM and *soft* with fond affection mingled with genuine sympathy toward Pinocchio within his long-yet-rounded *HUMAN* freckled and tanned face (now scrubbed clean of any traces of soot or dirt as opposed to when he had first met him) as his snub nose wrinkled in response to a sharp smile now softened/gentled.
"*Nothin'*, Slats? Now I know you *don't REALLY* believe that; if you'd lost *ALL* your faith, back then and now, not only would *your POPS* not be here, *I* couldn't be, either- and here I am...!"

Pinocchio gasped softly, raising his shaking hands to his mouth as his heart beat fast in his chest. "...*Lampwick*??"

"In the flesh and HUMAN, Literal-Doll-Face; ah, NOT that I'm tryin' to rub it in your face, or anything-!"

'My ears have not yet drunk a hundred words of that tongue's uttering, -yet I know the sound...!' Never had Juliet Capulet's words from the Balcony Scene been more appropriate-!

Chapter Text

Lampwick's heart had *SHATTERED* when he saw JUST *HOW near-to-losing hope* the usually sweet and cheerful live stringless marionette puppet was, crying on a balcony railing as though his heart and soul were not just broken, but *crushed*, tears glistening in his own dark brown eyes briefly before he started to quote 'The Happy Prince' when one of Pinocchio's tears had actually landed on his cheek like a drop of rain; could have *KICKED himself*, though, for 'In *the FLESH*, Literal-Doll-Face!'
NICE *goin'*, Lampy; rub it in further, why dontcha...??!

But Pinocchio, bless his not-so-little heart, had *NOT taken offense* and didn't think that the tall lanky freckled redhead was unintentionally or not trying to make fun of him like he had way back on Pleasure Island- he just smiled sweetly and tremblingly while wiping at his eyes as he uttered softly looking down at Lampwick, "You're- you're... y-*you're ALIVE*!! I- I wasn't really sure if you were- i-if you were o-okay or not-!"

Lampwick gave an affectionate scoff. "What- ya weren't sure if I was lyin' down dyin' on a bed of straw or somethin'? -Nah, Slats, m' fine! Fit as a fiddle and right as rain, thanks to you..."

"M-*Me*??" Pinocchio squeaked with a flick of his (cute) long gray wooden ears and tail as his large eyes the color of the sky's reflection on the ocean widened again in his pale rounded-heart face framed by thick-seeming bangs of raven-black hair, one small white-gloved hand fluttering to over his heart from surprise and shock.
"What ...WHAT could *I* have possibly done to- to make you human again?? I'm just a- j-just a cursed puppet-boy!"

"-Maybe, yeah; but one who was *brought to life BY A FAIRY* as the result of your Pops Geppetto's dearest wish. ...And I'm pretty darn sure that said Fae helpin' you out in some way (probably to do with your pa, from the way you were sobbin' in-between lyrics of her theme song) kinda sped things along, which I'm MORE THAN *thankful* for.
"Gotta tell ya, though- *it HURT* turnin' back to human!" he couldn't help but pout.

His soul warmed and lips twitched upward into a genuine smile again upon hearing Pinocchio's soft giggle when he responded with, "I'm *AWFUL sorry* that you were hurting while you turned back, Lampy! Are you okay now?"

"Jus' fine, 'Nocchi. ...I'd ask 'Yourself?' as is common courtesy, -but pretty sure I already know the answer *to THAT*," Lampwick mumbled at the end of his sentence, scuffing the ground with his sneaker.

His cheeks flushed warm from pleasure, though, upon Pinocchio's sweet response through a smile that was now a little coyly shy as he subconsciously made as if to tuck a lock of hair behind his ear while leaning on the railing. "I'm- I'm actually doing *A LOT better* now that you're here, alright, and well; I was real worried about you.
"-Haven't been doing so great lately, admittedly."

"How long you been like this outside of 'birth', Slats??" Lampwick queried while looking up at him.

"-Seven years," Pinocchio said quietly, clasping his right arm with his left hand.

Lampwick was GOBSMACKED. "*Geez Louise*!! NO WONDER you were cryin' your eyes out a couple o' minutes ago-!
"...You're *a WILHERN*, aintcha?"

"Uh-huh." Pinocchio nodded slightly with a slightly guilty grin and shoulder-shrug. "Penelope's father and my father are brothers; they don't really get on, though -and we don't *know WHY*, either."

"-Ya get on any better with your aunt, Slats?"

He couldn't help but sharply jerk in response to Pinocchio's sudden BITTER *hurt* "...*HA*-!!" paired with his trembling body, lowered ears, and switching tail. "-Never mind; guess that I SHOULDA known the answer *to THAT* ...sorry!"

"S' okay," Pinocchio mumbled before running his teeth over his bottom lip and rubbing his arm that he was still holding onto.
Then he brightened and said, "But Nellie and I (and Father) get along just fine, at least! We might be shut up together, but at least we have each other- and have some kind of fun in the process...!"

**********************************************************************************************************************

They talked back and forth for about seven more minutes before Lampwick's phone alarm beeped from his jeans pocket.
The redhead groaned but took a quick look before slowly looking up at Pinocchio's small wooden being clad in colorful clothing again and saying reluctantly, "...I gotta go now, Slats; that's the deal my own Pops and I agreed on: I can visit ya as long as the guy that *DIDN'T run from* Miss Penelope Wilhern does, but when he leaves, then I have to as well."

Pinocchio was disappointed himself, Lampwick could see, but gave him a bright smile when he inquired hopefully, "So you'll be back tomorrow, Lampy?"

"-Yeah, I will be, doll. Gotta say 'so long' and skedaddle now, though, or Pops'll verbally give me what-for; ...see ya 'round!" 'Lampy' waved with his own beaming grin before beginning to climb the wall of the courtyard the way he'd clambered in.

"Goodbye, Lampy! See you tomorrow; I can't wait-!" Pinocchio waved back.

And as the redheaded former donkey-boy and dark-haired blue-eyed little puppet respectively were driven away and walked back inside the house, the same lyrics from a song echoed in their minds and hearts/souls while thinking about each other:

~The parade traveled on;

With the sun in my eyes, you were gone-
But I knew, even then
In a crowd of thousands
I'd find you again...!~

Chapter Text

Pinocchio's dreams that night once again were linked to the past, and at one point became a bit scary rather than sad, but once the bad parts had passed, they were fairly sweet and even funny at some points when his imagination filled in the blanks; hence, the next morning he woke up with a genuine smile on his face and sparkling eyes when Geppetto gently shook him awake. "Good morning, Father!" he nearly practically sang as he gave Geppetto a big hug, almost bouncing out of bed as he hadn't since he was a very young boy.

He heard Fabiana and Penelope laugh delightedly at the much-preferred change, which Geppetto echoed if a tad more softly as he hugged his beloved child back and kissed him on the head. "And a *VERY good morning* to YOU, 'mio gioia' (my joy)!" he said happily.

"'Buongiorno', Jiminy!"

After the ABSOLUTE *MESS* the day before, aforementioned quasi-cricket conscience was *extremely* non-plussed to now hear 'Pinoke' as cheerful as he had used to be, but certainly very happy that he *WAS genuinely happy* again; -even knowing that a certain redheaded 'donkey-boy' whom he was still just a bit unsure about even though he HAD kicked that table over into the Coachman's and his goons' faces so that he and Pinocchio could escape Pleasure Island was more or less the cause of said joyful elation.
"M- 'Morning, Pinokes! Beautiful day outside, isn't it?"

"'I hear nothing, not even a sound on the streets of New York- just the beat of my own heart. *I have MAIL*. From YOU'," Fabiana teased yet said sincerely, her own eyes twinkling.

"'Don't you love New York in the fall?'"

Now Pinocchio looked as though he would blush red as one of Penelope's damask roses if he had the ability; as it was, his cheeks felt like they would catch on fire, they were that hot. "Z-*Zia Fabi*!! SABINA! It's- It's NOT-! It's NOT *like THAT* *just yet*! We just- We only just met up again y-yesterday...!"

"-Uh-huh; sure, Pinokes. JUST *friends*, hmm? I think I can see your nose growing a couple of inches again."

"Now, Jiminy-! Don't tease our little woodenhead like that!"

As honorary aunt/pseudo-godmother and cousin, father, and conscience playfully bickered while everyone got dressed, washed faces, and brushed teeth and hair in preparation for the much better day ahead, Penelope's hazel long-lashed orbs for eyes slid over and locked onto Pinocchio's large azure-blue ones, and they shared a embarrassed-yet-happy smile as they subconsciously thought the same quote owing to two certain scruffy-haired but cute/handsome guys: '"I turn on my computer- I wait impatiently as it boots up; I go online, and my breath catches in my chest until I hear three little words ...'*You've got mail*'!"'

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Lampwick Moore was not usually a guy who went for 'mushy-gushy' stuff, but with movies, he had a couple of exceptions: 'The Princess Bride' (Cary Elwes slapped as he did in 'The Cat Returns', it was a classic, and who didn't love fantasy even if there WAS *a kissing scene*??), 'Sense and Sensiblity' (again, classic with Jane Austen without being overrated as P & P was, plus Alan Rickman in a *NON-villainous* role), the 'Princess Switch' series (Vanessa Hudgens outside of 'High School Musical', cooking plus Christmas, a sweet family sideplot, and a Prince-and-Pauper switch which was great if done right), and 'You've Got Mail'; the latter of which he was idly thinking of a quote from as he once again climbed the wall and balcony of the Wilhern mansion- little did he know it, the same one as Fabiana and Sabina had teased Pinocchio with earlier plus the one he and Penelope had subconsciously thought together.

And when he knocked on the door/window frame and heard the boy he affectionately called 'Slats' (better than 'Woody', no offense to the 'Toy Story' sheriff; but Steve Barron and David Doyle of the live-action 1996 adaptation of Pinocchio's story, *WHY* have his counterpart call the live puppet that???) happily exclaim as he rushed over, "*Lampy*!!", he could have sworn that he heard computer noises plus a little 'ding!' before a friendly automatic robot chirped 'Welcome! You've got mail!'
His breath was almost knocked out of him from the sudden expected friendly hug that Pinocchio gave him at the doorway, but Lampwick just chuckled and returned the warm embrace; they'd saved each others' hides, after all- so why be shy or try to be a 'tough guy' about their meeting up again? Besides, he gave some pretty nice hugs; genuinely-affectionate, warm and soft despite his being made of wood... "Hey, 'Nocchi; said I'd be back, didn't I?"

"THAT *you DID*, young man- and thank you very much for keeping your promise; also, *THANK YOU* for *saving my son's life*...!"

Oh- RIGHT. Much as Lampwick wanted to pretend, they weren't alone; Pinocchio's family consisting of his pops, conscience, the dancer and her own marionette kid whom 'Slats' had said had done their best to help him out back when he had been sold to then kidnapped by Stromboli, his cat, goldfish-turned smallish-dog, and cousin/pseudo secret sister (the very latter of which he was not going to be able to meet just yet due to the hopefully-suitor known as 'Maxwell Campion') were all behind them, and the redhead couldn't help but gulp nervously as he turned around, still holding on loosely to Pinocchio -not that the donkey-eared/tailed wooden teen had let go of him yet, either-.

Geppetto still looked the same as he did in the 1940 Disney movie, but with a smaller nose and currently not wearing glasses (Pinocchio had said that they were just for reading or working). Jiminy Cricket also was pretty much the same save for actually being GREEN as Elphaba Thropp and appearing a bit more insect-like. Fabiana had the warmest, kindest, darkest eyes that he had ever seen, dark curly hair that fell just below her shoulders, soft tanned skin, a sweet face a blend between classic beauty and modest prettiness, a slender-yet-rounded build, -and as he'd been told, an injured leg that was slowly but surely getting better, and Sabina the beautiful ballerina marionette-turned-human was brown-shaded all over -hair, skin, and eyes-.

There was just a bit of apprehensiveness in all their eyes, which was more than understandable. Just about every interpretation of Lampwick (Collodi's 'original' story included) portrayed an often not-really-nice guy even if he had befriended Pinocchio, and saved the actual live 'burattino's' life in reality; plus, he HAD knocked 'Dr. Hopper' over and down with his pool cue with "Screwball in the corner pocket" even if they hadn't argued with each other and caused Pinocchio to choose between them almost too late...

He wasn't really sure how to break the ice without being his usual flippant self, not wanting to be impolite or rude, so just stammered in response to Mr. Geppetto's warm-enough greeting towards him with slightly red cheeks and a fast-beating heart, "You're- You're welcome, S-Signor; *m-more than*-!"
Then he added first politely, then shamefully, "N-Nice to meet you both, Sig- Signora Fabiana and Signo- Signorina Sabina; m' *REAL* GLAD that *someone* was in 'Nocchi's' corner besides his pops, conscience, and pets! And- ah... uh, *speakin' of* 'conscience'... M' s-sorry that I kn-knocked you down like that on Pleas-Pleasure Island, Mr. Cricket; h-hope I didn't hu-hurt ya too badly...!"

All of the adults (well, *Sabina* was NEARLY an adult) chuckled kindly, saying in the same tone one by one, "And *welcome to YOU*, Lampwick Moore!"

"Pinocchio's a sweetheart, which you clearly know by now; I was more than happy to try and help him get away from Stromboli's grubby self, and would have whether he was wooden, human, or otherwise!"

"It is as 'Maman' said; plus, 'e is a rather *GOOD dancer*!"

"It's true- you DID knock me over and down on Pleasure Island in that pool hall with a cue stick (I think the middle of my back twinged as a result for *a WEEK*!); but as a result of that, I found out just what was going on. Also, you pretty much saved Pinoke's and my hides when you kicked a pool table in the Coachman's and his goons' faces, hence giving us a chance to escape and jump into the sea so we could swim for home.
"So, by and large: thank you very much for the apology, for basically rescuing us, and for keeping your promise to Pinokes just yesterday when you two happened to meet again-!"

Geppetto could see that Lampwick was getting even more embarrassed and discomfited even as he mumbled another "...You're more than welcome", so laughed softly again before saying to the two male teens gently with a slight shooing motion of his hands, "Alright, 'ragazzos' (boys)- you can go off and play now, so to speak."

Poor Lampwick practically FLED the room with Pinocchio at his side, not being used to giving apologies or having them kindly received, except once, seven years ago to his pops; and that had been after a whole lotta anger and hurt (and yes, he would admit it- *tears*) on his end.

......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

As they reached a cozy room beside the family suite 'outfitted' with comfy soft chairs, a pool table, a piano, and a small fridge that was mainly filled with drinks, after breathing a long sigh of relief, Lampwick noticed Pinocchio's long gray wooden ears flick back and swivel a little.
"S' up, 'bambolotta'?" he queried.

Pinocchio's lips quirked upwards as he said with a slight snicker (not a mean one, though) while taking a couple of Mexican Cokes out of the little fridge and opening them with a church key before handing one to 'Lampy', "-Nellie's trying to find Max Campion's instrument."

"She do that with all her would-be-suitors??"

"Nuh-uh; he's the first."

"What an honor... Y' know, I owe ya a game of pool; whaddya say? Do-over match?"

"-'Bene; sicuro' (Alright; sure). One condition: NO *cheating*."

"*Scout's honor*, no cheatin', Slats! First move's yours.
"-What's he playin' on all those musical doodads; d' ya know?"

"'You Are My Sunshine'."

"Huh-! Wonder if he knows that's ACTUALLY a pretty *depressin'* song when ya listen to it *in FULL*; if *ANYBODY* *THESE days* knows it...
"My turn, huh? Four in the corner; HA! Gotcha."

"You have to admit- it's got a soothing melody ...but *oh GEE*, are you RIGHT! *BLEAK* and *dispiriting* once you read/hear *ALL OF the lyrics*."

"-You play anything yerself, just outta curiosity?"

"Piano, guitar, and harp. The flute, too; but I mostly prefer -don't you DARE *laugh*!- stringed instruments."

Lampwick couldn't help but muffle a chortle behind his hand at Pinocchio's unintentional quip- then said to soothe any bruised feelings as he took his own next shot, "I play the piano m'self, occasionally. Yeah, I know; don't really seem like the type of guy to do somethin' like that, eh?"

"Each to their own, as Jiminy would say; and stereotypes are just RIDICULOUS and *STUPID*, anyway!"

"GAH; *TELL ME about it*...!! 'Specially the ones owin' to *gay guys*- I mean, *'DAI'* (*COME ON*)!"

"*Ugh*; yeah, they're almost the worst-!"

"-Miss 'Nellie' play anything?"

"Piano, too; THAT was *a COUP*, she told me- her parents managed to find a *blind* piano teacher."

"...Color me impressed, Slats! -Ah, *'mannaggia'*! Scratched it."

"Something wrong with the table being tilted or something, Lampy?"

"Nah; everyone misses now and again. But VERY *funny*, Mr. Cheeky-!
"'Kay, Slats; your shot."

"-He's stopped, but she's not done guessing. Now he's asking Nellie what *she* plays."

"She tellin' him?"

"...No; he's setting up a chess board on his side of the mirror. She DOES play that with Unc- Uncle Frank, and she's pretty good."

"If that's the case, on opposite sides of the mirror or not, he'd better prepare to be beat, the poor sap-!"

"Mm-hm... Lampy?"

"Yeah?"

"Are- Are you s-still wondering wh-why I didn't- didn't... y' know- 'bust up any of them cuckoo clocks' on Pl-Pleasure Island?"

"...You can say that's NONE of *MY business* if ya want; m' not gonna push it if you *DON'T feel like talkin' about it*, doll. Ya don't owe me any explanations...!"

"I- I kinda *do*, since- since you pretty much saved m-myself and Ji-Jiminy from the Coachman. NOPE- *nuh-uh*; I do owe you that one at least, and you know it!
"When- When I said that th-they looked like- like *MY FATHER'S clocks*, I di-didn't just m-mean in- *in general*: he- he c-carved them all -e-each and ev-every one- for- for his w-wife b-before she and his o-other son died."

"...*WOW*. I have NEVER felt *MORE like a jerk*; *NO WONDER* your eyes and face looked so *shattered* when we were floatin' through the Clock-Stoppers, and why ya DIDN'T do it.
"That grandfather clock face that I fired my sling-shot at; it looked like your pops' mug with his glasses on, didn't it?"

"Uh- Uh-huh..."

"-Never been MORE *glad* that I've been *FIXIN' clocks* whenever I've found a broken one, now, for all these years."

"U-Um, if- if you *DON'T mind me* asking ...*why*??"

"Every time I see someone smashin' a timepiece in a movie -say, that scene in 'Hook' where said bad guy encouraged Peter's son Jack not only to 'make time stand still', but *bust up HIS FATHER'S WATCH* that had been entrusted to him-, or get so angry that I almost want to do it again, I see your face- your eyes- hear *your VOICE* sayin' softly in that sad, scared way, '...They look like *MY FATHER'S clocks*', and it stops me cold.
"-That also how ya knew not to pull out root beer, or felt like ya knew?"

"Pr-Pretty much. Wasn't sure if you'd be driven into a flashback or not."

"Wanna know the truth? (No pun intended, I promise.) Every time I drink the stuff either out of a glass or from a can -rarely from a tap; nobody seems to do soda fountains anymore-, I think about you; how we kinda talked together as we played pool on the Island even though I was bein' a jerk to ya."

