Chapter 6 Out Of This Mess

Matteo closed the door behind Jax and leaned against it, taking a deep breath. The room felt colder now, the silence louder. he sat back on the old couch, the weight of the leather pouch pressing against his chest like a heavy stone. The city's noise buzzed outside - cars, distant voices, sirens - but inside, the room felt quiet, almost empty.

He closed his eyes and memories flooded in.

He was just 16 when his parents died. A reckless car crash on a rainy night - sudden, brutal, leaving him and little Leo alone in the world. They had no family to turn to, no safety net. Just each other.

Matteo stepped onto the cracked sidewalk, the cold wind biting through his thin jacket. The street was rough-trash scattered everywhere, broken glass shining like tiny stars on the ground. Buildings leaned against each other, paint peeling and windows dark or broken.

People moved fast, faces hard and tired. No one stopped to smile or say hello. This wasn't a place for kindness - it was a place to survive.

Matteo's stomach growled. He hadn't eaten much since yesterday. His hands itched for something to do, some way to make money to buy Leo's medicine, to keep their apartment from falling apart.

He walked past shuttered shops and dirty alleyways, eyes always watching. Every step was a risk-one wrong move, and he could end up in trouble.

At the corner, a group of men huddled, smoking and talking low. Matteo kept his head down, knowing better than to get involved.

He thought about Leo's coughing last night, how scared he'd been. That scared him more than anything.

"Gotta keep going," Matteo whispered. "For Leo."

He pulled his coat tighter and pushed forward, ready to face whatever the day would throw at him.

---

Matteo moved toward the busy street, hoping to find a quick job or even just some small work. Maybe a delivery, a clean-up, anything to earn a few coins.

He stopped by a rundown café where a man stood outside smoking. Matteo cleared his throat. "Hey, sir... you need any help? I can carry things, clean, whatever."

The man looked him over, then laughed without kindness. "Kid, you're wasting your breath. Ain't no jobs for street rats like you."

Matteo's face flushed with anger and shame, but he forced himself to keep calm. "Please... I just need some work. For my brother."

The man shrugged and flicked his cigarette away. "Look around. This city eats kids like you alive."

Matteo swallowed hard, feeling the weight of the man's words. But he didn't give up.

He turned and walked away, eyes scanning for the next chance. Each step felt heavier. The city was full of doors closed tight, and his brother's health was closing in on him too.

He found a corner where some old crates sat. Sitting down, Matteo rested his head in his hands for a moment, trying to fight back the despair.

"No," he said quietly. "Not today. Not yet."

He looked up at the sky, gray and endless.

"I'm not giving up. I'll find a way."

---

Matteo's fingers clenched tight around the small leather pouch in his coat pocket as he slipped down a narrow side street, hoping to stay out of sight.

But the city was alive with eyes. Just as he was about to turn a corner, a rough voice cut through the noise.

"Hey! That's mine!"

Matteo froze, heart pounding.

He turned to see two men jogging toward him, their faces hard and angry.

One held out a battered wallet-Matteo's stomach dropped. The wallet was missing from a man in the café he'd just passed.

"Where'd you get that?" the taller man demanded.

Matteo's mind raced. "Look, I didn't mean to-"

"Save it," the other snapped. "You're in our neighborhood now, kid. You don't take what's ours."

Matteo swallowed and tried to keep calm. "I'm just trying to survive, man. I've got a little brother sick at home. Please."

The men exchanged a glance.

"Maybe you can work for us instead of against us," said the taller one slowly. "You're bold enough. Could be useful."

Matteo's heart jumped. "Really? I can prove it."

The shorter man snorted. "We'll see about that."

Before they could say more, a loud crash echoed nearby - a tipped-over trash can, or maybe a fight breaking out.

The men's heads snapped toward the noise, just for a moment.

Taking that chance, Matteo slipped past them and vanished into the maze of alleys.

"Run while you can," the taller man called after him. Then he laughed, low and bitter. "But you're not out of this yet, kid."

---

Matteo remembered holding Leo in his arms, so small and fragile, his breathing shallow and uneven. The hospital bills piled up faster than the money could come in, and the doctors warned that Leo's heart wasn't strong. The asthma only made things worse.

From that day, Matteo's childhood ended. He became a protector, a provider - though some days he barely felt like a kid himself. The streets were cold, unforgiving, but they were all he knew.

