Work Text:
Michael Messer sat in his study going through the mail and papers he'd gotten. He paused in his casual sorting when he came upon one without a return address. He knew it was safe, as his people wouldn't have put it on his desk otherwise. They knew the consequences if they let anything dangerous through. What gave him the greatest pause was that somehow the writing seemed familiar. It was as if he should recognize it but couldn't place why. Carefully he used the letter opener to open it and slid out the sheet that was inside. When he opened it he got the biggest shock of his life and a huge blast from his past.
Dear Mikey,
I know it's been a while but it's me Donny. I know we didn't part under the best of circumstances but at least we didn't part as enemies. We've since both started families and have succeeded in the goals we'd set out for ourselves, though they were in different circles. I'm writing you now not as an old acquaintance but as a father.
Recently, I was made aware of a situation that was similar to ours years ago. You see it seems my son has befriended yours. They've become quite close, as close as we once were. The road the boys have before them will not go over well with some. Though in this day and age most won't worry about it too much. I'll do my best on my end to keep them safe. I ask that for their sake you do the same on your end.
The path they've set for themselves will be bumpy and hard but they're both strong, good men. They've got each other and us to help them, if you choose to. I know you've had your falling out with your boy but know this he is a good man. I'm proud to call him son in your place. He does you proud Mikey. Maybe not in the way you wanted but like you he has the strength to do what's right. I know like then, you'll do now what you know to be right.
Donny
Michael sat back in his chair stunned. After all these years to hear directly from Donny brought back some serious emotions he'd spent four decades burying. He remembered the eyes that pulled him in and made him go against his very nature. He'd loved that smile that he always got just for him and the ways his eyes lit up when they were together. He'd liked that Donny didn't think he was too stupid to understand what he was talking about. Those few times helping him study for his psychology class ended up helping him out as well. He'd learned about people and their motives from that. It made him able to be a better enforcer when the time came.
He'd known from the moment they'd ran into each other that Donny would end up shaking his world upside down. There was just something about him that called to him. No matter how much he'd wanted to say they were just friends, pals, buddies, it was never the whole truth. They'd stuck to each other like magnets from that first meeting, neither one away for too long. He'd tried when he realized what was happening but he couldn't do it. Not until that day he'd shown up and almost got pummeled by Joey for interrupting the card game.
That had brought home more clearly than ever everything they couldn't be together and exactly how dangerous it would be for them. That week had been one of the longest weeks of his life. He'd struggled back and forth inside his heart and mind over what to do. He'd honestly thought about leaving the family and walking in Donny's world with him. But that week he'd had to help with someone else who'd tried to walk away and realized he couldn't. He'd already gotten to the level where he knew too much.
That's why it was such a hurt when his son, Danny had walked away. He'd done it and succeeded but then by that time things with the family had changed. There wasn't the same type of loyalty expected as there once was. He hadn't fought too hard to keep him and by disowning him he'd went a roundabout way of protecting him. The family as it remained had let him go, as Danny wasn't a threat to them at the time. It was just that sniveling Sassone that thought he had rights to Danny, just because he already had one Messer son and he wanted both.
In time his son had made a good life on his own without the family's help and on his own terms. He looked down at the paper still in his hand. And from the looks of it he'd found what he and Donny'd once had with Donny's son. This time there was a hope of happily ever after for those two. He looked again at the letter.
The path they've set for themselves will be bumpy and hard but they're both strong, good men. They've got each other and us to help them if you choose to.
Yeah, he'd choose to help them. He smiled. It was time to use what he'd learned over Donny's shoulder to good use again. It was a good feeling knowing someone he trusted and ain't that the kicker, had his son's back openly, when he himself couldn't do so. He still did trust Donny even after all these years. That's one of the reasons why he made sure to never do business where their paths would put them at odds. He didn't want to put him in that position. Looks like over all these years he was still doing the right thing for Donny and now he'd do it for their sons. He'd give them the future he and Donny couldn't have had.