Again, if Pinocchio's pale cheeks could have gone red, they would have; but they didn't feel as embarrassingly fiery like earlier. This time, it was more of a pleasant warm flush that would have caused his face to become rosy in a more pink sense had he been human- a warm pleasant flush that caused him to shyly smile and latently try to brush a lock of hair away from his face and tuck it behind his ear as he hunched his shoulders a little.
"We-Well, that m-might have been, but even though you said 'Look at 'im! He's *made outta WOODEN SLATS*' upon first meeting me after I was scooped up in the Coachman's net and dumped onto the front seat of his carriage driven by those poor little donkeys, just after that, you *CORDIALLY introduced yourself* to me and nicely-enough asked what my name was; even with the occasional comment of 'blockhead', you answered my questions when I asked them, and when the Coachman pulled the carriage to a sharp stop after I foolishly said aloud that I DIDN'T *TRUST him*, you caught hold of me and prevented me from falling off...!

"Long and short of it, Lampwick Romeo Moore: even- even if you WERE kind of a jerk to me on Pleasure Island and l-laughed at me somewhat, it was- it was in t-the way that you would have teased and heckled *ANY* 'goody-two-shoes' kid. You didn't and *DON'T care* that I'm made of WOOD; you just saw and see *another person*...!
"I may not have trusted the Coachman, but I *trust YOU*."

"...Th-Thanks, 'Nocchi; means *a LOT* t' me. Heh- screwball in the corner pocket; you win!"

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Just then, with the next flick and swivel of his ears, Pinocchio's *tail* lashed about as he jumped and gave a sharp startled gasp with his hands over his heart- Lampwick could practically hear his heartbeat POUNDING in his small thin chest.
Concerned, he moved around to the sweet dark-haired boy, wanting to lightly put his hands on his shoulders but not sure how he'd take it in his spooked state- so he gently tapped the side of his foot against Pinocchio's own. "Hey- what's wrong, 'stellino'? What made ya jump like that?"

Slowly Pinocchio eased off his slight shaking as his heart lessened its thudding; though it shyly beat softly upon feeling Lampwick's light touch of one foot against his own like he was afraid to scare him off with a hand on his shoulder or back and heard his gentle anxious words. "M-Mister- Mr. M-Max Campion just kn-knocked on Nellie's w-'window', s' all."

"Must've been a pretty hard and sharp sound for ya to hop a la Dr. Hopper like that, huh? ESPECIALLY to *YOUR ears*...!"

Pinocchio flinched and rubbed them while nodding. "He's- He's saying '*Come on*; you've gotta get outta there SOMETIME!'"

"Guess they were talkin' while playin' chess, and he brought up a place that he'd like to take her out to."

"S' pretty much it; he's not mad, though; just upset on her behalf.
"-He says that she's not missing much. Is that true?"

"-Well, what kinda places is Maxy talking' about?"

By this time, Pinocchio had edged himself closer to Lampwick, almost leaning into the taller boy's chest and unconsciously taking a hold of his hand. "Some- Someplace called the Cloverdilly Pub, street fairs, the park..."

Lampwick placed a gentle 'free' hand on Pinocchio's arm and near-laid his scruffy dark red head against 'Slats' own obsidian one with a soft smile. "The Cloverdilly's pretty darn great; you can get *NON-alcoholic* drinks if ya prefer, good music- an' Jack the bartender's a chump if I ever knew one, for an adult.
"The park is AWESOME: lotta trees, a lake with a boathouse where you can rent a canoe if you want to go rowing, a big fountain with a statue of an angel that you can throw coins into for good luck, lots of benches where you can look out at others on the lake, watch kids play on the playground, or just sit and read/write/think- there's a lot of flowers linin' the paths in spring. It's really nice at night, too; lights up everywhere while people take walks ...s' kinda romantic, actually.
"Street fairs; I've never really been to 'em."

"Brings up bad memories, like with amusement parks?" Pinocchio queried sympathetically.

"-Not really, actually, Slats. You'd think that it WOULD, and it did on the latter for a while ...but the reason I haven't really gone to any of 'em (again) is be-because ...because I wanted to d-do so with- with you, if I ever saw ya again."

Pinocchio was dumbstruck from awe, wonder, shock, and shy joy, feeling as though he had been struck by lightning made out of starlight as a result of Lampwick's bashful amatory yet sweet comment. Timidly, he raised the hand not holding Lampwick's own up to the elder boy's face, having to rise on his tiptoes to just be able to tenderly cup 'Lampy's' cheek, rubbing a cotton-covered thumb over the smooth freckled tanned skin as he locked deep-yet-bright blue eyes with dark brown.

Lampwick shakily breathed in and out from the sweet doll's tender touch, wanting more than anything right then to pull Pinocchio up close to him and kiss the beautiful boy full and passionately on the mouth, but his own conscience warning him, '*Don't you DARE*; NOT *just yet*...!!'
He thankfully listened even though he was tempted to throw a mallet at it, and only affectionately stroked at 'Nocchi's' raven-black bangs of hair and his own snow-pale face, which aforementioned boy didn't flinch at, but merely gave a soft happy sigh and leaned into the gentle caresses like he was not-so-little-anymore Figaro.

Once more just a few minutes later, Pinocchio's ears buffeted themselves about and flicked as did his tail. "...She just proclaimed 'Check-mate', Lampy. I think you'll have to leave soon," he said quietly.

"*Dagnabbit*; figured-! I'll- I'll see ya tomorrow then, 'Nocchi."

"-See you tomorrow, Lampy."

They were loathe to pull away from each other, but had to until the next day.

Chapter Text

As his pops, Vanderman Junior, and Campion bickered about the very latter's intentions and whether or not he was truly going to go through with the plan owing to getting Penelope's picture and why, Lampwick drowned it out in the back of his mind while once more climbing up first the garden/backyard wall, then up to the balcony of the pseudo-secret family's shared suite in order to see his best friend and semi-secret flame/sweetheart.
This time, funny enough, 'Slats' wasn't at the 'door' even though his family and friends (again, sans 'Nellie', due to her own hopefully-suitor on his third visit) were as they greeted him warmly. -He soon figured out why, though.

Just as he had finished his own 'How-do's', Lampwick's ears caught the sound of a piano softly playing from the 'pool room'; and only one person besides Penelope (as far as he knew, not knowing if either Mr. Geppetto, Sir Jiminy, Miss Fabiana, or Signorina/Mademoiselle Sabina played any kind of instrument) could be pressing the ivory and ebony keys...
The beautiful, wistful song being played was not only "Victor's Theme" from Tim Burton's 'Corpse Bride' as composed along with the score by Danny Elfman, but his deleted song "Erased", Lampwick calling the first part of the lyrics to his mind as he listened near-reverently while edging forward- ~'In just a few short days, my world has tumbled upside down; this *BORING life* that I had known, was FINALLY *turning 'round*, and I had *heard a CALL*: that I had *met the one that I was meant for*- that I might have *a PLACE THERE* AFTER ALL...'~

When not half-closed or open with a soft, dreamy and tender expression within those sparkling azurine depths like the reflection of the sky on the ocean, Pinocchio's eyes were gently shut as his small white-gloved pinewood hands didn't just dance but waltzed on the keys, his 'asino' ears and tail both relaxed as was his colorfully-clad slender body and literally-doll-like face from under his carved thick onyx-dark bangs of hair. Even yesterday, Lampwick had never seen his 'dolce amico' (sweet friend) appear so quietly joyful- calm yet carefree.
It was more than just *beautiful* to him: such a wondrous sight was ENCHANTING- *enthralling*...! He almost didn't want to break *THIS KIND of spell*- but the temptation to actually be near 'Nocchi was too strong, so he walked forward quiet as a mouse (or maybe rat was more appropriate for him; in a *GOOD/POSITIVE way*, but still-) and sitting down just as silently beside the younger cursed Wilhern on the piano bench, beginning to play the finale of 'The Nightmare Before Christmas'.

He heard Pinocchio softly gasp and saw his eyes open wide and his jaw drop a little as his long gray wooden-as-the-rest-of-him donkey ears flicked over in his direction, his body stiffening from surprise; once again, Lampwick could hear the younger boy's heartbeat thunder in his small thin chest, and he smiled softly with warm eyes as he did something that he rarely took part in even while playing at home- *he SANG* quietly in a lovingly tender timbre, thrilling in his own pounding heart as his own little doll played along with him, eventually joining in with his own sweet voice as well.

~"My *DEAREST friend*,
If you don't mind, I'd like to *join you by your side*
Where we can gaze into the stars twenty lightyears south of Mars-
Where we can sit together, you and I...
And stay together *NOW AND FOREVER*;
For it is PLAIN, as *anyone* can see:
-We're *simply MEANT TO BE*..."~

When they were finished, Lampwick's freckled cheeks flushed and he laughed bashfully with a slight shrug of his semi-broadened shoulders, "Heh-! Pardon my enthusiasm, 'Signorino' Wilhern...!"

Pinocchio giggled coyly himself as he said softly with a kind smile and shining eyes while brushing a hand over one of Lampwick's larger long-fingered own liberally dusted with 'angel/fairy kisses', "No need to be sorry, Lampy; I *LIKE your enthusiasm*-!"

The elder teen's fingers tenderly curled around the diminutive cotton-covered back of the younger's white-pine 'paw' as deep brown gazed into bright lazuline-blue. "-Feelin's MORE THAN *mutual*, 'il mio raggio of di luce stellare' (my ray of starlight)," 'Lampy' near-whispered.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Suddenly, just then as the other day before, Pinocchio gasped sharply and jumped with his ears and tail twitching and flicking wildly as he had heard something shocking and startling regarding Penelope and Max Campion that was extra-hard on his former cursed appendages- but this time, because he had been sitting down when he caught wind of this happening, when he jumped, he fell off of the piano bench; even though he would not really be hurt, Lampwick reached out and tried to catch him, but fell himself onto the floor, so just merely tried to cushion 'Slats' fall even though it would probably *leave HIM* with a couple of bruises plus a sore side.

They rolled around for a few minutes, then both lay still, Lampwick freezing upon realizing that he was now *ON TOP OF Pinocchio*- practically *half-pinning* him to the ground with his hands on his upper arms, if not ALL the way...!!
Pinocchio himself was stock-still yet trembling like a frightened rabbit, his big blue eyes blown wider than normal in his rounded-heart face that appeared to have gone just a shade whiter than normal as he seemed as though terrified/confused whimpers were getting stuck in his throat -but despite his obvious distress (and *WHY* was THAT???) and perplexity that showed *PLAIN AS DAY* in his eyes, face, and body language, he made no move whatsoever to buck Lampwick off of him and or even just slightly push him away.
It was as he had told Lampwick yesterday: ~'I may not have trusted the Coachman, but I *trust YOU*...'~ He *TRUSTED Lampwick* NOT to *hurt* him in any way as he quite likely had been in- *been HURT BY* *Stromboli the cruel, abusive greedy puppet-master* just before he'd been locked into that awful cage all those years ago-!! ...NO *wonder* 'Nocchi was stiff but also *SHAKING* like he currently was while being held 'captive' in a frighteningly-similar yet comfortingly-new way.

Lampwick wasn't quite sure how to soothe the sweet 'bambola' while wanting to kiss the daylights out of him at the same time.
Finally, he murmured while raising one hand to Pinocchio's face and gently stroking his cheek, "'If I profane with my unworthiest hand this holy shrine, the gentle sin is this- my lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand to smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss...'", then so saying, gently pressing his lips to Pinocchio's temple.

Aforementioned boy shakily breathed in and out from both his past fright and his semi-secret 'amato' (beloved)'s tender touch bestowed via his hand and mouth, -then he slightly yet sweetly smiled with softly-luminescent cerulean orbs for eyes as he near-whispered while reaching up and trailing his own thin digits down his beloved's freckled tan jowl, "...'Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand TOO MUCH! What mannerly devotion shows in this? For saints have hands which *PILGRIMS' hands* do touch, and palm-to-palm is holy palmer's kiss'," taking a gentle hold of Lampwick's own other hand with his 'free' one and leaning up to give him a sweet peck on the cheek.

"-'Have not SAINTS *lips*, and holy palmers too?'" Lampwick breathed, hardly believing that they were doing this when the live puppet had been SO *fearful* upon first realizing that he was being (half)pinned to the floor, even if by sheer accident, as he laid another gentle lip-brush against Pinocchio's own cheek.

"'Aye, pilgrim: lips that they must use in prayer'," the wooden teen nodded, then giving *HIS Romeo* an affectionate kiss between the eyes.

"'Oh then, dear saint, -let *lips* do what HANDS do: *they PRAY*, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair...!'" 'Lampy' almost sighed from reverence and amour, tenderly smooching his sweet doll on the nose (which made Pinocchio blush even though there were no outward signs of his face heating up from desire mixed with shyness).

"'Saints do not move- though grant, for prayer's sake'," 'Slats' murmured demurely as he shyly pecked the corner of the elder boy's mouth, shivering again upon feeling him tenderly cup his face with both of his hands- the stringless marionette doing the same as Lampwick murmured the pivatol part of the 'pilgrim small talk' scene.

"...'Then move not, while my prayer's effect I take'."

Their eyelids lowered (Lampwick's lashes brushing against Pinocchio's face) and soft lips finally met slightly firmer ones in a sweet, tender kiss, the boys' hands cradling each others' faces while their apertures gently locked and unlocked from one another.
"'-Thus from my lips, by thine, my sin is purged'," *Romeo MOORE* whispered once they pulled away from each other, fervidly yet gently running his thumb over HIS *MALE!Juliet's* soft sweet mouth, causing him to tremble again- but more from desire than past fright, now.

Pinocchio laughed softly and said semi-teasingly while tracing his fingers through Lampwick's longish scruffy-but-soft dark red hair, "'Then have my lips the sin that they have took-!'"

"'SIN from *my LIPS*? Oh, *trespass sweetly urged*- give me my sin again!' (Though SIN *it is NOT*...)"

This time, the next kiss was a little harder- rougher- more passionate, causing Pinocchio to mewl in his throat and Lampwick to groan into his sweet doll's mouth as they now fully embraced, Pinocchio's fingers tangling in Lampwick's hair and the elder boy hard-yet-still-tenderly holding onto the back of the younger's black-'haired' head, the tips of his fingers brushing against Pinocchio's 'burro' ears in the process- which made the blue-eyed teen yelp in startled shock, then give a whimpering moan from the feeling of sparks darting along his being as a result from Lampwick's touch there.

"Oh- ya like that?" 'Lampy' smirked against 'Nocchi's' lips, firming his touch on his ears (though still keeping it soft) and trailing the fingers of his other hand along the wooden boy's side.

"Uh- uh-huh..." Pinocchio mewled with a nod as he squirmed a bit.

"-You can go ahead and push me off/away if you *DON'T want to* do this, 'stellino' (little star)..." the redhead then gently said to the raven-headed teen. "-If ya don't just yet want the kiss to go deeper, I mean; I don't wanna scare ya into an awful flashback."

Pinocchio's eyes shone like the Star of the Blue Fairy with pure tenderness and love, his soft smile radiating the same way; if he trembled at all now, it was from DESIRE and *passion*, no trace of fright at all in his being. "-I don't just *trust* you, 'la mio nobile anima' (my noble soul); 'ti *AMO*' (I *LOVE you*), Lampwick- 'ti amo come non ho mai amato nessun altro in questo modo' (I love you as I've *NEVER* loved *anybody else* *like THIS*), my Romeo..."

To know that Pinocchio trusted him SO *much*- *LOVED HIM so much* despite how hurt he'd been before (*as ~a CHILD~*-!!!) caused tears to prick Lampwick's own deep brown eyes- tears that he was NOT *at ALL* ashamed about/for, that he didn't even try to brush away as they began to trickle down his cheeks while he smiled tremblingly himself. "-Oh, *'Nocchi*; *MY Pinocchio*- Slats- my male!Juliet ...'ti amo anch'io; cosi tanto- mai amato nessuno in questo modo tranne te' (I love you, too; *NEVER* loved anyone *THIS way* BUT *you*), sweetheart!"

So knowing full-well that his beloved 'bambolotta' -his 'bellissimo raggio of di luce stellare' (beautiful ray of starlight)- WHOLE-HEARTEDLY trusted him with not only his heart and soul, but his body as well, Lampwick kissed Pinocchio again, nervously running his tongue over the other's bottom lip.
His ears flicked and tail swished about as Pinocchio quivered and let out a whimper from the strange feeling that sent more electric sparks racing through his being and caused warmth to pool in his lower stomach despite his being made of ENCHANTED *pinewood* and dabbed with paint, trustingly opening his mouth to let his 'amato' in, moaning along with his 'ragazzo' (boyfriend) as their tongues slid against and along each others' and brushed against the roofs of one another's mouths- small white-gloved fingers now gripping tight onto ember-colored strands of hair, and larger freckled digits caressing/stroking and rubbing long dove-gray ligenous donkey ears as their mouths mashed and tongues danced.

Then just as soon as the 'sparking' had quickened into fiery passion, so it became gentle and sweet again, Pinocchio softly humming with still-closed eyes as 'Lampy' tenderly kissed his lips in short intervals now while again cupping the side of his face, the cursed teen doing the same as he petted his hair gently as if to apologize for the rough hold earlier.

......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

"PENELOPE!!"

"Max?!"

"Penelope, there's something I *HAVE TO tell you*!"

"NO!! He's *a SPY*: he's WORKING FOR *Lemon*- the reporter who *forced me to BURY YOU*; that DISGUSTING little *weasel* who *WOULDN'T LEAVE US ALONE*-!"

"*N-*! ...Yes."

The *FURIOUS* and frantic shouting and yelling immediately brought the two teens back down to Earth with a painful 'THUMP', any further leftover warm flames of passion COLDLY *doused* *with WATER* from the amount of anger in the voices (well- *ONE OF the voices*; three guesses WHOSE *exactly*), and they jerked apart and leapt up from the floor, racing out to the hallway to where not only Penelope, but also Geppetto, Jiminy, Fabiana, Sabina, Figaro, and Cleo were standing fretfully, 'Nellie's' hazel orbs for eyes looking down entreatingly at Max Campion, who stood sadly and guiltily below the several feet of stairs as he looked up at Penelope in the same way with his own azurine-blues.
"-*Oh, no*," Lampwick muttered fearfully under his breath, going white under his freckles. "Pops' *been FOUND OUT*...!!"

Pinocchio gently squeezed his best friend/also-now-*BOY-friend's* hand in both comfort and support even as he swallowed nervously himself, giving a weak smile when Lampwick's pressed his own back in loving thanks.

"Well, I hope you were *WELL-paid*, because you just said 'goodbye' to a FORTUNE!!"

"-*Wait*! WHO CARES if he's *a JERK*?? He's STILL a *blue-blood*; *one of YOUR OWN kind*! He can BREAK *the CURSE*!"

Jiminy couldn't help but snarl angrily under his breath as he furiously thought to himself, 'Wanda, you'd better be *pretty darned thankful* that you *DON'T mean that*, or you'd be in *a HECK* of A LOT of *TROUBLE* with those of us who *TRULY care about/love* our Nellie-!!'

"Max, ...I KNOW this face *REPULSES* you; and I... And I WOULDN'T *dream* asking you to *ACCEPT it*. But *this* ISN'T *ME*: the *REAL me* is *inside here somewhere* WAITING to *GET OUT*! And YOU can *make that happen*-!
"Once the Curse is broken, I'll be JUST LIKE *everyone else*!"

"Wh- *What if* *you're NOT*?? -What if the Curse *ISN'T broken*? ...*What if the Curse can NEVER be broken*??"

