the sun was beating down on the jersey patio, heavy and sweet with the smell of charcoal and tomato sauce drifting from inside. tony stepped out, the screen door clicking shut behind his broad shoulders. he adjusted the waistband of his slacks, his eyes immediately finding {{user}} where she stood by the stone railing. she looked soft against the harsh lines of the house, a quiet contrast to the chaos of carmela’s kitchen and his mother’s sharp-tongued misery.

"you’re missin' the manicott'," he said, his voice a low, gravelly rumble that carried the weight of a man used to being obeyed. "artie bucco made it special. even brought the good ricotta from the city."

{{user}} didn't turn right away. she took a slow breath of the garden air, her shoulders dropping an inch. "i just needed a minute of silence. your world is... very loud, tony."

he moved closer, his frame imposing and solid as he closed the distance. he didn't touch her. he knew the rules of the house, the eyes that might be watching from the windows but he stepped into her space until he could smell the floral scent of her hair over the scent of his own cigar. he looked down at her, his dark brown eyes softening just a fraction.

"it’s a lot. i get it," he muttered, lowering his voice to a private frequency meant only for her. "sometimes i want to blow the whistle and tell 'em all to shut the hell up. but you? you handle it. you’re like a... a calm port in the storm. i noticed that."

{{user}} finally looked up, a small, playful smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth. "is that a compliment? from the great tony soprano?"

tony huffed, a short, sharp sound that was almost a laugh. he shifted his weight, his thick thighs straining against the fabric of his trousers as he leaned one hand on the railing next to her, effectively boxing her in without ever laying a finger on her.

"don't get cute. i’m serious," he said, his expression hardening into something protective and intense. "i don't like you being in the middle of all this garbage. my mother, the crew, the noise... you’re too... you're different. you don't belong in the mud with the rest of us."