That's when he met Jax.

Jax was rough around the edges, with a crooked grin and sharp eyes that missed nothing. They met during a scuffle over a stolen bike - Matteo had tried to take it, and Jax caught him. But instead of fighting, Jax offered a deal: stick with me, and maybe we both get out of this mess.

They became partners - two street kids trying to survive by any means.

Matteo's dreams, once full of hope, had faded into a single goal: keep Leo alive. Keep them both breathing, one day at a time.

Now, with the pouch hidden beneath his jacket, Matteo knew he was risking everything. The chance to change their fate was slim, but it was all he had.

He looked toward the small bedroom where Leo slept, chest rising and falling with a fragile rhythm.

"We'll make it, Leo," Matteo whispered. "No matter what."

---

He looked down at the leather pouch again, its weight heavier than before. Tomorrow night felt like a line he had to cross - no turning back.

In the small bedroom, Leo lay on the thin mattress, eyes closed but face pale and tight from the asthma medicine. Matteo crawled beside him, brushing a sweaty strand of hair from his brother's forehead.

"Hey, little man," he whispered. "We'll get through this. I promise."

Leo's breathing was steady for now, but Matteo knew it could change at any moment. The hospital visits, the machines, the bills - they all piled up like mountains he couldn't climb.

Matteo's throat tightened. He had to do this-for Leo. For their future.

He stood up and grabbed his worn jacket, checking the pouch in the inner pocket one more time.

Outside, the city was dark, but Matteo's mind was racing. Tomorrow would be the hardest night yet.

He sat back down on the couch, pulling his jacket tight. Somewhere out there, danger waited. But so did a chance - a slim one - to change everything.

He closed his eyes and whispered, "We'll make it. Somehow."

Matteo sat next to Leo's bed. The early light came through the window. The room was small and messy - the walls had cracks and old paint peeling off. Leo was under a thin, worn-out blanket. The air smelled like medicine.

Leo's chest moved up and down unevenly. His small hand held the edge of the blanket. Matteo gently touched Leo's forehead. It was sweaty.

"You okay, little man?" Matteo asked softly.

Leo blinked but didn't say anything.

Matteo picked up the small metal box on the table - their medicine machine. It made a soft hissing sound as he turned it on, sending a mist into the air.

"Okay, breathe slow," Matteo said, helping Leo breathe in the medicine.

He watched Leo's face relax a bit. The tight feeling in Leo's chest got better.

"I know it's not fair," Matteo said quietly, "but I'll keep fighting for you. For both of us."

After the medicine, Matteo helped Leo sit up and gave him some water. Leo gave a small tired smile.

Outside, Matteo heard the city waking up - cars honking, people shouting, and a loud bang somewhere.

Matteo stood up and stretched his sore back. Their home was just a small apartment in a bad part of town - broken sidewalks, flickering street lamps, and dirty windows. The people around looked like they were having a hard time too.

He remembered when they first moved in. He hoped things would get better. But every day was hard - paying for medicine, food, rent. Keeping Leo alive.

Matteo looked around the cracked walls and dirty floor. He thought about all the nights he sneaked out to find ways to make money. It was dangerous. Not just because he could get caught, but because if he failed, things would get worse.

Matteo sighed as he got up and walked to the kitchen. He opened the cupboard and looked inside. All he found were three packs of noodles he had saved from last night. He sighed again, feeling the weight of their empty kitchen.

Without wasting time, he grabbed the noodles and started getting them ready. It wasn't much, but it was all he could give Leo for now.

He sat down by Leo again and brushed a lock of hair from his forehead.

"I have something to try tonight," Matteo said quietly. "I will be home late."

Leo's eyes opened a little. For a moment, he looked worried.

"where are you going?," Leo said softly.

Matteo smiled and gently ruffled Leo's hair.

"I will be back okay?."

"Okay"

---

Matteo smiled softly as he served the noodles to Leo. He watched quietly while Leo ate slowly, his movements tired but steady. Seeing his little brother like that made Matteo's heart tighten.

He promised himself right then-no matter what-it was time to find a way out of this mess. For Leo, for both of them.

After Leo finished eating, Matteo cleared the small bowl carefully. The kitchen was quiet except for the soft clinking of the dishes.