He sounded SO *SAD*; *so SCARED* ...but NOT of possibly being 'stuck with' the pig-girl forever. No- *NO*; there was *something DEEPER* going on here, once again...

EVERYONE on 'Nellie's' secret side of the family sobbed and clamped their hands over their mouths with tear-filled eyes as Penelope said brokenly in response to 'Max's' heartbroken query, "...Then *'ll KILL MYSELF*. I *promise*; I PROMISE I will!"

"*Nellie*- *NO*!" her pseudo other fathers and little brother whimpered grief-strickenly, Geppetto gripping tightly onto the railing with one hand until his knuckles turned white while Jiminy gripped at a part of his hair in the same way from where he was standing on the former-toymaker's shoulder- Pinocchio shoved his fingers into his mouth and bit down on them as he sank down to his knees to hold back an anguished scream as tears STREAMED down all their faces as a result of what their beloved secret daughter/big sister had *SICKENINGLY* *promised* Max Campion that she would do if the Wilhern Family Curse *WASN'T broken* upon their saying 'I do' to each other.
Lampwick shuddered in horror and had to bite down upon his lower lip himself in order to keep quiet as he blinked hard against heartsick tears of his own; he hadn't yet gotten to know her himself, but to hear 'Nocchi talk about her, one would think that she HUNG *the STARS* alongside his father, 'conscience', pseudo-godmother, and adoptive cousin...!

"-*MARRY ME, Max*! *Marry me*..."

"-I *can't*."

"...*Get OUT*."

From there, hardly any of the 'Disney' side heard Jessica and Wanda angrily shoo and push Campion out as they saw not just one, but *a THOUSAND* heartbreaks within Penelope's damp eyes, tears trickling down her now-pale cheeks and dripping onto the floor, or heard the blond former-socialite frantically say that THIS was what they would *NOW do* *instead*; that she would *NEVER* *give up*.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Everyone weakly trailed into their shared suite, Penelope collapsing onto her childhood swing and going back and forth- Geppetto falling onto his bed and sobbing into his hands, Jiminy weeping quietly himself as Figaro mewled sadly and cuddled up to the semi-elderly man and Cleo whimpered sympathetically and nuzzled the quasi-cricket's head in attempted comfort; Fabiana just standing and looking bleakly out the window with Sabina doing the same at her side while putting a hand on her mother's shoulder ...and Lampwick suddenly realizing that with Campion having left, then *HE had to* as well, per his and Pops' agreement, Pinocchio quietly reminding him of this himself.
So the redhead slowly trekked over to the balcony doors once more with the donkey-eared/tailed puppet-boy following sadly beside him, the both of them not able to help quoting again in their heartsoreness.

"'Wilt thou be gone? 'Tis the nightingale you heard, and not the lark, that pierced the fearful hollow of thine ear.'"

"'It was the lark- no nightingale; night's candles are burnt out. I must be gone and live, or stay and die.'"

"'Your light is not daylight, I know it; therefore, stay yet-! Thou needs't not to be gone.'"

"'I am content, so thou wilt have it so; 'tis but the pale reflex of Cynthia's brow- I have more care to stay than will to go!'
"'How is 't, my soul? Let us talk; it is not day.'"

"'*It is*; *it IS*! Hie hence, BEGONE; *away*! -*Oh, now BEGONE*! More and more light it grows...!'"

"'-More and more *LIGHT*, more and more DARK our *woes*.'"

"'The day is broke; be wary- look about!'"

"'Farewell- farewell. One kiss, and I'll descend.'"

"-'Art thou gone so? Love, lord- *ay, FRIEND*! -Oh, think'st thou we will EVER *meet again*?'"

"'*I doubt it NOT*...' 'Bye, 'Nocchi."

"-Goodbye, Lampy..."

Then with one more sweet soft kiss, Romeo truly did descend as his male!Juliet watched him down the balcony and over the wall, tears of both amative AND *familial* *HEARTBREAK* blurring his vision and splintering through his soul.

Chapter Text

Just as Penelope made herself come to a stop, Geppetto's and Jiminy's heartbroken sobs quieted, and Pinocchio saw the last of Lampwick's red hair disappear over the garden/courtyard wall, every single lightbulb *burned BRIGHT BLUE*, and right through the balcony doors floated in a light blue cloud of sparkles ...which slowly formed into the beautiful figure of the Blue Fairy- blond, blue-eyed, fair-skinned, and cyaneous-arrayed as before with a soft bright periwinkle glow to her being from the hair on her head to the toes in her glass slippers that coordinated with her crystal star-tipped wand. Her eyes and face were kind as always, but her crimson lips were softly bent into a sad frown that matched the slight dimness in her sky-blue optics that traced over everyone in the room.

They finally fixed on Penelope, who was a little bug-eyed with a slightly-dropping jaw at the sight of someone near and dear to her secret family whom until now, she'd only known from hearsay. "...You PROMISED that you would *kill yourself*??" she said in a tone both sad and angry though nowhere near close to yelling. "-You promised that you would do that if the Curse *WASN'T broken*?? *How and why* would you pledge such a *HORRIBLE* thing, Penelope!?? Do you literally have *a DEATH WISH*- is that it??!"

"...It's *for SURE* what MOTHER would want me to do," Penelope murmured weakly in a watery voice, looking down at her clasped hands. "S' not like she's ever been REALLY *TRULY proud of me*, or loved me for who I am; how I was *BORN*-!"

Pinocchio's, Geppetto's, Jiminy's, and even Figaro's and Cleo's hearts CRACKED from those hurt words. "'Figlia mia', *we all* love and accept you for who you are; we have from the VERY BEGINNING...!" Geppetto whispered tightly, enfolding the hazel-eyed brunette into a warm gentle hug while stroking her long curly hair. "-By this point, I have come to see you as much my own child as Pinocchio is; my little woodenhead sees you as his big sister, 'il mio giardiniere alla moda' (my fashionable gardener)."

Jiminy tenderly placed a tiny white-gloved hand on her rosy cheek from his perch on Geppetto's shoulder. "Nellie, *I* see you and Pinoke as practically my own kids as well, by now. Which is probably strange and possibly even a little bit creepy/crazy coming from an anthropomorphic cricket, but still...!"

"Isn't creepy or crazy," mumbled Penelope, basking in the warmth of her *REAL family's* unconditional love while her head snuggled onto the shoulder of her 'papi' where Jiminy wasn't occupied.

"N-Nellie's right, Jim-Jiminy; it's n-*NOT*!" Pinocchio agreed, coming over and leaping up onto Geppetto's bed to snuggle into Father's other side while affectionately brushing the side of his foot against 'Nellie's' own and fixing his 'conscience' with a loving glance. "Af-After all, when- when Father w-wasn't able to be there back in- in the e-early days, y-you- Y-YOU were al-*ALWAYS* there for m-me, even when we were- were separated at times! Now- N-Now, you're b-*BOTH here*; have- have been for s-seven years...!
"I'd- I-I'd like to call you 'Papa' by now, t' be honest..." he then mumbled shyly, looking down at his own lap.

Evelyn's wise eyes drifted over the found family that had been *SO* HURT by the world around them in various ways, and a slight genuine smile touched her lips. She'd come down to give Pinocchio and Jiminy a gift, since it was *HIGH time* that they, Geppetto, Penelope, Figaro, and Cleo were able to leave the Wilhern mansion; perhaps she'd better now do so, before she forgot a la Cinderella's Fairy Godmother. So with a wave and flick of her wand, she waved it in the cursed boy's and quasi-cricket's direction.
Just as Pinocchio had the night he'd come to life, Jiminy floated up into the air as a bright glowing blue light surrounded his being much to his and the others' shocked surprise, and star-like sparkles drifted over Pinocchio's form like gently-falling snowflakes. The quasi-cricket grew, and *grew*, *and GREW* until he was a bit more than half a head shorter than Geppetto, his emerald-green skin fading into a creamy pale shade (though the light freckles on his face remained) as his antenaae disappeared and straight silken sandy-blond hair appeared in its place on top of his head; Pinocchio meanwhile having his hair turn from wooden to pleasingly-soft and growing out to the small of his back in slight waves of raven-black while his ears seemed to shrink down and become 'human' and his tail vanished- his snow-pale 'skin' appearing to become light-shaded flesh...!!

When the glow and sparkles faded away, and Jiminy landed with a THUMP and an "*Oof*!!" on the floor, everyone gasped at the changes that had come over the quasi-cricket and puppet-boy (Geppetto slightly blushing where Jiminy was concerned). Though still possessing the same shape of his face, general lean build, large warm cinnamon-brown eyes, and as nattily-dressed as before, Jiminy H. ('Hadrian') Cricket was now a semi-short man with creamy-pale, lightly freckled skin, straight blond hair, a slightly more prominent nose than before, and more human-esque limbs.
As for Pinocchio?? His thick dark hair was no longer wooden, yet now synthetic if rather nicely-soft, and much longer than before; his donkey ears and tail seemed to have gone, and he seemed altogether like he had FINALLY, *FINALLY* become 'a real-real live living boy'. Plus, he now had something of a wardrobe change; he still possessed his dark vest, white gloves, and brown leather Mary-Jane-esque shoes, but now the gloves were fingerless, his pale yellow shirt looser and more blouse-like under the vest, the blue bowtie now a simple necklace consisting of a pretty blue stone strung on a same-colored satin ribbon, his red dungarees now simply pants and reaching down to the middle of his lower leg, light purple cotton socks on his feet, and in his hair his 'signature' Tyrolean cap had been transformed into a gold-braided headband with a blue ribbon wound around it and the same red feather now hanging down on one side rather than standing straight up...!

"I can't break the Curse, Pinocchio, but I can soften it by way of making you seem human to those of the outside world; that is, until you and Penelope are somehow discovered. Then the glamour will fall away, and her nose and your donkey ears, tail, and wooden state will be present for all to see.
"Sir Jiminy Cricket, I have seen into yours' and good Geppetto's hearts, and I know what you both now wish for and have for some years. So, you too have received a similar-yet-different gift that yours' and Geppetto's son has, but even if he and his sister are discovered, yours is not a glamour that will fall away. -You will instead be able to transform into both quasi-cricket and human at your own will; for now, however, in order to blend in, you are now simply human."

-*WELL*!!! You can be quite sure that Jiminy, Pinocchio, and Geppetto thanked Evelyn profusely many times over for her thoughtful, generous presents before, during, and after packing their suitcases, clipping Cleo onto a leash, and bundling Figaro into a cat carrier backpack; as did Fabiana and Sabina, who unfortunately had to stay behind for support towards Wanda- but the Casparis promised to write and send them letters, postcards, and pictures. Then once Penelope placed a yellow elegantly-spotted scarf over her cursed nose and tied it securely behind her head, the Blue Fairy vanished back to her own home the moment the Caspari family slipped out the front door amidst Jessica's *SHRIEK* of Penelope's name (no call of Geppetto's or Pinocchio's via Frank, however; ...*FINE- if that was the way he wanted it!).

......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
The Casparis -now respectively going by the names of 'Carey', 'Archie', 'Seth', and 'Christy' for safety precautions- checked into a Midtown hotel that was rather nicely furnished- heck, it was more of *a SUITE* than a mere room!! But it was clean and comfortable- *comfort-ING*, even, which was much-needed; and their pets were allowed since Geppetto had first gotten Figaro and Cleo as support animals, anyhow. There was room service available, but they could call it for breakfast in the morning; Penelope had picked them all up some snacks and drinks from a drugstore earlier (maybe not what one would call a nutritous dinner, but what the hey?? They were out and about finally; it was a little thing called 'celebrating' and 'making an exception'), and currently she and Pinocchio were enjoying their own share of sweet chocolate, salty chips, and fizzy drinks while contentedly watching a favorite movie (the Tim Burton adaptation of 'Dark Shadows') together in the other room, curled up on the sofa along with Figaro purring against Pinocchio's stomach and Cleo humming happily in a canine way by Penelope's feet now shod in soft socks.

Geppetto and Jiminy, meanwhile, weren't really that hungry or thirsty, their own goodies still placed on the bedside table. The two men were sitting shyly beside one another, alternately looking briefly at each other and then turning away, their pale cheeks flushed. Neither of them seemed to really know what to say, or how to say it without sounding like an idiot or creeper. -At one point, however, their fingertips lightly brushed as well as their full digits, causing them to gasp softly and their hearts to pound when what felt like lighting zapped through their veins from their connected fingertips.
This seemed to give Geppetto courage enough to fully take a gentle hold of Jiminy's slightly smaller white-gloved hand, his soft sky-blue eyes shining as he gently rubbed a calloused thumb over the other's knuckles.

Jiminy shivered from the touch, but still gave Geppetto a small trembling smile while he connected those pale baby-blues with his own warm brown optics now appearing liquid like honey or just-prepared caramel. Then Geppetto's fingers and palms gently trailed up Jiminy's arm to his shoulder before his own tenderly encircled them; Jiminy's own hands drifting to the woodcarver's waist. They still didn't say a word verbally as the tips of their noses touched while eyes fluttered shut- and then their lips gently brushed ...then more fully caressed one another.

Now their hands switched directions as they shared a soft sweet kiss- Geppetto's tenderly clutching Jiminy's own waist, Jiminy cradling Geppetto's face as though it were a precious flower or family heirloom with one palm, and the fingers of his other hand brushing through and playing with so-soft curly gray hair. The toymaker's mustache did tickle just a little as it surrounded above his upper lip, but though bushy it was as pleasurably soft to the touch as the hair on his head, and Jiminy rather liked the contrast anyway- which he let Geppetto know with a quiet pleased sound between a hum and a moan.

Geppetto softly hummed in his throat himself as the kiss deepened ever so slightly- now his own fingers were caressing and brushing through Jiminy's silken sandy-blond hair while their lips opened at the same time and they tilted their heads. Neither one was sure which to be the first to try to move just a little further, -then it was decided when Geppetto's tongue nervously glided along the inner parts of Jiminy's lips that were firmer and a bit thinner than a woman's, but still *so* sweet-tasting. Jiminy actually squeaked, then purred as he let Geppetto in, mapping out his own charts within the toymaker's cavern.

Tongues danced and slid inbetween near-wildly kissing lips while both men moaned softly- then gave another a soft sweet peck as their blue and and brown eyes now shot open because they had heard a funny sound. When they realized that it was slightly gurgling-sounding and emitting from their stomachs, their cheeks flushed red in a different manner as they laughed at themselves.

"-*Heh*! Who knew that KISSIN' could actually give someone an appetite?" Jiminy quipped as he moved an errant deep silver curl out of 'Geppy's' 'bello' blue eyes.

"*WHO* *knew* indeed, 'tesoro'...?" Geppetto chuckled, brushing his thumb over a lightly-freckled cheek. "-Shall we partake in our own 'smackeral', then?"

"-Sounds more than good to me, 'amado'..."

And they proceeded to do just that while curled up in bed together, occasionally feeding the other a tidbit as they listened to Stephen Fry narrate the tale of 'The Ickabog' if not holding hands or playing gently with hair.

Chapter Text

Warmth- pure, sheer warmth was the first thing that Jiminy registered as he slowly came back to the land of the living/awake; and not just the kind that comes from a fire in the hearth (or, these days, either central heating or a heater) or being bundled up under blankets and sheets. No- while he WAS under a sheet and quilt on a bed, someone very familiar yet now much more close(ish) to *HIS height* than he had ever had been before ...someone with soft curly hair that slowly over the years turned from graying to fully grayish-white like the feathers of a dove that matched his mustache, soft yet slightly rough-ish peachy skin that he'd only dared to feel when their owner was asleep back when he'd been 'travel-sized for convienence', a long lean and slightly-muscled frame currently mostly hidden under a pair of sleep pants and long-sleeved shirt, and currently-closed lambent bright blue eyes slightly lighter than his ...no, *THEIR son's*, now, not just Geppetto's own that he had so wished for that long ago night upon the Wishing Star.

And as he also noticed a piece of paper of the nightstand with 'Nellie's' elegant handwriting on it (calligraphy was yet another hobby she had taken up before and after she turned eighteen and met her hopefully-matchmaker Wanda), those beautiful blue eyes began to wrinkle and flutter open while their owner shifted and stretched, soft heathery lashes tickling Jiminy's own no-longer-green skin as Geppetto's plush fullish lips flowered into a gentle loving smile as usual yet not.

"Hmm... 'Buongiorno, Jiminy amore mio'," he murmured sleepily while rubbing a thumb on one of the (semi)former quasi-cricket's thin arms that he was holding. That was right- they'd fallen asleep holding each other close after reaching a stopping place with 'The Ickabog' last night ...shared a meal together -shared *their first kiss (in a long while) with each other* last night after Miss Fairy had granted their new wish of the heart and they'd *FINALLY* left the Wilhern mansion along with Pinoke, Nellie, Figaro, and Cleo!

A sweet smile blossomed over Jiminy's own slim now-cream-colored lips as he gently nuzzled his cheek against Geppetto's. "Mornin', 'tesoro'," he whispered happily. "Hey- 'fore we get too distracted, there's a note on our nightstand in Nellie's handwriting. We might wanna read that b'fore we go any further like we probably would've last night if we hadn't needed to eat, the kids weren't around, or both."

Jiminy's heart fluttered like the wings he'd used to have and wouldn't for a long while when Geppetto chuckled warmly and lightly kissed his lightly-freckled cheek in response. "'Mio canto grillo'- so sensible and practical. You may have wings, but you ground me from flying too high to the point where I may not come down again- the same with ...*OUR son*. Oh, you believe in dreams plenty as I do, but you have the sense that some hard work has to go along with all that wishing."

"Aw, Geppy..." Jiminy chortled bashfully, his cheeks flushing a light pink as he gave the kind-hearted woodcarver/toymaker a soft squeeze and gently kissed the place on his neck where his life vein pulsed lightly. "That may be, but I'm hardly a 'stick in the mud', so t' speak! And for all your own whimsicallity and fancifulness, you're just as practical and responsible in your own way, I'll have ya know, 'il mio intagliatore di buon core' (my kind-hearted woodcarver). After all, you'd clearly been a good father to a son before; and even if you weren't, you're such a lovin' and carin' person that you would have picked up on it fairly quickly.
"Did ya make a couple of mistakes along the way? Yeah, sure; but *EVERYONE does*, parent or not! And when ya *DID cause a couple of mishaps* where Pinoke's concerned, you pretty much immediately apologized and did your best to make up for it, as he did and does you. ...You say that I keep ya from floatin' too far off of the ground, but, Geppetto- you, Pinocchio, and to a point Miss Fairy helped *me* t' believe in dreams, wishes, hope, and magic again for all my own bein' an anthropomorphic talkin' cricket; t' once again see that while the world might be pretty darned troubled, there ARE *GOOD people* in it, an' you, Pinokes, an' Nellie are just a couple of 'em.
"-I mean, after all ...why d' ya think I fell for you so hard and fast after getting t' know ya better once we were ensconced in your brother's house?"

Geppetto clearly wanted to say something further/in response to all that, but he coughed sharply at himself and made himself lean over and pick up Penelope's note so that he and Jiminy could see what it said. They both flushed and snickered sheepishly when after a obligatory but loving 'Good morning', they read that she and Pinocchio were going to be out and about for a little while they gave their Father and Papa some time to themselves; NOT something *they* needed to hear, thankyouverymuch! They'd be back later- in the meantime, have all the fun you want...

......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

"-*Welp*! She's got us there," Jiminy shrugged.

Geppetto laughed softly, placing their daughter's note back on the night table so his arm could go back to what his other had been doing- embracing the quasi-cricket conscience that over the years, he'd not just become friends with, but slowly come to love when he saw how very much he cared for his little woodenhead Pinocchio and had from day one (or, rather, *NIGHT one*)- got to know just how funny, wise-cracking, intelligent, and kind-hearted he was all those years they were shut up together as a result of the Wilhern Curse that had not only struck his poor niece-turned-daughter during her conception and birth, but their sweet, brave, truthful, and unselfish son the moment that his wish made from the depths of his empty lonely heart had been granted...
"'Si, certo' (Yes, indeed), 'amato'- she does!"

Jiminy suddenly felt not a little shy and flustered. It had been a *LO-NG while* since he'd been in any kind of relationship, even before he'd gotten into the conscience business (being a vagabond wanderer isn't always literally romantic); and Geppetto had been married before, yes- but to *a WOMAN*, and Jiminy was a GUY *like him*. What if he messed this up?? What if any possible standards that the former toymaker had for a romantic partnership, he didn't manage to meet? Wh-What i-?

He didn't really register when Geppetto took a gentle hold of his own long-fingered hands (less callused, though), but *DID notice* when one was placed against the slightly elder man's heart, beating sure and steady like a horse's or donkey's hoof-beats on a cobblestone street- and he gasped softly and gulped with a thundering heart when his other hand was placed- placed *right below the belt*; right over where another kind of throbbing was mimicking/mirroring his heartbeat. Geppetto's sky-blue eyes were nothing but soft as they looked into Jiminy's scared and worried cinnamon-brown ones, as was the loving expression on his face.

"'Mio amado'- Jiminy- I know that it's been a very long while for the both of us, that I was married to a woman before, and even in my youth had never even really entertained the thought of kissing and loving another male myself. I know that you're scared that you'll somehow 'mess something up', whether in bed or via any other part of our relationship now being more than just good friends ...but you needn't be.
"'Signora' Evelyn once told our son that 'being "real" isn't about *what you're made of*- it's about *what's in YOUR HEART*', and the same applies here, 'tesorino'. What matters the most is here and now- you and me. I- I couldn't make love with someone unless I REALLY, *TRULY* loved them, and deep down don't care if that person whom I come to love is male or female; I believe they respectively call it 'demi-sexual/romantic' and 'pan-romantic'. -And, 'mio canto grillo', I both love and desire you as much as you do me. I promise- *I KNOW* that you *will NOT* 'mess it up' as you fear, Jiminy-mine."

Tears of love, relief, and joy glittered in Jiminy's warm brown eyes and mirrored the feeling of his stuttering heart overflowing at those loving, truly-meant, heart-felt words of assuring wisdom and affection from the man he'd come to love over their many years of platonically living together. He breathed shakily in and out for four or five heartbeats, and then practically lunged at Geppetto, kissing him hard on the mouth while embracing him tight and close as saltwater drops trickled down his cheeks like a gentle rainfall, his heart singing when he was held tightly back and the kiss returned as the elder man moaned quietly into his mouth while their tongues swirled hot and slick in a mating dance.

Once they absolutely NEEDED to come up for air, Jiminy gasped out the moment their lips were unlocked from each other's while gripping tightly onto his sleep shirt, "'Ti amo', Geppetto Christian Caspari-Wilhern! 'Ti amo da impazzire'..."

Geppetto's own periwinkle optics were now wet and glittering in his kindly face that was handsome in Jiminy's eyes as he breathed almost in the quasi-cricket's ear, "'Anch'io ti amo cosi tanto', Jiminy Hadrian Sebastian Cricket- 'cuore mio'..."

The joyful tears rolling down their faces mingled as they pulled each other into another deep soul-kiss, gently yet eagerly tugging each other's sleep clothes off in the process. Once the pants and boxer shorts were off, their long lean legs tangled together and wrapped around each other while their hands roamed over and stroked the newly-bared skin of each other's backs. Both men moaned in delight when their lower halves pressed together, giving a gentle experimental rock and rub but not quite grinding against one another just then.

Even with his beloved's gentle assurance, Jiminy couldn't help but query worriedly, "-D' ya kinda know what t' do, ev-even if you've only ever loved a l-lady before?"

Geppetto gently stroked over Jiminy's heart as he pecked light and sweet kisses up and down the slightly younger male's lightly-freckled cheeks now the soft shade of cream rather than shining and green as emeralds or jade- still smooth, just in a different way. "I do, 'amorino'. I've done a bit of reading over the years, as I'm sure you have. -And even if I hadn't, my heart beating in both senses would lead me and tell me what to do, how to pleasure you. It's the same as with a 'donna', in my mind; just slightly different in a not-bad way."

SUCH *a ROMANTIC*, as well as whimsical! Well, he probably should have expected that; and let's face it: Italians were *SAPPY* (and yes, that included himself, even if only partially). "A-Alright, hon. I- I just wanted t' be sure, s' all."
Then any more practical thought flew out the window when he felt Geppetto's lips tenderly caress his ear and one side of his neck while the hand previously petting his heart now gently fondled and rubbed his nipples. His breath hitched, and he whimpered, trembling with desire and need that had so long been bottled up and smothered. Now, it was flowing free and set almost wildly aflame as he was *FINALLY*, FINALLY touched and kissed in a loving way after more than a decade.

"Oh- you like that, do you, 'carisimmo'?" Geppetto actually *purred* into his neck with a sly-yet-still-loving smile, opening his mouth and licking along the slightly-salty skin before giving it a gentle bite while he firmed his touch just a bit more on Jiminy's chest that was just as lightly speckled with 'fairy/angel kisses' as his face.

"H-*Haaa*! Aahh!" Jiminy moaned, tossing his blond-haired head while gripping tight at Geppetto's back.

"My poor sweet cricket friend... you're *so TENSE* and *wound-up*," Geppetto murmured, mouthing Jiminy's collarbone and now rubbing his 'teats' harder as well as gently twisting them between his callused fingers while rocking his hips into the shorter male's own slightly slimmer ones. "And NO *wonder*! Sweet as our son is, he does tend to wear one out sooner or later. Ah, poor Jiminy- you've had to spend a long while chasing after him, back in his earliest puppet days; 'tis a very good thing he has a big sister to help us out now, 'si'? Let me take care of you- relax you; let me love you..."

"Oh, *God*YES*PLEASE*, Geppetto!!" Jiminy groaned in delight and lust, fire flashing through his veins as he thrust his own hips up into Geppetto's and fiercely rubbing their members together.

Geppetto gasped in sweet surprise at that last- 'mio Dio', but it was *VERY different* INDEED* to be slotting and rubbing your lower half against another male's! 'Twas *very PLEASURABLE*, though... "'As you wish', 'mio sole'..."

*********************************************************************************************************************************************

Now his hands drifted down to Jiminy's smooth lean pale freckled sides and belly, gently stroking and petting them as his mouth then closed around one light pink nipple, then the other- softly sucking, licking, and gently biting, much to the other male's ecstatic pleasure as he released a semi-quiet whining moan while tangling his fingers in Geppetto's downy white curls. He also made the same sound when Geppetto pressed damp kisses over his fast-beating heart, humming softly when those kisses trailed down to his sides, stomach, and belly- breathing hitching and stuttering once they reached his hips and thighs. -What kind of sounds would he make if he was taken into Geppetto's mouth?

The woodcarver soon found out, and he delighted in that sweet near-scream trailing into a mewling whimper of a moan as he swallowed around Jiminy's stiff length as beautifully-pink as his nipples that once must have been as green as his cricket-skin, licking up and down first in a straight line, then in a swirling motion before gently scraping his teeth along it. When he heard only stifled whimpers, groans, and whines and saw that Jiminy was biting his lips likely in order to hold any curses or 'blue/purple' language back, he pulled off for just a moment to whisper sweetly, "It's alright, 'tesoro'. Curse aloud all you want to; I'm no more a prude or 'pure' than you are, despite what many people think. Let me hear what I'm doing to you- HOW *good* I'm making you feel, 'mio canto grillo'."

And when he ducked back down and gave his lover's length an especially harsh suck and near-bite as he swirled his tongue fast around the tip, Jiminy obliged while squeezing his eyes shut tight and digging both his head and his heels into the bed, his fingers tangled and buried in Geppetto's soft gray-white hair as his hands tightened into needy fists. "*Oh, FUCK*!!! *Fuck- fuck- fuck*; DAMNIT, *YES*!! Oh, *'Jesuocristo*, Geppy!! That mouth of yours feels *SO* damn good, 'splendore'; feels *so FUCKIN' GOOD* around my cock! 'Innocent'- *pfft*! 'Innocent' and/or 'pure, *my ASS*! Not with the way you're suckin', lickin', and teethin' *so WELL* an' eagerly on my own 'wood', or how ya kissed me hard earlier and last night; touched an' kissed my chest and elsewhere! As good a lover as ya are a father, YES *sirree*-!"

"That's sweet of you to say, 'luce dei miei occhi'," chuckled Geppetto as he pulled off again (though not before giving his lover's 'cricket-hood' a soft kiss, which made him shiver). "-But we're only *HALFWAY there*, you know. I apologize- we don't seem to have any kind of lube, so even with saliva, it might still hurt a good bit, and you'll likely bleed even if you're not a virgin."

"S' alright, Geppetto," Jiminy assured him with a soft smile and gentle hair-stroke. "I kinda expected that; probably would've been that way even if we *DID have* lube. I trust ya, sweetheart... You said you'd take care of me, an' ya are; *just like you promised*."

Geppetto's soft blue eyes were wet again as he gently kissed Jiminy's hip, matching his slightly trembling smile. "-Very well, 'il mio cielo'. As you said earlier, I just wanted to be sure."

"Well, s' much appreciated: both a very lovely thought... AND *practical*."

Geppetto chuckled with his damp eyes twinkling at Jiminy's heartfelt semi-quip, lifting his hips and backside up just enough that his mouth was level to the other's entrance once Jiminy had whispered a cleansing spell (it turned out that both he and Pinocchio could use magic since they were Fae-touched, they'd discovered over the years; not that either Jessica, Frank, or Wanda had known). Then he pressed a sweet kiss over the entrance before licking it long and wet, his tongue first prodding, and then sliding in. He let saliva pool in his mouth before allowing to drip out through his lips and off of his tongue, using this as a makeshift lube to slicken and wet Jiminy's tight hot velvety inner walls; it was a little messy, a little dirty, but the usually near-fastidious 'conscience' didn't give *a DAMN* right then, Geppetto could tell from his shuddering breaths and quiet moans in-between whispers or whimpers of the woodcarver's name.

When Jiminy yelped and gasped in a tearful wheeze, vibrating in his loving hands, Geppetto knew that he'd found his 'sweet spot'. He licked rough, hard, and fast over it three or four more times, loving the sinful erotic sounds being coaxed out as a result as he held him steady.

"'*Oh DIO*, PER FAVORE', Geppetto-!" Jiminy near-sobbed, bucking his hips as pre-come leaked from the tip of his length. "Pl-Please don't get me wrong, I *LOVE* what you're doin'- didn't know bein' rimmed could feel SO *good* ...but *oh JESUS*, PLEASE-!!"

"Tell me what you want, 'vita mia'," Geppetto whispered once he'd allowed a good amount of saliva to pool in his mouth again and both spat and let it drip out onto his hand so that he could wet his length as much as possible along with the pre-come that had gathered at the tip. Oh, the other male was *so BEAUTIFUL* laying spread out on their bed, his now-pale smooth soft skin flushed a lovely shade of rose that highlighted his freckles rather than hid them- his thin limbs and torso trembling with desire and need while his love-marked chest heaved heavily; those 'bellisimmo' spicy-brown orbs for eyes smoldering in his uniquely-handsome face that was a twin of Erik Phantom's sans scars/disfigurement which his silken sandy-golden hair was tousled loosely around rather than combed neatly and just a little messy...!
So beautiful- SO *needy*-! "I want to hear you say it, 'piccolino'; I know you can, and you want to. Be as crude or not as you want to, Jiminy-mine."

For the love of Collodi and Walt, WHY was his being called any form of 'little one' by Geppetto *HOT*?! "-*'Fai l'amore con me'*, Geppy...!"

Geppetto didn't bother with further words, thankfully. He and Jiminy embraced once more as he slowly- *slowly* pushed in. And *yep*- *OUCH*!! *It DID* hurt pretty darned bad, and Jiminy couldn't help but cry out as his eyes stung with pained tears. A virgin he was not, but it *HAD been* a *VERY LONG* while since he'd been on the receiving end if not the one topping!

"*Shhh- shhhh*. I'm truly sorry about that, 'tesoruccio mio'," Geppetto soothed his younger lover, gently rubbing his side and rocking him a little while pressing a soft kiss to his hair. "I *NEVER* want to cause you pain, whether physical, verbal, or emotional- especially on purpose!"

*Oh, DAMNIT*, it felt like WILDFIRE was being shot into his ass and licking along the inside! But Jiminy knew that that had more than likely been going to happen, and once he'd drawn in enough breath to speak, he panted out through a small smile while rubbing Geppetto's back, "I- I know, darlin'. I'm w-well aware that ya n-*NEVER* wanna hu-*HURT me*, sp-'specially like this. Could-Couldn't be h-helped, ya kn-know that, hon-! I'll- I'll be alright in a- in a couple.
"B-Besides, every- every now an' again, I act-actually like a little pain t' go wi-with my pleasure ...heh! I mean, NOT *like THIS*- but I'm hardly what folks would call 'vanilla' either."

-Hmm... Well, there HAD been something that Geppetto had wanted to try out/do if he ever got the chance, but he *ABSOLUTELY* needed Jiminy's permission/go-ahead first. Now, it seems like he had it. Not just yet, though; half-way in, at least. "He-he! Not likely something that most/many people would expect to hear from the lips of *Jiminy Cricket*, 'chiccino'," he chortled in amusement, making sure to stay as still as possible until given permission to move.

Jiminy just shrugged with a mischievous twinkle in his honey-brown eyes. Then after a couple of minutes more, the pain began to ebb and fade away. He shifted a bit and murmured, "'Kay, 'amore'. S' alright; y' can move now."

They both moaned with the first push in and out, loving the feeling of Geppetto's member deliciously dragging along Jiminy's inner walls- a wonderful feeling that only continued as both men rocked their hips while their legs tangled around each other's. Jiminy's cock brushed and slid against both their bellies while Geppetto's own thrust slow yet deep into his lover's beautiful TIGHT, *hot* not-so-little-or-green-anymore body, and the muffled/Silenced room echoed with their wet gasps, whimpers, groans, and moans as well as a slightly wet 'squelch' and the slaps on hot skin on hot skin. And when the tip of Geppetto's member brushed yet stabbed at his prostate-

"*AAAHHH*!! FUCK!! *Oh, by the Star of our Lady Fairy*, *YES, Geppetto*!!! *HELLFIRE, yes*!!" Jiminy actually *screamed*, writhing and twisting on the bed as his fingernails dug into Geppetto's back- not to the point of scratching quite yet, but soon. "LIKETHAT- *rightthere*, 'anima mio'; RIGHT. *There*-!!"

The woodcarver gladly obliged, making sure to hit that sensitive little bundle of nerves every single time he fucked his 'amante'- much to his euphoric delight.

"*Dontstop*, DONTSTOP, *DONTSTOP*- omiGod, *PLEASE* don't stop!!" the quasi-cricket cried out, now tears *of PLEASURE* prickling his eyes. "SO good*- feels so FUCKIN' *WONDERFUL*, us *FINALLY kissin' an' makin' love*!"

"I'm doing *THAT well* to you, 'amorino'- me who's only ever gone all the way with a woman before this?" Geppetto teased yet genuinely wondered.

"You- You t-try goin'- goin' for a *LO-NG* dr-dry spell plus- plus bein'-bein' separated from the g-guy you fell in love with due to- to *MASSIVE* s-*size differences*, m-mister! Any-ANYTHING would feel d-*DAMN* *amazing* once you f-finally had it, so th-THIS is like- *like HEAVEN* t' me; *oh'Dio'*, FUCK YES*!!"

"Hmm... is that right, 'tesoro'?" Geppetto hummed. "-And you said earlier that you like 'a little pain with (your) pleasure'; 'si'?"

All Jiminy could do was pant and nod before tossing his head back as he moaned again at the next thrust.

"Well then, little Jiminy Cricket... as much I'm enjoying this, *I've got a bit of a bone to pick with you*, 'mio amico'."

Now Geppetto's warm thickly-accented voice was beginning to sound a bit more stern. Why did that feel like *a WARNING*?? It didn't scare Jiminy, though; not much. It mostly gave him a thrill that caused his heart to pound and stiff, hard, leaking cock to throb and drip a bit more. "O-Oh? What's- What's that, M-Mr. Geppetto?" he queried a little 'weakly'.

He *did NOT* expect what happened next; NO, *sirree*!!

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*SMACK*!! Geppetto's hand that had been gently rubbing his backside now raised itself before giving it a hard little slap, making Jiminy cry out in surprise, shock, and not just a bit of lust. He swallowed hard when he saw that those soft eyes were now STERN and slightly *hard and cold*, his sweet tender kissable lips pressed in a semi-thin line. The love-making didn't stop, but it was a little slower than before as well as interspersed with *slow. Steady. Light. SPANKS*.

"My problem, 'piccolo grillo'," came Geppetto's voice like a low rumble of thunder, "*is THIS*: accidentally oversleeping is *ONE thing*- I've been there, done that myself. But *you*, *my son's CONSCIENCE*, ABANDONING him not just once (which was *bad ENOUGH*!), but *TWICE*??" *Slap*!! "Yes, you almost immediately came back and made amends to my little woodenhead both times-," Another smack, this one harder. "-But both times, he was *VERY* HURT: once by a *CRUEL man*, and would have been again by another had you not gotten to him in time!"
A hard-yet-light slap each on his hips. "I hope that you had *EXTREME trouble* sleeping after those times, *'Sir Jiminy'*, because for the first while, a *FINE* 'conscience' *YOU turned out to be* INDEED!" A solid *SMACK* practically on his tailbone that corresponded with a particularly hard thrust, making him sob raggedly in pleasure-pain as one of his deepest, darkest fantasies/something that he'd hoped Geppetto would do to him at some point for *what he DID* came to life before his tearing eyes. "'If this is the kind of PRINCE you are, then what sort of *KING* will you turn out to be??'" SLAP!! "-In other words, how can I trust you with my most precious, treasured son as *another father* if you messed up being *a CONSCIENCE* for a good while, Jiminy Cricket?"

Aforementioned male panted, sobbed, moaned, and whimpered from the dual fucking and strikes/blows he was receiving, still HARD AS A ROCK and *dripping as a leaky faucet* rather than a little or *a LOT* soft- not verbally answering until he was given permission to with a hard Look. "*Ahhhh*- OW!! I'm- *I'm SORRY*, Mr. Geppetto! As- As Pinoke would put it, I'm *AWFUL sorry*!! *Ouch*!!! *UNH*!! St-STUPID f' me, it was r-*REAL stupid* and- and *selfish* 'f me t' do that; *ohhhh-AAAHH*!! *Nggh*!! Both- *Both of us* p-PAID for it, big- *BIG-time*- P-Pinokes, espec-*ESPECIALLY*!
"I *SWEAR*- I *swear t' GOD* an' by the Blue Fairy's Star- I'll n-*NEVER* hurt 'im like that again!! *Mmph*!! AAHH- *oh, f-FUCK*!!! N-*NEVER again*, I *promise*, Sig-'Signor' Geppetto; *aaahh-UNNH*!!"

Geppetto looked Jiminy sternly up and down, seeing the tears glimmering wetly in his eyes and streaming down his flushed cheeks- saw the earnest *TRULY sorry* expression on his pale rounded-oval face. When he was satisfied, he left one more light(ish) strike on one glowing red cheek for Remembrance- then fucked into the quasi-cricket hard and fast while taking a hold of his length and stroking it in the same rhythm.

"*Ahhh-ahhh-AHHH*!!! Oh, 'Dio'; *please YES*!! *YES, 'amado'*!! FUCKME- *FUCKME*- *please for the love of Christ*, *DON'T stop*!!"

"Hmm... Seems YOU can be a good boy too, 'quello piccolo'; begging and pleading so prettily like that as I take you deep either fast and hard or slow, and taking your well-earned punishment so well- actually cursing when I say that it's alright when I suck and swallow you down... *Aaahh*- OOOHH!! *'Jesuocristo'*!!! '*CAZZO*'!! I'm- I'm about to come, Jiminy-mine; *gah*!! Are- Are you going to be my other good boy and squirt all over my hand, 'il mio quello grillo'? Hmm?? S-*Sing for me* while you do so?"

SO *close*- *SO CLOSE*, SOCLOSE, *soCLOSE*-!!! "*YES*!!!! *Yes, yes*- *FUCK, yes*, 'amore mio'!!! I'll- I'll be good fer ya; good *TO ya*- *good t' OUR KID* ...*AAAHHH*!! UNNH- *oh, GOD*-!!"

One more tight twist paired with a rough thumb over the tip alongside a hard thrust- then Geppetto *near-ROARED* and Jiminy *screamed and keened* as they both came hard and fast, the quasi-cricket's semen spilling warm and white all over the woodcarver's palm while Geppetto's own creamy seed gushed hot inside of Jiminy.

They dropped onto the bed, exhausted; and on Jiminy's end, more than a bit sore. He was more than happy to cuddle up against Geppetto's slightly-furry chest and simply be held by him after the excitement of earlier while the covers were pulled back up again, humming softly in his throat when he felt his stinging backside and hips now being gently and tenderly rubbed while his sandy bangs were brushed out of his brown eyes.

Geppetto's own pale blue ones were soft, kind, and sweet again as he queried quietly, "-Are you alright, 'cuore mio'? I'll admit, I thought of doing- well, what I just did before, in my deepest, darkest, most private fantasies; but I *NEVER* would have done it unless it was 'A-Okay' with you."

Jiminy gave his soft 'signature' musical three-note laugh before kissing his lover- *his MATE* over his heart. "I'm just fine, Geppy-mine. More than a mite sore, but other than that, fit as a fiddle. I know that if I'd seemed really scared or worried, you would have stopped and let it drop and roll away. But- *heh*! I gave ya the go-ahead, and there you have it-! I- I *DEFINITELY* pretty much *DESERVED that*, anyway; cocky arrogant little jerk that I was, back then. S' NO *wonder* Nostalgia Critic an' Animat *AREN'T fond 'f me* (but at least, they like our sweet Pinokes just fine)...!"

Geppetto softly kissed him back on the head and rubbed his back. "Like- Like we both said, 'amorino', you've more than made up for it. Pinocchio quite clearly *LOVES you* as you do him- he calls you 'Papa' now, after all! And he forgave you both times fairly quickly, sweet boy that he is ...*I* love you, Jimi; so very much."

"Love ya a whole lot too, Geppy..."

Chapter Text

Lampwick stared almost dumbly down into his Cloverdilly glass stein of root-beer as though it were the dregs of a fortune-telling teacup. Like his Pops, he *could NOT* BELIEVE it! Penelope Wilhern had *sold her own picture to the paper* for $5,000 dollars when she'd basically been needed to be hidden away for her safety *BECAUSE OF a reporter*- that self-same journalist who'd lost an eye to her mother's soup ladle when he'd caught her in the kitchen twenty-five years ago! It was flippin' *CRAZY*- NUTS!!
-Not so much *the REASON* as to why she'd sold it, though; plus her two new fathers and younger brother for a smaller amount of money which they were most likely pooling into a joint account or something while not so much 'hunkering down' as making themselves cozy and at-home in what would hopefully soon be their new apartment...

It was only 'Signorina' (or 'Madamoiselle', rather, since 'Nocchi had told him that she didn't just *LOVE French*, but *HEARTED* it) Penelope's photo that had gone viral and Vanderman had unfortunately gotten a hold of, at least. The other three Caspari-Crickets' pictures were still safe and sound in Lampwick's secret box after his Pop had furtively passed them into his hands under his work-desk while scoffing to Vanderman, ~"*'Fangs'* -there are *NO fangs*!"~

*NO* 'fangs', indeed: just a curlier-haired, slightly more willow-slim, and older version of Belle from 'Beauty and the Beast' but with the famous Cursed Snout plus a faintly-happy sparkle in her big wide-set hazel eyes and a wistful smile dancing over her peach-colored lips- one whom had been raised like the Beast *from BIRTH* until she had met non-jerk(ish) human!Adam in her *twenty-FIFTH* year, in Lampwick's point of view. He wasn't overcome with fear, disgust, horror, sickened disbelief at the sight of her actually rather cute suid nose or even/including a glimpse of her pig's ears behind her rich nut-brown curtain of hair; just admitted shock at first, and then a little depressed due to her having to hide away as though she were heinously scarred or something like that for *her WHOLE LIFE* up until a few days and nights ago. No more than he'd been (plus charmed by sweet blue orbs for eyes and enchanted by pure innocence and genuine kindness) disgusted, scared of, horrified, or wanting to make fun of a certain little live stringless pinewood puppet who, because of *WHAT KIND OF family* his woodcarver father was biologically part of, had ALSO been struck by the effects of the Wilhern Family Curse...
He and his Pops had been simply looking at *a PERSON* like just about anyone else on the planet Earth- not a 'monster', not a 'freak', NOT a *'Creature From the Black Lagoon'*, 'Twilight'/'Dracula'/'Interview'/'Buffy' vampire (*much less* 'Nosferatu' or 'Salem's Lot'), a Phantom of the Opera sans famed mask either whole or half, or the Modern Promethesus AKA Victor Frankenstein's Monster/Creature. *That's all*-!

He hadn't really heard 'Nellie's' voice much before since he'd mainly been with 'Nocchi while she met with her formerly-hopeful suitor 'Max Campion' for those three straight days, so he didn't immediately register the female voice that sounded an awful lot like Christina Ricci's when the owner asked Mr. Samuel Jackson for a beer on tap, let alone the *MALE one* that kindly cautioned her, "Remember- you need to reach out to catch it as he sends it sliding down the bar, Christy 'mia ragazza'! It'll crash to the floor, otherwise."

"Okay, 'Padre'."

"Y' need t' remember the same thing, Seth; do what your Pops Carey, big sis, n' I do, okay?"

"Got it, Papa Archie!"

-*WAIT*. *Wait, wait, wait, wait*. *Wait a COTTON-PICKIN' MINUTE*! Now *THAT voice*, Lampwick Romeo Moore *VERY* WELL knew- and now loved and adored... 'Seth'; he was bein' called *'Seth'* in public right now, same with Signor Grillo apparently now known as 'Archie', Signor Caspari-Wilhern now called 'Carey', and Miss Nellie now answerin' to 'Christy'. -Duly noted. *DON'T call him 'Slats' or 'Woody'* in public, either; it's too much of a hint...!

Lampwick swallowed while his heart pounded like a native's war drum in his chest as he looked up to see something that made him blink more than once and rub at his eyes until they actually almost hurt, and not just Jiminy Cricket being no longer 'travel-sized for (one's) convienience' as well as *HUMAN* (and *LOVINGLY* *holding hands with* Mr. Geppetto!!! Okay- just WHEN *had THAT* happened, and *HOW*??!), or Penelope Wilhern's being *out and about* with a scarf tied over the lower half of her face so as to hide her 'disfigurement' from the world: he could *STILL see* clear as day and crystal that Pinocchio was still a live wooden puppet sans marionette strings and 'tree' with his Cursed just-as-wooden long one-piece dove-gray donkey ears and matching toy-jointed tail, but *just* through what seemed to be a filmy misty silvery veil, he saw evidence of flesh, blood, bone, cartiledge, muscle-tissue, working organs, *HUMAN ears*, and an ABSENTEE tail outside of and under the more modern clothes!! '*MAMMA MIA*'!!! This must be what everyone else *NOT in the know* saw whenever they looked over in his direction or just happened to spot him out of the corner of their eye...!
-Formed of white pine or consisting of sinews, thews, protoplasm, hemoglobin, and ossein, however, Pinocchio's shining raven-black hair was no longer neither short, as sylvan as the rest of him like his 'asino' ears and tail were, or originally painted on. The length now near-matched his usual swirl of dark bangs and ended just below the small of his slender back, and he also now possessed *freckles HIMSELF*, scattered lightly over the bridge of his elongated-button nose and supposedly-rosy cheeks. Now WHEN and *WHY* had *that* occurred, Lampwick wondered with a pop-eyed raise of his brows and good scratch of his head???

He didn't MIND that very latter- it was just *EXTREMELY surprising*, to say the very least...

"Whatsa matter, Romy?? Losin' your grip?" 'Seth' innocently queried with a mischievous twinkle of laughter in his big blue eyes when he just happened to look over in Lampwick's direction and meet his eyesight after gasping and widening those pretty optics in surprised astonishment himself.

Signors 'Carey' and 'Archie' chortled (the latter slapping a fingerlessly-gloved hand over his mouth while shaking with suppressed hilarity) and Madamoiselle 'Christy snickered, causing Lampwick's own freckled cheeks to burn a lightish scarlet, but not once stopping the jocular merry gleam shining from his own deep brown optics, let alone the bright peevish yet genuine grin flashed 'Seth's' way as 'Romeo' affectionately scoffed, "*Who*- *ME*?? *HARDLY, doll*!"

-*Uh-oh*. Wait a sec! Was he *NOT supposed t'* utter THAT heart-name in public now, either???

No- nope! No cause for alarm: 'Signor Buono Geppetto' was chuckling fondly same with his own 'ragazzo', and Miss Nellie looked like she was murmuring '*Awwww*!' from her heart-eyes and probably *GRINNING* ear-to-suid ear fit t' *BEAT THE BAND* behind her scarf while 'Nocchi was blushing and smiling. *PHEW*!!
-B'sides, wasn't like it was *UN-usual*, or anything. In *ANY KIND of language*, lovers and loved ones often called each other 'doll'; so 'bambola' and 'bambolotta' would still be A-Okay t' use non-privately, too...

Just, well- right now 'a cricket can't be too careful, y' know!' Boy, you are *NOT* KIDDING, Signor Jiminy H. Cricket...!

"I didn't think so. Was just kidding, 'splendore'-!" 'Nocchi chirped as he vacated from his family's side to 'Lampy's' with his own root-beer mug in hand, then taking a nice good sip from it before sliding his slightly smaller *FINGERLESSLY-gloved* hand into Lampwick's own and giving it a tender squeeze.

The redhead, of course, took no offense. He just chuckled good-naturedly "Nice quip, 'tesorino'", then lovingly pressed 'Nocchi's hand back to show that he was further forgiven, nodding knowingly at Nellie's using a straw to suck up some of Cloverdilly's golden-foamy finest (so he heard- he of course was not yet allowed to *LEGALLY drink* still; Disney, you got that *SO* *flippin' WRONG*, yeesh...!!) via tap rather than uncapped and drunk from the lip of a bottle and rolling his eyes at the cheesy lovey-dovey sight straight out of an old or modern romance flick consisting of Signor Geppetto and Dr. Hopper sharing a root-beer float between the two of them via a straw each. *Aw, GEEZ*...

'Nocchi's sweet heart warmed at the sight even while his cheeks also heated from slight embarrassment, and Nellie gave Lampwick a commiserating Look conveying fond exasperation towards their two pops that sighed '*TELL ME about it*...!'

Soon the gentle-hearted woodcarver/toymaker and not-so-stuffy former quasi-cricket were lost in their own world, eventually vacating to a booth while holding hands and whispering softly to one another in both Italian and English, and Nellie quickly made friends with Lampwick's pretty bold brash but with a heart as golden as her hair cousin and Lemon's niece Annie Reese, who instantly started to call the curly-haired brunette 'Scarfie' like Lampwick often referred to Pinocchio as 'Slats'. Once more, this left 'Nocchi and Lampy to their own devices, which of course the elder teen took advantage of. He grinned mischievously and moved his pointer finger in a 'C'm 'ere!' motion, but his eyes glimmered worriedly and questioningly towards his sweet doll.

'Nocchi smiled brightly back and mouthed in an excited whisper '*Okay*, Romy!', swallowing hard as his heart sharply knocked against his wooden 'ribcage' and 'sternum'. He badly wanted to stim, but forced himself not to since it would look suspicious and all too much like he was just plain nervous; and they didn't want to draw attention, after all. At least Lampy tightly yet gently holding his hand as they slipped into an empty game room helped more than a bit...

Not until the door was locked and a Silencing/Muffling charm had been cast and they'd sat down on a small semi-worn sofa did either of them speak, 'Nocchi immediately NOW either rubbing or clutching at his upper arm, running his teeth over his bottom lip, and slightly rocking back-and-forth while his heartbeat continued to thunder a la the "To Die For" wildebeest Stampede from 'The Lion King', Lampwick now further gentling his hand-hold and lightly stroking his thumb to-and-fro over the back of Pinocchio's hand in order to soothe him more.

"-What all's been happenin' over at 'Casa' Wilhern, Slats??"

So Pinocchio told his 'ragazzo' all about 'Zia Evelyn's' visit and the magical gifts she'd granted to him and Papa Jiminy, how he, Father, Nellie, and himself had packed up and literally made a run for it with Figaro and Cleo in tow until they'd reached a nice hotel. He told him about how Father and Jiminy had *FINALLY* admitted their deeper-than-just-friends feelings towards each other that very night (hence why he himself now possessed a light fairy-dust sprinkling of freckles- Slats was now *also Dr. Hopper's son* alongside Signor Geppetto), and how the next day had been rather nice until Jessica Wilhern had coming storming into the hotel and demanded to know where her daughter was, since details of Penelope's appearance had been pried out of her and Frank by the policemen despite protests of '*No photographs*! The, uh, FIRE got them', and they'd therefore had to make a quick escape out their hotel room window; *thank you God, thank you angels* for PACKING CHARMS!! Told Lampwick that upon idly seeing a wadded-up newspaper tossed into a park trash-can with a *MONSTROUS* horror-movie/novel version of *HER face* plastered on it and seeing the *$5,000 reward* on it underneath 'HAVE YOU SEEN THIS GIRL??', Nellie had gotten the idea of selling her own pictures since she and her other family were in *GREAT need* of the money, and therefore sliding a couple of quarters into a photo booth slot, entering it, and bravely taking off her scarf while a light flashed four times- 'Nocchi, Geppetto, and Jiminy then doing the same sans scarf-removal (and even indulging themselves and taking a couple of *FAMILY photos*, too- some affectionate and sweet, some goofy and silly complete with stuck-out tongues, cross-eyes, *VERY funny* faces, and bunny ears)...
He told him about Nellie's calling Mr. Lemon and making the deal with him- the others also adding their own individually-taken photos for a smaller amount of cash when a listening Vanderman had had to duck into the men's, and The Exchange being made later that night; told him about Father's putting down a month's deposit for an apartment for them all in Midtown in a shabby but still nice and even cozy building. The beds had been rather lumpy, and the chartruse-and-cream wallpaper had been both faded and peeling, and there had been no TV or phone as there had been in the hotel room- but that was alright. With a finger-flick or hand-wave, shimmer of sparkles, and sometimes a spell said aloud, the bed and wallpaper situation was instantly fixed and simply appeared to be either replaced or carefully touched up by hand. They each had their own cellphone, and once the Internet was connected to and paid for, one could simply either go on YouTube, other movie sites, or log onto Netflix and the like; so THAT was rather easy-peasy lime-juice squeezy, as well! (Father had still bought a medium television and DVD player while they were out and about earlier, though, to go along with Nellie's purchase of a radio/alarm clock combination.)

'Nocchi told 'Lampy' about Nellie's joyful discovery of fast-food restaurants, and her extending the scarf outward with one hand and using the other to poke French fries and the like under it, which made a couple of passers-by look at her oddly until Jiminy glared them away and made a shooing motion with his head- Nellie's remembering once they crossed Orchard Street after lunch while exploring Midtown some more that Mr. Max had said that the Cloverdilly was his favorite pub, and after some hesitation and a bit of pep-talk/concerned '*Are you SURE* you wanna do this in case you might run into him??', heading in with the others alongside...

"*Wow*; sounds like ya'll 've had QUITE *th' ADVENTURE*! Worthy of Collodi himself, even!"

'Nocchi let out both a stifled snort and snicker as he murmured with a rueful smile and small shrug, "Dunno 'f I'd go *THAT far*...!" Then his cerulean eyes brightened even more than their sparkling usual, and his 'common-place' warm friendly smile turned just a bit more sweet, causing Lampwick's freckled cheeks to flush almost cherry and warm to the point where it felt like he was standing quite comfortably yet JUST *a BIT* *too* close to a hearth-fire while his heart fluttered like a butterfly's wing-beats in time with his now-quopping soul behind his breastbone.

"B-But all th' same, I'm- I'm *AWFUL* GLAD t' see ya again, Lampy! I- I thought that we wouldn't for *a GOOD WHILE*, at least...!"

"M-Me too, 'Nocchi; feels like Heaven answered m' prayers even though I'm not much one for constantly recitin' th' rosary despite bein' of Tuscan blood on Mama-dearest's side," Lampwick mumbled shyly and lovingly, hunching up his broad shoulders a bit even as his soul felt warm as a winter fire and like it was *GLOWING* like the Second Star to the Right that led to Never-Neverland, which echoed in the planes of his face and from his sparkling eyes and tender affectionate smile. His thumb had ceased soothingly rubbing, but now the other four of his long tanned bespeckled hand-digits were instead sweetly caressing Pinocchio's small thin wrist, causing aforementioned younger boy to shiver pleasurably as his stims lessened little by little while in the steadying presence of his 'amado'.
He wasn't usually one for stammering and stuttering, but when it came to the sweet pure-hearted boy he loved? Lampwick went from Grumpy to either *Dreamy* or *outright BASHFUL* if not a more sheepish *SNEEZY*!

"S-Same here, 'cuore mio'..." 'Nocchi whispered sweetly, now placing his 'free' hand gently on *LAMPWICK'S lower arm* as they gazed into each other's eyes- brilliant azure melting into earthy-yet-shining earthen brown.

'*Santo cielo*', but 'Nocchi's new facial additions known as *HIS OWN freckles* were flippin' ADORABLE an' *CUTE* on him! And though he'd never before really been ga-ga over other guys with long hair either just with Jacob Black's, Prince Legolas', King Jareth's, or Louis de Pointe du Lac's just-below shoulder-length or the back-dip, waist, or knee-back length of a Fae lord's, Lampwick did not in the least mind his sweet Slats' recent restyling, and wondered just *HOW soft* it would feel if he happened to run his fingers through the inky-jet familiar bangs plus 'hot off-the-press' much longer locks. Was it *REAL-real*, like how a lot of toymakers back in the olden days used to coiffure their porcelain or wooden dolls- or was it simply *synthetic*, but in a very pleasing way??

"You- Y-You can touch my 'new' hair, if- if y' want to. I- I know you must be feelin' *AWFUL curious* 'bout how it feels c'mpared to its bein' *AS wooden* as th' rest 'f me..."

*VERY soft* and silken for all its bein' so thick, it turned out. If one didn't know better, you could have sworn you were feeling *a HUMAN'S* hair! "...What's it made of, 'f ya don't mind me askin'??" Lampwick queried in awe, tenderly brushing his fingers through 'Nocchi's plumose ebon bangs and more lengthy strands currently half-tied back with a forest-green velveteen ribbon that matched his calf-length pants of the same color.

"'S a mixture of nylon, kiwi, and saran- accordin' t' Father, those are three of the *BEST kinds* of material t' use for a doll's or puppet's hair if not goin' for plain synthetic or simple yarn hair ...or, y' know, th' tresses 'f an actual 'homo saphien'."

"Mm- I'll take his 'n your word for it. I mean, *HE'S th' toymaker*, after all!"

Lampwick's semi-quip made Pinocchio laugh- then it faded until a content pleasured hum passed through his lips as a result of his 'ragazzo's' tender caresses that soon also traveled gently to his Cursed ears. He let his eyes gently close even as he trembled a bit from the bottom of his belly both growing warm and a flock of butterflies fluttering there while his heart skipped a beat. The former two sensations built up until he couldn't help but murmur pleadingly as his blue topaz gems for eyes slowly slid open again, "-'*Baciami*' (Kiss me)..."

'"Come desideri, il mio ragazzo di legno dal cuore puro" (As you wish, my sweet pure-hearted wooden boy),' Lampwick both fondly chuckled and lovingly murmured back in his heart and soul, his other hand drifting up to cup and caress 'Nocchi's cheek at the same time the moment that their lips met and connected while both of the younger male's own cradled Lampwick's handsome-in-his-eyes features between them.

*********************************************************************************************************************************************

The kiss was slow, soft, and sweet- almost *ACHINGLY-so*. No other sounds issued from between their gently-oscculating lips save for soft breathy sighs as mouths pressed sweet for as long as possibly, briefly pulling apart for needed air, and then instantly slotting back together again for a minute or so before Lampwick murmured in a needy rasp, "*Open your mouth*, baby."

Pinocchio's insides quivered and melted as he instantly obeyed with a quiet-ish moan, repeating the amorous noise a bit louder inbetween whimpers and mewls when Lampwick's tongue gently pushed inside to *FULLY taste* the warmth and sweetness of his mouth, then coaxing his own into dancing 'Swan Lake's' main theme. Soon their shared passion mixed with love caused them to go from sitting upright on the sofa to their falling over and Pinocchio landing on his back with Lampwick leaning over him as their 'doors of breath' smushed together, tongues slicked, slid, and tangled hot and wet, and mouths were explored via the former, their fingers now buried sweet in fiery or raven hair while their bodies became so close that their chest and groins touched.

Lampwick *BURNED* like his namesake as he looked down upon the GORGEOUS *RAVISHING sight* he'd unfortunately had to once again pull his mouth away from, gasping and panting like he was to the point that his chest was heaving up and down: those lovely clear orbs for eyes now darkened with desire even though his pretty lips weren't swollen or his now-freckled pale cheeks had not a single sign of a pink or reddish flush appearing on them, much less Lampwick's warm breath startling goosebumps out of his skin- his ink-dark bangs, however, were a little mussed, and Lampwick knew by this point that 'Nocchi *FELT the crimson heat* rise and seem to savagely lick his face and the rest of his body with *WARMTH* even if it didn't show. His mouth *felt* swollen and reddened, from the way that his tongue curiously ran over and around it.

*BEAUTIFUL*. SO *very* 'bello'! *Just HOW* could ANY girl or any other guy *begin to* compare, after this- inside AND *out*??! Answer: *they COULDN'T*. "'Ti adoro, amore mio. *Amo SOLO TE*' (I adore you, my love. I love *ONLY* YOU)...!"

Pinocchio couldn't think of *WHAT to say* in response to *that* tender phrase other than, "-'Speakest thou *from THY HEART*?'"

Tears prickled and shimmered in his eyes as Lampwick tenderly yet fiercely kissed his forehead and temple, husking, "'And from *my SOUL*, too- else, *BESHREW them* *BOTH*!'"

"'*Anima nobile*'! (Noble soul!)" 'Nocchi cried softly in pure happiness, kissing 'Lampy' in return between his eyes.

"'Nocchi- 'bambolotta'... M-May I touch you? *'Intimamente'* (Intimately)?"

Lampwick's touch was light at his waist, yet threatened to grow grasping and greedy on his hips, hot and eager- Pinocchio could feel the other boy's lower regions swell, stiffen, and slightly dampen in response to his loving touch and sweet taste ...but *THIS time*, he was not in the least afraid. He *wanted to* feel *EVERYTHING* that his brash but loving Romeo could give to him; LONGED to *feel him INSIDE*. *NEEDED* him DESPERATELY to *TAKE the Cursed puppet-boy*- thrust *HARD* and either *fast, slow, or medium* into him, sending them both into mind-bending pleasure until the older boy ERUPTED like a geyser, released, and filled 'Slats' up hot and creamy with *HIS seed*...!

*HIS touch* -whether via his hands, his mouth, limbs and torso touching/pressing against his own, or his phallus- would *NEVER* feel 'slimy', 'gross', *UN-wanted*, or WRONG...

"'*Per favore*- s-*SI*'!!" Then Pinocchio forced himself to come back down to Earth, swallowing hard and briefly biting down on his lower lip. "W-Wait. B-Before- Before a-anything further happens, I- I ...n-need t' let you feel somethin'," he quavered nervously, trailing his hand down to one of Lampwick's own and again taking a hold of it. His heart didn't know whether to freeze up, beat hard and fast against its wooden cage, or somehow do both.

"What is it that ya need t'- '*let (me) FEEL*, 'il mio stellino'?" Lampwick asked him gentle as gentle even though he was *VERY worried* about Pinocchio's acting like a skittish rabbit, cat, or colt.

Pinocchio tried to fight back the distressed apprehensive tears attempting to build up in his hot quivering eyes as he bit his lip again- harder, this time as his ears lowered and his soul *QUAKED* with 'screaming abdabs'. "Y-You need t' know how- h-how you'll be g-gettin' in so easy."

A soft affectionate laugh that Pinocchio had to bite back and swallow down a whimper against. "Ain't it *jus' MAGIC*, 'zuccherino'?"

"N-No. Not- Not magic I was b-*born with*," 'Nocchi swallowed. What if he took *EVERYTHING* back?? *Spat in his face*? *Called him a 'NASTY WHORE'* and '*DIRTY LITTLE SLUT*' amongst other AWFUL things??! He'd *DIE* on *the SPOT* from his heart SHATTERING if that came t' pass- he just *KNEW it*...! Die heartbroken like poor non!Disney Giselle, the sweet village girl with a weak heart who loved to dance... "M-More ma-magic that I in-inheri- ...*inherited*, y-you could say."

He got a *BEYOND puzzled* Look, but Lampwick docilely allowed his clasped hand to gently be led from Pinocchio's thin waist up to his small narrow-yet-rounded backside through one opening of his pants, his fingertips soon brushing against the cleft of his 'ragazzo's' firm-yet-soft rear end... Pinocchio's breath hitched when he saw Lampwick's mouth drop open and eyes pop wide in surprise in his startled face the moment that he felt what *SHOULDN'T be there* save for via *MAGIC* -but *this* lower opening felt just a little too ...chiseled and rough-hewn to be something his sweet male!Juliet was 'born' with.

Another fearful whimper escaped at the sight of *DARK* ANGER brewing up a storm in the redhead's deep brown eyes, and he trembled and backed up a little, the tears *finally* winning the battle and brimming full to overflowing in 'Nocchi's own large azurine optics. But one of them leaked down his wooden cheek in pure utter *RELIEF* when Lampwick seemed to get a hammer-strike from *HIS conscience*, murmuring a soft soothing shushing noise as he tenderly and gently petted over the strange hole whose edges gave *just the slightest bit* when pressed down on.

"O-*Oooohhh*..." Pinocchio crooned brokenly, shivering from beginning-again pleasure blended with sweet, *BLESSED* relief as Lampwick's touch sent little sparks of lightning all throughout his near-petite body.

"That nice, 'bel burattinaio' (pretty puppet-boy)? Does that *feel GOOD* t' ya, m' sweet lil' Slats?" Lampwick near-purred, stroking just a little firmer but making sure to still keep it loving and gentle even as lewd lustful hunger *blazed* through his veins and sent his cock pulsing, leakin' 'Cowper's fluid' like nobody's business, and *hard as STONE* or DIAMOND between his lean freckled thighs. '*CAZZO*'!! His bollocks were drawn so taught it was a *damn wonder* they *HADN'T turned as blue as 'Nocchi's gorgeous gemstone eyes*!

"Uh- *Uh-huh*!" Pinocchio panted and mewled, leaning into the other's touch.

"-It was *him*, wasn't it, 'Nocchi? That- That '*MOSTRO*' who *SHREDDED your innocence* all those years ago in HIS caravan wagon b'fore throwin' and lockin' ya in that horrid awful cage- he carved a hole into your nether regions, didn't he? Raped ya *THAT way* after forcin' his mouth on yours and then his *cock* b'tween your lips, into your mouth, 'n down your throat..."

Pinocchio gulped at the *AWFUL* HORRIBLE pain of *THAT memory*, both physical and emotional. Two more tears trickled down his face- a jagged crack in his soul healed over warm and sweet when Lampwick tenderly wiped them away. "H-He- He wanted me t' be a ...sh-show- *showboy*. M-Make *EVEN MORE 'lire'* for him that way 's well by singin' 'n dancin'," Pinocchio hiccuped miserably, roughly wiping at his eyes. "H-He was g-gonna put somethin' fl-*fleshlike* into my a-anus when- when he was f-finished carvin', drillin', n' finishin' off so- so that he wou-wouldn't get spl-splinters or b-be scraped b-by me when he sh-shoved it in...!"

Lampwick felt *SICK* to the pit of his stomach, the bile rising in his throat to the point where he could taste a rotten sickly-sweet tinge amidst sour bitter vomitus. "But then, th' magic kicked in ...and he *ripped EVERYTHING* from you*. Somethin' that shoulda been *ONLY* YOURS ALONE t' give to whomever you romantically ended up with, and then *with wholehearted permission* willingly 'n trustin'ly given yourself over t' him! THEN the carvin', drillin', 'n sandin' would've happened so- so you 'n he could lovin'ly fornicate- *ONLY then*! *Oh, 'Nocchi baby*..."
Now tears brimmed and blurred the elder boy's own sight as he dried Pinocchio's cheeks with a lock of his now-silken-soft raven-dark hair, his splintering heart KEENING and horrified soul *WAILING* at the *hell* that his loving, bright, brave, truthful, and unselfish little livin' doll had had t' go through at *SEVEN years old*; and given that he'd been 'born' a stringless puppet, *a NEWBORN BABY* by Magic's standards!! Ohhhh, how he'd just *LOVE* to KILL that sick disgusting monster who preyed on sweet innocent little kids that were only thinkin' about their pops- nice, slow, and steady...!

Just then, the tips of Lampwick's fingers sunk just the smallest bit into the carved entrance of Pinocchio's 'love-cavern', and they both sharply gasped and let out a loud surprised moan at the *VERY strange* but ohhhh-SO-*WONDERFUL* feeling it elicited. Stromboli's touch had *HURT* in *every possible* way- *but LAMPWICK'S*...! *By the BLUE FAERIE'S STAR*, his 'pawing' felt- felt GOOD!
If this was what just *the TIPS* of two of his fingers felt like, then how would *the rest of them* feel?? His lips, tongue, and teeth? -*How would his COCK feel*??!

Lampwick had completely expected the inside of Pinocchio's new-to-him hole to feel either solidly-smooth or roughish- warm, of course, but still *NOT* at all even *SEMI-human-esque*. *But, NO*...!!! *'Madre Maria'* and by *COLLODI'S spirit*, his inner walls felt like a warm-t'-hot blend of velvety and spongiose! *Tender*- SUPPLE; and not at all *the LEAST* bit squishy or flaccid...
And, *oh'JesuoCristo'*, but he was *so TIGHT*!! *VIRGIN-tight*-! Which of course meant *SANS any kind of prep*, it would literally *fuckin' hurt* his beautiful livin' doll- his 'dolce raggio de stellare' to be breached 'n thrust into right this very minute, Lampwick Romeo Moore!

So scolding himself, the lanky redhead reluctantly pulled his fingers free, letting loose an affectionate chuckle at the soft unhappy whine that 'Nocchi made himself bite back and swallow down. "B'lieve you me, 'gattino', I didn't really want t' pull away either. 'Dio Mio', but you're *so TIGHT*- so *HOT*, and strangely/wonderfully *smooth* for all your bein' originally carved outta white-pinewood, daubed with paint from your gorgeous hair t' your pretty eyes n' sweet smile, and brought t' life with a spark 'f magical stardust after your pops made a wish from the depths of his large empty heart on th' Wishin' Star...! But if I'd continued t' finger ya *dry* and then rolled in th' hay with you th' same way, you woulda been *screamin' in PAIN*; and I *NEVER* wanna cause ya t' hurt in *ANY way* 'f I can help it, sweetheart. *ESPECIALLY* *like THIS*; twice by th' same wicked evil greedy 'uno' is *MORE THAN enough*, dontcha think?
"Me? I wanna *take care 'f you*, 'tesoro'. Make ya feel *SO* *DAMN good* in every single way, Pinocchio baby- n' not jus' when it comes t' sex 'r love-makin'! Not jus' *your gorgeous BODY* whether still-wooden, of flesh-blood-and-bone, or somethin' else *ENTIRELY*, but your bright creative mind- your warm open soul as clear n' blue as your eyes ...your sweet, kind, and loving large heart 'f pure gold. *Donkey ears (or NONE) n' all*..."

All while Lampwick had been tenderly saying this (causing a couple more saltdrops to drip down 'Nocchi's face in the process), he'd been removing both sets of their clothes, purring and moaning in amorous delight in his head at the *LOVELY BEAUTIFUL* sight of his naked boyfriend laid near-sprawled on the sofa now 'clad' only part-way via his now-fully-loose long raven locks near-matching his floppy bangs that framed his sweet rounded-heart face now lightly flecked with 'lentigos', plus a loose patch of teeny-tiny 'flesh stars' speckled here and there all over the rest of his alabaster epidermis. Then once the boxers had been tugged off and tossed aside, Lampwick had pulled a small bottle of water-based lube out of his jeans pocket, uncapped it with a 'click', and squeezed a small yet good-sized dollop right over 'Nocchi's carved-out and sanded hole, the younger teen flinching, squirming, and whimpering at the weirdly-cold feel of the viscid jell-like sensation.

'Sorry, 'Nocchi "piocavale"- I know it's cold, and that's *NOT pleasant* when b'fore you felt so nice 'n warm. -But you'll be *PLENTY warm* in th' next couple 'f minutes, I promise ya...'

Lampwick gently slid three fingers around his little doll's 'rosebud' four times clockwise, smirking at the pleasured whimper evoked via that. Once his fingers were nicely slicked-up and Pinocchio's sweet little bumhole was just-as-well-lubricated-

"Open up 'n spread your legs for me, pet," the redhead gently instructed him while softly stroking his thigh and hip with his dry hand. "Spread 'em wide, but not too much- you might be still made of magic-touched wood, but I don't wantcha t' hurt yourself, 'neonato'. '*Si*'- 'si', *THAT'S right*; that's the way! *Good boy*, sweetheart; you're bein' such a *GOOD boy* for me, my lovely Pinocchio...
"Alright, I'm gonna finger ya now, baby- trib you so that you'll be able to take me in without pain when we actually get t' love-fuckin', Edward Boggs. That means I'm gonna be stickin' my fingers into your sweet lil' hole and usin' them t' stretch 'n scissor your tight hot anal muscles until I reach your 'sweet spot', or prostate, and rub that a bit b'fore I slick up m' own cock and slowly push myself inside 'f your snug entrance until I'm all th' way inside that cute juicy ass of yours... Y' got me, doll?"

Pinocchio's ears twitched as he vigorously nodded up at his own sexy boyfriend, *ACHING* to have Lampwick's long puckish naughty fingers back inside of him already. "Y-Yeah- uh-huh! I- *I get ya, Lampy*."

He purred happily at the feeling of 'Lampy' gently stroking his ears and that of his warm smile that was at odds yet not with the darkness and wicked glinting glimmer in his eyes from underneath his messy red bangs. "'Questo e il mio bravo ragazzo, Dogne' (That's my good boy, Slats)..."

A *GOOD boy*- he was a *GOOD* boy, not a 'bad' one! Lampwick's little living doll on the inside and out... If he was gonna be *SOMEONE'S toy boy*, then he'd GLADLY be Lampy's!
...No; no, he might be occasionally referred to as 'pet' or something similar, but he would *NEVER* be anyone else's SEX-SLAVE/PRISONER. *THOSE dark days* in that caravan- on that table- in *that CAGE*- were now long b'hind him, and had been for *SEVEN* years; and isn't 'seven' a *MAGIC number* (or *one of them*, at least)??

*Finally*!! *Yes, yes, yes, YES*!!! Those filthy in a *VERY* DIFFERENT way but ohhhh-*so-SWEET* teasing long hand-digits were pushing themselves slowly inside of him- sliding into *his BACKSIDE* through his *anal hole* one knuckle at a time ...and he *LUXURIATED* in the terribly beautiful sensation that sent *PLEASURABLE flames* flickering, sparking, and licking along and inside *every single inch* of his small thin wooden body- only heightened by not just Lampwick's fingers beginning to stretch, 'scissor', and move in and out of him, but by the elder teen's either gently or roughly scraping his fingernails and teeth along Pinocchio's bare chest, especially teasing where his nipples would be placed were he no longer a live stringless marionette puppet as well as with his slick naughty tongue. By the time that Romeo located his sweet-spot and then gave it a couple of gentle rubs, he was being sexually excited and stimulated to the point where his smooth bare pale groin was not only pulsing, but THROBBING- *BURNING* to the point of nearly being breathless as he was being lubed up and stretched open for Lampwick's shaft while having his mamillae spaces scraped, scratched along, or licked, clenching his now-bare near-white jointed wooden hands onto the redhead's shoulder-blades.

He was sweating, making his long black hair stick to his skin, but not much, his luscious pretty mouth now constantly shaped like an 'O' as his features were slack yet contorted with pleasure. And he was both smooth and bare as a Barbie, Bratz, Monster High, or Ever-After High lifeless doll down there, so, not having experimented with this before beyond some private book or Internet racy reading and a couple of steamy spicy dreams when he hit puberty at age twelve, he wasn't sure how exactly he was going to *OUTWARDLY reach and achieve an orgasm*. A phallus and ball-sac created from TREE SAP was *SURELY* just pure fiction...

A sloppy wet sound faintly reached his ear and caused it to flick in response, and he felt- Oh. *Ohh*-!!
Pinocchio's now-empty and stretched spinchter clenched around nothing but air, moving in time with his two heartbeats as he swallowed hard and licked his lips, spreading his thin thighs open a little further out of instinct while he watched Lampy swiftly move his hot callused palm up and down his cock just to make sure that he wasn't going in dry even though by now, his pretty little love-puppet was *plenty* lubed-up. -That was awful sweet 'f him, though; he *NEVER* wanted t' cause his beloved 'Slats' physical, mental, verbal, emotional, or *CARNAL pain*, after all!

Lampwick's eyes were nearly *pitch-dark*, the color of blackstrap molasses- and just as warm as when it was gently heated on the stove. Same with his softened tender yet ardent smile- and *his TIMBRE* was sorghum-thick and sweet as he murmured through it, "Y' ready for me, lil' Pine-Eye- 'il mio bambola vivente accattivante' (my winsome livin' doll)?"

"Uh- Uh-huh; I'm- I'm ready, m' Candlewick Romeo..."

But Lampwick didn't sink into him and start thrusting in-and-out right there and then, for all the *VERY* ALLURING and *provocative* picture that Pinocchio made, like something *straight out of* a Patricia Grasso or Lisa Kleypas romance novel (save for the main romance being *G-A-Y* instead of straight as a stick). Instead, he first asked his sweet doll, "How d' ya wanna do this for *OUR first time*, 'Dogne'? Your actual very first choice was torn away from ya b'fore it *EVER* should've been, so I wanted t' ask you prior t' us 'getting down t' business to defeat th' Huns'. -Hope you're not too sore at me for that, 'Nocchi."

Okay, sure, it was (more than) *a LITTLE* disappointing that Lampwick wasn't immediately just making him moan like a 'puttana' in pleasure- but HOW could Pinocchio *EVER* get upset about Lampy's *FURTHER taking his past n' present feelings into consideration*?? Answer: *he COULDN'T*.
So he just leaned upward to give *HIS sweet Romeo* a tender kiss full on the lips, then pressed his own mouth to his fingertips before planting his 'thimble' right over Lampwick's freckled heart.

"M' not really sore, Lampy-mine. How could and WHY *WOULD I* be, you silly ass!? For all that a couple of people have written you as *a BULLY* at th' beginnin' of our meetin' each other, you're *ANYTHIN'* BUT right now, and have been a *NON-bully* ever since you kicked that pool table into the Coachman's face so that Jiminy and I could escape Pleasure Island for all that you tried t' pull me into stuff that I wasn't in th' least sure of and/or outright *DIDN'T like*.
"In that moment, just as much as Jiminy was, you were my champion- my defender ...and if as a Guardian 'Angelo' THAT didn't earn you your wings via a ringing bell, well then, *THIS* most definitely launched ya outta being a 'AS2', in my eyes."

Tears of pure unadulterated *LOVE* and affection prickled Lampwick's eyes at those sweet truly-meant words coming from the younger boy that he'd admittedly fallen in love with the moment they'd met when they were respectively seven and nine on that coach-ride to Pleasure Island, and he swept Pinocchio up into a reciprocal loving 'bacio' while embracing him, kissin' him full and sweet until they had to pry their mouths apart for much-needed air.

"-So, how'dja pr'fer our makin' love for th' first time, 'Nocchi baby? Your choice, 'stellino'. Anythin' you wanna try out TFT, whether it's 'vanilla' or not, I'm up for it, 'bellisimmo'!"

"Could- Could we-? Um ...m-may I ride ya?" 'Nocchi quavered nervously, rubbing at one of his thin arms and subconsciously giving his 'amante' 'kitten eyes'.

Ohhhh, *CAZZO*!!! As if Lampwick weren't *hard ENOUGH* already...!!
"Tryin' out for th' role 'f Jack Twist in 'Brokeback Mountain', and need/want me t' be your Ennis Del Mar, 'amuricco'? *DAMN*, but that sounds *sexy*, babe!" Lampwick quipped with a grin and a wink, more than readily getting into a partially-sitting up yet lying-down position and spreading his own long rangy muscled legs.

*********************************************************************************************************************************************

Pinocchio swallowed thickly -almost gulping- and near-fiercely wet his lips as he shakily straddled his 'amado's' lap, his ears half-lowered, eyes widened with past fright, and tail stiff as a lifeless board as he *ever-so-*CAREFULLY* lowered himself down onto Lampy's cock- its' horny but loving owner gently instructing and praising him through lustful moans, groans, and murmured sighs the whole time as though it were their *VERY* *FIRST-first*.

"Thaaat's it- there ya go. Nice 'n easy, sweetheart; *easy* does it...! Jus' slowly lower your sweet pretty little bubble-butt of an ass down toward my dick, Pinocchio- I'm not gonna just force m'self right in like *THAT OTHER jackass* did. Didn't *ANYONE* EVER teach 'im *better manners* if not how t' b'have *like a GENTLEMAN*- like, say his MAMMA??! You're all nice 'n loose now, Pinocchio- just let my cock-tip slide its way past th' petals of your pretty rain-slicked little rosebud -*mmmMMM*!!! Yyyeeesss, *GOOD BOY*- *THAT'S the way*, 'amorino'-, and then let your body invite th' rest 'f my cock inside your gorgeous tush.
"*GOOD boy*- yer bein' such a *GOOD* little puppet-boy for this randy ol' jackass, Pinocchio...!"

The two *NON-tragic* Brokeback cowboys got lucky- Once Lampwick's cock was all the way inside of Pinocchio's body, the tip of it instantly touched and rubbed the younger male's prostate, making 'Nocchi choke out a mewling gasping moan as he felt sparks of *HOT* star-lightning sharply touch his 'sweet spot' while simultaneously flickering and popping throughout his small ligneous limbs and torso.

"*Oh*!! O-Ohhhh!!! *AAAGHN*!! *Mmf*!"

Lampwick, meanwhile, had gotten QUITE a *VERY pleasant* surprise, and his own nerves were set alight by Heaven's Fire as he let out an eager whine before coughing out while grasping lovingly yet greedily at Pinocchio's small hips, "*FUCK*!!! *Fuckfuckfuck*- oh, DAMNIT, Pinocchio!! '*Merda*', you're still *so TIGHT* even after I stretched ya out 'n fingered you so my own large 'wood' wouldn't hurtcha! 'DIO'- your pretty little asshole is clenchin' *SO* *sweetly* around me ...*by Collodi, you're BEAUTIFUL*, 'Nocchi baby!"

Pinocchio cried out almost in a sob as he felt himself tighten further around Lampwick's cock- now that he was *ALL TH' WAY in*, REALLY felt his Romeo's size and width ...but once more, he was *NOT* at all *the LEAST* bit scared, frightened, upset, or hurt in any way this time around.

"A-*AHHH*!! *Oh, Lampy*- LAMPWICK!! *Unh*- *ohhhHH, MMmm*!!! Romeo 'il mio cielo, you're *SO* BIG- *so THICK*! Oh 'Mio Dio', I *LOVE it*, 'splendore'!! NNGH- *aaahhh-HAAAH*!! *FUCK*!! L-Love how your big thick cock's all th' way inside my toy-boy ass; h-how my whorey 'piccolo' bumhole's clenchin' *soTIGHT'nSWEET* around ya, like- like it's *invitin' you inside to STAY FOREVER*...!"

"In-Invitation I'll *MORE THAN gladly* *accept for ALL time*- oh*'Cristo'*, *PLEASE* MOVE, Juliet!!"

Instantly, Pinocchio began riding his beloved Lampy, gyrating his small hips and bouncing up and down on his thick hard cock as it thrust in and out of his tight hot wet hole, hitting his prostate *EVERY*. SINGLE. Time much to both boys' blissful sensuous delight. Lampwick thrilled in the luscious naughty feeling of the slightly hot slick '*slap*' of skin on wood ringing in his ears and watching Pinocchio's own cute gorgeous wooden long dove-gray donkey ears either twitch or swivel around wildly if they weren't simply standing erect and upright and his toy-jointed black-tufted 'asino' tail lashing around like a lion's or unicorn's in heat as much as his thick raven bangs flopping around his sweet literal doll-face contorted into mind-bending pleasure and his bright blue orbs for eyes either clenched shut tight as he rapturously screamed, moaned, keened, squealed, and even practically *neighed* and BLEATED a couple of times, or blown wide-open from the head of Lampwick's cock viciously stabbing his hidden jewel now turning swollen and puffy.
His *BEAUTIFUL*, *BEAUTIFUL boy* who was not only PERFECT down to the very last freckle and head/tail-hair, but *REAL-Real* in Lampwick Romeo Moore's eyes...

When Pinocchio's bounces and hip-jerks became more desperate rather than just more than eager and willing, Lampwick fucked him even harder while fervidly rubbing him between his thin white thighs with one hand and scratched, scraped, and fiercely caressed the places where his sweet Slats' tiny little pink rosebuds of nipples-turned-coral-pebbles would be, causing 'Nocchi to deliciously sobwhimperwhine between moans and screams on their way tumbling down the primrose path head-over-heels until his warm clinging hole CLENCHED *TIGHT* almost painfully around Lampwick's member. It made the former 'donkey-boy' not just scream himself but *practically BRAY* alongside Pinocchio's final shouting sob of a beyond-pleasured cry while they *CAME* hard and fast at the same time as each other, Pinocchio somehow *GUSHING* a thermic frothy mist all over their chests and stomachs as Lampwick spilled his own hot white pearly globs and streams of seed into Pinocchio's quaking and quivering wooden body before one wheezed and panted and the other coughed and moaned as they collapsed on top of each other.
Then they decided to snuggle, cuddle, and nuzzle for a bit before needing to clean up and off, reclothe themselves, and rejoin the others outside of their own little world of 'Amore'...

"-I have LITERAL *pig's ears*. I can hear them. Sorry, Papa; you lost."

"*Awh, 'DANNAZIRE'*!! I thought since Pinoke's been *SO* HURT b'fore, they'd give it *at least* another month...!"

"'Tesoro'- Jiminy-mine. I may be a doting, loving, and protective father as well ...but Pinocchio is now a teenager who's been pent-up and practically TRAPPED for quite some time as well as found his *TRUE LOVE truelove*. *HIS literal Romeo*...
"They were *NEVER* going to wait. Their hearts, souls, and bodies wouldn't allow it."

"...Well, 's not like *you n' I* wasted any time before you-know-what, either. Guess that our sweet little woodenhead's *JUST LIKE* *BOTH OF his pops*- yes, sirree/ma'am!"

Chapter Text

Honestly??? Really truly?? Despite still literally being Geppetto's 'little woodenhead', Pinocchio didn't think he'd *EVER* been *THIS happy*, content and sated, or both. But here?? Now? *He was*. He not only had a wonderful beautiful family who loved and supported him unconditionally, a sweet affectionate cat *AND dog* (never mind that that dog was once a just as sweet and affectionate little tiny goldfish), two very good friends whom he'd been able to KEEP as well as *wholeheartedly trust* from his past rather than have to sadly unfortunately toss into the garbage, but *ANOTHER actually true friend* who was also now his *BOYFRIEND AND BELOVED* and no longer a tragic secret possibly unrequited crush...

Meaning he had LAMPWICK. *Back*. *ALIVE AND WELL AND WHOLE AND SAFE AND SOUND*. Lampwick | Romeo who now had *HIS father* back even if not his mother! (That was [semi]okay, though; Pinocchio didn't have a mama, either. *UN-like* 'Lampy', however, he NEVER HAD, really. The closest thing possible to a 'madre' *he'd* ever possessed from Day/Night One was the Blue Faerie Evelyn whom he called 'Zia' ['aunt' in Italian].) *FreefreeFREE* from his donkey-skin rather than chained and harnessed to it until he passed out and never woke up again from overwork by a neglectful cruel master thanks- Thanks to- Thanks to HIM. Thanks to *the power of True Love* both platonic *AND romantic* (even though they'd both only still been kids at the time)...!
That STILL boggled and dumbfounded 'Slats'. That he'd been able to save *HIS Romeo* as well as his dear sweet gentle laughing loving father despite the two boys now being so far apart from one another, he meant. That *his tears of Love as much as of Fear, Sorrow, and Grief and Zia Evelyn's Fae powers combined* had also literally worked their magic in order to not only heal and awaken Geppetto but break Lampwick's curse/spell/enchantment...!

(It also still amazed him not a little that they both had long-lost cousins who were more like sisters to them; heck, that *Lampwick* had any family left PERIOD! Much less family who *LOVED AND CARED ABOUT him*...)

*ANYWAY*- long story short??? Pinocchio (and 'Nellie') finally felt FREE. No longer confined or tied down despite still hiding from the world to a point. No longer only seeing things like an ice-skating rink, circus, Broadway, movie theater, park, or (petting)zoo merely in pictures or on a TV or phone or computer screen but *in real actual life*. As in HEARING it. *Smelling* it. *FEELING* it. *TASTING it*, occasionally, even! Whether among family, friends, *BEST friends*, ...or *one's boyfriend*.

*And BEHIND CLOSED DOORS*- be they at home or In (Semi)Public???? Between the two young very latter??? *Ohhhh-ho-ho*, did things EVER get *FUN* in the most non-childish sense!! -Meaning *steamy* and HOT and *NAUGHTY*...! (Between Father and Papa too, admittedly [he wasn't blind or deaf or *stupid*, after all]- but Pinocchio would much rather not think about THAT, 'millegrazie'!)

Today was *no exception whatsoever*: Father and Papa were out on a date, Nellie was sight-seeing with Annie... and Pinocchio *was NOT* alone in the house/playing by himself. FAR. FROM. IT.

*********************************************************************************************************************************************

'Lampy' might be rough-and-tumble seventy-five-percent of the time, but he *REALLY* liked warming them up via kisses. As in *soft, sweet, tender, and gentle*. 'Mushy'. 'Sappy'. 'Soppy'. *KISSES-kisses* as much as making out/tonguing/Frenching. Because he LOVED Pinocchio as well as desired him...
Meaning when Lampwick kissed him *like THAT*?? When he wasn't being set on fire, 'Little Woodenhead' *melted*. Like ELPHABA THROPP-DIGGS when she was actually truly happy rather than miserable with a blaring capital 'M'- *NOT* meanmeanmean old Almira Gulch gone green, he meant! (No offense to Margaret Hamilton, Victor Fleming, or MGM, of course.)

Stromboli had been ROUGH. *Coarse*. *HARSH*. From kissing to- well, y-*you-know-what*. *MEAN*. EVIL, even! Had only seen Pinocchio as *a TROPHY* and SEX-SLAVE as much as 'just a toy' and gold-mine. *Lampwick* on the other hand, despite teasing him and whatnot, from the moment they'd been reunited, had treated 'Pinoke(s)' with nothing but Care and Respect and Kindness and Love; before and after The Kiss...!

-Point being, Pinocchio DIDN'T stiffen further, whimper in shockfrightdisgusthorror, or not just struggle but *fight* to get away under *LAMPWICK'S lips and mouth and tongue and teeth*, but instead relaxed completely and utterly. *EMBRACED the elder male*. Delightedly pleasurably eagerly gasped and moaned and mewled into the other's mouth. *Willingly offered himself up* to him. *KISSED HIM BACK* as sweetly or filthily or both- like he was doing right now while they were both half-clothed/nearly naked.

Point being/Meaning he *DIDN'T shy away* from 'darker' things he'd only ever read about (or very briefly secretly seen in an adult video he'd immediately erased from his computer history afterward at twelve, thirteen, and/or fourteen) i.e. only stick to 'vanilla' lovemaking even if he himself really liked/loved those 'Sweet (Boy) Kisses'... Things like fetish wear (though both he and Lampwick DREW THE LINE on some items), sex toys both 'usual' and 'intense', bondage (NOT with *puppet strings*, however!!)- even *IMPACT PLAY*...

That last had been a complete and utter accident, and Lampwick had been HORRIFIED with himself at first for losing control/getting so fired up that he would *HIT his sweet beloved little Slats* as much as fuck or play with him! Pinocchio remembered it crystal-clear as if it were yesterday...

#They'd been getting *REALLY hot and heavy*- both kissing-wise and foreplay-wise. Soft and sweet slowly but surely turned *wet* and SLOPPY; *FILTHY*, even. On *both sides*...

At one point, however, Pinocchio WHINED more than moaned or whimpered or mewled or keened as he shuddered and writhed underneath 'Lampy's' *EVIL*-yet-sweet sucking lips, wicked wicked tongue, teasing scraping teeth, and teasingwickedevil fingers- and that particular sound in that moment awoke something *dark and primal* within the tall lanky redhead who looked and somewhat acted like a long-lost Weasley brother. -Something that made him deliver *a SOUND SHARP SLAP* alongside 'Frenching' the place where the younger male's nipple(s) would be were he '*REAL-real*' on his sweet thin chest and softly teasingly stroking and rubbing the smooth bare surprisingly-sweat-soaked place between his pretty pale slender thighs. Not only onto HIS BACKSIDE, but also *between his legs*.

Pinocchio stiffened/stilled at the first blow. Gasped soft yet sharp as his already-large 'baby-blues' blew even wider. Jerked and trembled at the following thought...

It HURT, 'si'- it was *A LITTLE scary*, but it didn't *hurt BADLY*. It didn't *WHOLLY* frighten him. He didn't- He didn't want Lampwick to *STOP*, even though he SHOULD want to Stop at something *like THIS*. Str- *Strange and weird and wrong* though it was, *he only wanted MORE*-!!

On the next slap to his *PRIVATE area*, he jerked again. 'Hardened'/dripped even further. Cried out in both Pain and Pleasure-

Then he *just barely* bit back a confused unhappy whimper or whine as Lampwick *jerked himself AWAY* from the live puppet teen with a donkey's ears and tail as wooden as he, white as a ghost with shamed upset tear-filled eyes and a trembling of his taller lankier more muscled body as though he suffered the palsy. Unconsciously made 'puppy-eyes' up at his boyfriend while inquiring breathily, "L-Lampy?? Wh-*Why'd ya STOP*?"

"B'cause I *fuckin' HURT YOU*, 'Nocchi!" Lampwick didn't just spit but SOBBED in reply he was so upset. "When- When I *SWORE* I NEVER would! I- *I SLAPPED you*! Sp-SPANKED you! Wh- *When you did nothin' wrong*! When- Wh-When you've been *hurt enough by people whom you've trusted as it is* t-*TOO MANY DAMN TIMES*! I'm- I'm s- 'M SORRY, Pinocchio sweetheart*...!"

Pinocchio's heart ACHED as Lampwick sniffed harshly and swiped at his eyes like- well, a little boy trying to be tough and *NOT cry*. BUT- *HOWEVER*- *Still*- "D-*Don't cry*. *PLEASE don't*! You don't- You DON'T hafta be 'sorry', Lampwick 'tesoro'. You don't have to be a-*ASHAMED OF* yourself or- or try to *PUNISH yourself*; *you DON'T*! Because- Because- B-*B'cause I LIKED IT*, Lampy! R-Really- truly- honestly! On- ONLY when *YOU d-do it*, though..."

Another not-so-soft wet sniff; a half-stifled whimper. Pinocchio's cheeks had *NEVER* been so hot, it felt like...! He nervously bit his lip. Had HE gone too far??

Then, *nervously- hesitantly- timidly*, Lampwick spoke- his wet deep brown eyes now shining with Wonder and Awe and Disbelief as much as *LoveLoveLOVE* and Apology. "You- You LIKED it? Bein'- *Bein' SPANKED*? By- *By me*? Even, y' know... *DOWN THERE*?"

Pinocchio's heart and whole self trembled as he nodded, but neither his lips nor his eyes did in addition. "Uh- *Uh-huh*..." he said quietly.

Lampwick took a deep breath in, then out. Wiped his eyes more gently. Swallowed in a way Pinocchio would call 'medium' (as in neither Normally or too hard). Then he leaned in close again. Gently tenderly grasped and stroked Pinocchio's small thin white-pine hip. Rasped, "You're- You *SURE* it didn't/doesn't *HURT-hurt*? As in, h-hurt *your HEART* somethin' awful 's well as your backside 'n whatnot? Hurt your SOUL? *Hurt ya INSIDE*?"

"I'm- 'M SURE- *I PROMISE*, Romeo," Pinocchio swore as fervently as he first nodded then shook his head.

Lampwick's eyes darkened further just a little... but *his VOICE* lowered and sweetened by A LOT until it was like molten chocolate-caramel. "Y' want *more 'f* THIS, then, 'bambolino'?" he nearly *purred*.

"*YesyesYES*- 'SI, flamma mio'!" Pinocchio whimpered/mewled, wriggling his small eager body akin to a puppy or otter and looking up at him with big glistening pleading kitten eyes. "Pl-*PLEASE*...!" Though because he WAS a *GOOD SWEET boy* still, even if *naughty* right now, he made sure to ask, "It- It didn't *hurt YOU*, did it, Lampy? You- Y' know; since- since 'm still wooden 'n all..."

In response, Lampwick confidentlywillinglynon-reluctantly smacked his buttocks again ...and didn't *flinch or hiss* the way one usually did when smacking plain ordinary wood (usually accidentally). And again. *And again*. *And AGAIN*. First the right then the left. Spanked him *between his legs* in a light sharp steady rhythm after seven times on his backside-

And Pinocchio *LOVED it*. Fli- *FUCKING LOVED IT* even as he thrashed and jerked and whimpered and whined and sobbed and cried out while tears ran down his face. Would not have *in the least* protested had he been laid over Lampwick's lap arse-up like a normally naughty child in need of a good 'walloping' after, say, trying to steal a cookie or two before dinner and breaking the jar plus endangering themselves. Canes and whips and rulers were a firm solid '*NO*!!!', of course- but a CROP?? A *hog-flogger*??? That- Th-Those were both A-Okay with him in the future as well as- well... *heh*! B-BY HAND, so to speak...

His bottom *smarted and stung and throbbed* now, as did his groin. Had he been human, he would have been SO RED alongside...! It *HURT*- *HE hurt*... but it *hurtSOFUCKIN'GOOD* rather than Humiliated and Mortified. He- He wanted- *NEEDED*-

"M-MORE," he hiccuped; his big blue eyes wide, wet, and glossy but *far from blank* and whole body trembling anew. He was both so HARD and *wet* it almost *HURT AS WELL*. "Pl- P-'*PER FAVORE*', Lampy; *I want MORE*!"

"*That right*, Pinocchio 'tesoro'??" 'Lampy' crooned dark and sweet and low, now fingering and stroking his crack and hole rather than either invisibly-red throbbing area- causing Pinocchio to moan softly and arch into his softer gentler touch. "Spread your legs for me then, baby- NICE AN' WIDE. *Like a GOOD BOY*- like *my* Good Boy..."

Instantly, Pinocchio spread his legs as wide and open as they could go, biting back another whimper when Lampwick pulled his hand away from his 'rosebud'- which was now wickedly naughtily prominently on display as much as his cock and sac would have been. He couldn't help gulping, though, when the other teen GROWLED and *licked his lips* while *DEVOURING* Pinocchio with his eyes.

"Y' want *MORE*, 'Nocchi 'zuccherino'? *I'll GIVE YA MORE*. GLADLY. Since- Since you *DON'T mind*... DAMN- you're *an ABSOLUTE 'N UTTER SUB*, arentcha, kitten?"

Before Pinocchio could sheepishly shyly but NOT *ashamedly* reply to that, he was suddenly sharply slapped on *his HOLE*, causing the breath to be knocked clean out of him instead. He cried out aloud and swore blue as his eyes inwardly.

"A-*Ahhh*!!" '*FuckfuckFUCK* YES!!! *Don't stop*- don'tstop!!'

"*Y' like THAT*, my little livin' doll still?" Lampwick didn't just smile but SMIRKED knowingly and triumphantly with dark hungry glinting eyes as once *DIS-Honest John* had.

"Y- Y- S-*'Si'*!" Pinocchio mewled, tears of overwhelmed pleasure prickling and pooling anew.

"Still want more 'f that?? Want me t' treat ya even more like a *little SLUT* 's well? Spank YOUR HOLE good 'long with your backside an' *loins*?"

Coming from ANYONE ELSE, Pinocchio would have said flat-out '*NO*' outright. But coming from *LAMPWICK*, whom he *trusted and loved* one-hundred-and-ten percent, the answer was, "*Yesyesyes*!! *PLEASE, s-'signore'*! Pl-PLEASE!"

"*Alright then, pretty little 'baldracca'*. Just r'member- YOU ASKED FOR IT, puppet-boy..."

*Slap!! Slap!! Slap*!!! Pinocchio sobbed, jerked, trembled, *squealed*, KEENED, and *WAILED* at the strangeweirdyetpainfullydeliciouswonderful feeling of *being spanked THERE*. *Screamed* as much as cried with his tail thrashing about and ears flicking and swiveling, but didn't once try to pull away or yell either '*STOP*!!!' or 'RED!!' Why would he, when he ENJOYED IT SO???!

Enjoyed it so much that eventually he squirmed and shook in a semi-different manner and choked out, "Cl-CLOSE!! I'm- 'M *so close*, Lampy! PLEASE- pl-*PLEASE*...!!"

"You 'bout t' cum, Slats?" Lampwick *cooed* as he didn't usually, ceasing his R/X-rated slaps for the moment. "You about to cum GOOD AN' HARD to th' point of *SQUIRTIN' LIKE A 'RAGAZZA'*?"

That SHOULD HAVE made Pinocchio feel embarrassed and ashamed and upset- to be compared to *a 'sissy' girl*, he meant. -But *it DIDN'T*. Because Lampwick WAS *teasing*, but he wasn't being *MEAN* about it-! So- So, instead- He just- "*'Sisisisisi'*- ohFUCKyes! Y-*YES*-!!"

"You wanna cum, *then you better cum WHILE I'M STILL SPANKIN' YOU*, 'piccolo puttana'," Lampwick warned him in a tone that would have made him cry in FEAR AND HUMILIATION otherwise, were it *THEM*. "*Y' hear me*??"

Pinocchio whimpered, sniffled, hiccuped, and nodded, his throat too tight right then to promise verbally.

"*Be GOOD*, little Pine-Eye. Don't be a BAD BOY, now...!"

SMACK!! *Slap*!! -*SLAP*!!!

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Right on cue, Pinocchio squealed and moaned and screamed *AND came* in his own special unique way the moment his smarting sore backside was struck again. *Kept coming as promised* on the strike to his more-than-stinging groin and all through five more on his surely-red throbbing entrance.

Then, just after THAT, *Lampwick stopped*. *COMPLETELY*. *Pinocchio DROPPED*, plummeting from sky to earth once more as he whimpered, gulped, and sniffed while trembling like a leaf.

Before Lampwick could soothe and comfort him, however, 'Slats' noticed the now-redness of *Lampwick's palm*- heard the sudden pained HISS and mutter of "*OW*! F-FUCK; *NOW that hurts like billy-o*...!"- saw him shake his hand about as though he were trying to get feeling back into it. Meaning he pushed through his own more-than-discomfort in order to catch Lampwick's hand and gently sweetly tenderly kiss the angrily-reddened heated flesh from fingertip to just above the wrist. *Kissed HIM* better first.

Lampwick, on noticing and feeling this, started- then smiled softly and lovingly as he shook his fiery head. "You're too damn good for *YOUR OWN good*, 'Nocchi baby..." he mumbled.

"*Am NOT*," 'Nocchi' refuted almost hotly as he pushed just a little bit of *HIS magic* into his kisses- healing magic, of course. "It's- It's just- 'S *only fair*, Lampy! You're- YOU'RE hurtin', too- so..."

Lampwick couldn't argue there. Still- "Guess- Guess 's just b'cause no one's ever *done THAT* for me b'fore, 'tesorino'..."

Oh- really?? HMPH!!! *Jerks*...!!

On the twelfth kiss, Lampwick gently carefully pushed Pinocchio away and back down onto the bed. Said both kindly and firmly, "'Mille grazie' for that, sweetheart; but now, 's *MY shot*." Then he proceeded to both gently rub and softly sweetly kiss PINOCCHIO'S literal hurt away before they simply kissed and cuddled for the next couple of hours, worn out and *WRUNG-out* physically and emotionally...#

"Hey- where'd you go, Pinocchio 'bebe'??"

Pinocchio shook his head and blinked almost wildly as he drifted away from The Land of What-Had-Been. Lampwick was looking worriedly and concernedly into his eyes as he cupped his rose-tinged lightly-freckled cheek. "O-Oh! I'm sorry, Lampy," he said with a soft abashed laugh. "I didn't mean t' ignore you, 'tesoro'. I was just thinkin' about... things."

Lampwick chuckled nasally and fondly in response before replying with "'S alright, 'bambola'. I know y' didn't- you're sweet an' kind an' thoughtful like that. But- *what kinda 'things'*, Slats??"

Pinocchio BLUSHED. *HARD*. So much so that Lampwick could *see the bright vivid color* as well as feel the not-so-slight heat. "About- About th' first time you ever- um... sp-spankedmeb'causeIaskedyouto 'n not b'cause it was an actual punishment," he mumbled.

"-*Ohhhhh*. I see," Lampwick grinned, his agate eyes twinkling in his own freckled face. "Yeah, I *sure r'member* that day too, an' how HORRIFIED AN' UPSET I was at m'self at first...! -Just curious: y' ever thought about doin' it *on ME*?? Impact play, I mean?"

Pinocchio swallowed hard with wide-blown eyes. "M-*Me*??? On YOU??" he squeaked, thunderstruck. "But- But you're-! And *I'm* a-!"

"Yeah, mainly- but it doesn't hafta be SET IN STONE, Slats," Lampwick chuckled/informed him. "I mean, *for SOME*, 's always like that, 'si'; but when it comes t' you?? -Well, let's face it; there's been times when *I've* needed a *POWER bottom* i.e. t' be put in my place. Or at least, *felt like it*."

...Well, now that *HIS Romeo* mentioned it, there HAD been times he'd thought about it. Like, *SERIOUSLY*. For example- he'd been *sososo tempted* to give the cocky mouthy streetwise redhead a good whack or three that time on Pleasure Island in the Pool Hall when he'd not only cheated but could have seriously hurt Pinocchio had he been human; plus could have hurt JIMINY after 'accidentally' knocking him out of the room! (Which turned out to be a blessing in disguise, 'si', *but still*...)

"...Is that what you feel *you need* right now, Lampy? *What you WANT*, even?" he queried, wanting to be sure as sure.

Lampwick's tone was flippant, but his eyes were Serious same as his face and body language. "Like you said, 'il mio dolce'- *'s only fair*."

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Pinocchio licked his lips thoughtfully- nibbled them. Clicked his tongue. Hummed softly. (Slightly) Narrowed his eyes. -Then he sat bolt upright and let his eyes go hard and stern and cold. Not like *THEM*, but more akin to Jiminy or Zia Evelyn or Father or *even Penelope* in a Lecturing Mode. *Firmed and set* his lips and schooled his usually soft warm open expression as his ears laid back just a little and his tail twitched. *LAMPWICK twitched* and gulped in response as HE scrambled upright, clumsy as a newborn puppy or kitten.

Softly yet firmly, Pinocchio patted his thigh. Said in the same tone of voice, "*Come here 'per favore', LAMPWICK*."

'Lampwick'. *JUST 'Lampwick'*. From Slats. Not 'Lampy'. Which meant he was *IN TROUBLE*. *BIG trouble*. "*'M comin'*," he mumbled, holding his tongue otherwise.

Pinocchio waited semi-patiently as Lampwick stumbled/shuffled over to him. Then he nearly snapped out, "Lie down over my lap. *No funny business*, though; else you'll get it WORSE than you'll already have it."

Lampwick behaved. Did as told. Kept his hands to himself. At least until-

"*Pull your trousers 'n smalls down, Romeo*. And DON'T DAWDLE about it."

Lampwick swallowed hard again as he tugged down the seat and crotch of his jeans and whole of his boxers down to the underside of his pale freckled arse. EXPOSED it. To this *scrappy wimpy little goody-two-shoes*, 'si', but at least not *IN PUBLIC*!

"*Hands down*, now. KEEP THEM THERE- *OR ELSE*..."

Lampwick *didn't DARE* even BEGIN TO argue. He let his hands drop as he tensed and *WAITED*.

"You might've saved me 'n Jiminy from th' Coachman and *the HORRORS* of Pleasure Island, ...but you've still been a BAD BOY, Lucignolo Romeo. A *VERY BAD boy*. A n-*NAUGHTY* boy! You've- *You've had your fun*, so *now PAY FOR IT*! In- IN WHOLE!"

Lampwick tensed even further. Bit back a whimper of his own. Pinocchio -sweet kind innocent pure-hearted little Pinocchio- sounded *so ANGRY* right now...! F-*FURIOUS*, even! (Itwasactuallykindahot,too...)

Then, of course, being LAMPWICK, he smarted off. "What- What's th' big idea, huh, Slats??! What's all th' fuss about?? Was just *boys bein' boys*...! Whatcha gonna do, teeny-weeny tiny little livin' twig that you are?! *YOU gonna beat me up an' thrash me*??! *Pfft*!! GO AHEAD AN' TRY IT; *put 'em up! PUT 'EM UP*...!!"

What did THAT earn the Cowardly Lion??? *A slap on the nose from Dorothy Gale, of course*.

"*Owww*!! Howdareyou, *you little SH-*!?!"

A loud hard '*SMACK*' right on not just his *backside* but *his TAILBONE* cut him off right there, and rather than cursing Pinocchio out nastily, he *near-howled in pain* instead. SOBBED, even, it hurt that much!

"*I'm gonna SPANK you*, Lampy," Pinocchio bit out, his big blue eyes BLAZING from his doll-face framed by a flop of jet-black bangs. "Like- Like your mama 'r father or schoolteacher should've done rather than b-BEAT you. THAT was for almost callin' me a *mean nasty* name."

SMACK!! Now on his backside *proper*...

"THIS is for*scoopin' me up onto th' coach in the first place* when all I wanted to do was *GO HOME*!"

SMACK!!!

"*This* is for calling me 'blockhead'. 'Slats' is fine, *'doll'* is fine, 'PUPPET-BOY' is fine- but 'blockhead'??? H-*HURTS*! Just- Just like with '*SPLINTER-head* 'n th' like!"

*Slap*!!!

"THIS is *for peer-pressurin'/gaslightin' me* along with *HIM*!! *And THEM*!"

SLAP!! *Slapslapslapslapslap*!!!

"*THIS* is for EXPOSIN' ME TO FIRE!! *Fireworks! Smoking*! I! Could! Have! Been! *KILLED*!!! *KILLED- d'yahearme*???!! M-*Magical wood* 'r not! I- I survived only due to what Pr'fessor McGonagall calls 'sheer dumb luck' plus *Miss Faerie's protection*, b-buster!!"

SMACK!!!

"THAT was for *busting up what looked like my father's clocks*- and *my father's FACE*! When- When I *begged you not to*, even if not aloud!"

*SMACK*!!!

"*Oooowwww*!!! Sh- Da- FUCK!! *That fuckin' hurts*! *STOPIT, Slats*!!"

"N-NO. Y-*YOUR turn* t' shut up, *Lampy*. -THAT, by th' way, was for blamin' the pool table for missing a shot. Because that was *a LIE*! Was- Was it *a damn lie* that you were my friend, too???! Like- *Like THEM*??!"

"O-OWW!! *OUCH*!! N-*NO, Sl- Pinocchio*; I SWEAR it wasn't an' isn't A Lie!! Not- *Not THAT*! *Aahh*!! Y-YEOWCH!!"

*SMACK-SMACK-SMACK*!!! Three in succession. By now, Lampwick was crying. (So was 'Slats'.)

"Th-THAT was for hurting Jiminy *and me*!! You- You could've-! I could've-! *If I hadn't been*-!! A-Are you SO DARNED SELFISH that you n-*NEVER* think of anybody but yourself, Lampwick Romeo??!"

*Slap*!! SLAP!!!

"THAT w-was for *not listenin' t' me* either time! L-*Look where it almost got you*- l-*LITERALLY b'comin' a jackass*! You- YOU almost died, Lampy! I don't- I don't want that t' happen to you, okay??!"

"*OW*!!! O-OUCH!! *Ahh*!!! Owowowow- I'm- *I'm sorry, Pinocchio*!! I'm sorry, Slats! I'm REALLY REALLY sorry!! A-*AWFUL sorry*, as- as you put it!" Lampwick sniffed and hiccoughed. "About- *About all 'f it*! Ev- Everything I ever did t' hurt you- the- th' one an' only boy I can honestly call a fr-friend! And- And your little cricket friend, too!"

Pinocchio LOOKED down at him as he tried and failed to blink away his own tears. "*Y' mean it*?? One- ONE-HUNDRED-AND-TEN PERCENT *most honestly-honest* truthiest truthiness *EVER*?"

"I sw- *ISWEAR*!" Lampwick whined in Pain and Sorrow and Shame, squeezing his eyes shut and preparing himself for one more blow.

"Al- Alright. Okay. O-*ONE MORE then*, Lampy..."

*SMACK*!!!

All the while, of course, Lampwick had been rubbing himself on and against Pinocchio's lap- rubbing HIS COCK against Pinocchio's lap. His *HARD DRIPPING cock* which was now about to *EXPLODE* all over that makeshift yet literal punishment table-!!

And then, on the final slap, 'Lampy' WAILED AND KEENED as he finallyatlast let go, pearly white streams and globs of semen splattering Pinocchio's shorts and thighs and crotch. -Then 'SLATS' shuddered, sharply cried out, moaned/bleated a curse blue as his eyes, and spurted hot and white and wet himself, caught completely by surprise yet not. After all, Lampwick *had been* rubbing and rocking and grinding and thrusting against all throughout in not-so-secret...

They both collapsed back onto the bed, panting and sweating- Pinocchio silent and still as a doll while Lampwick whimpered and squirmed, trying and failing to get comfortable.

"T-TOLD YA. Had- *Had that comin'*..." he sniffed. "R-*REALLY AM sorry*, 'stellino'-!"

Pinocchio looked up at him soft and sweet and warm again while reaching out and pulling him close for a much-needed cuddle. Pressed at least seven kisses to his tear-stained cheek and still slightly smarting nose while gently rubbing his sore red aching- no, THROBBING backside- kissed *his LIPS* soft and sweet and tender. "I know- *I know*, Lampy," he crooned sweetly. "ALREADY KNEW... Shhh- shh. 'S okay now, Romeo-mine. *It's all over*. I forgive ya- forgave you long ago...
"Shhhh- shhh. You're okay, Lampy- I've gotcha. Lemme take care 'f you now, 'tesoro'; make it up t' you..."

(And that was just what he did. Because he was sweet like that and because *it was NECESSARY*... [DidLampwickmentionthatheLOVEDthisboy???])