"Quando l'amico chiede, non v'è domani."

[sharktrash]

Who: Dino & Squalo. And possibly you!
What: IT'S A DATE!! meeting between fellow countrymen to appreciate traditional food. Move along, no risotto for you.
When: early noon, January 25th-ish? (after song rewrite, before ghost hauntings)
Where: some nice park within Vista City roughly halfway between Pride and Virgo HQs
Warnings: language? Squalo? should be relatively safe, will update if necessary

(( prompts in comments! ))

Comments

CLOSED: Dino

[sharktrash]

[ He's right on time, of course, and he'll wave at the figure that looks vaguely like Virgo's cellist with a broad grin on his face. He's settled on one of the benches to wait, a rather sizeable bag slung over his shoulder, but obviously he doesn't mind relocating to the ground. True outing fashion, or something. ]

[ He points a thumb over his shoulder as he stands up. That is sure a bodyguard slash escort of some sort, but at least they seem okay with keeping distance and not interfering for the time being. The security might have relaxed within the HQs by now, but they still got goons when heading out, it seems. ]

Sorry about that. Kinda forgot it was a thing. Anyway --

[ For a moment, it looks like he wants to extend his left hand for a greeting, but he quickly tucks it into a pocket and holds out the right one instead. ]

[alleato]

[Yeah... alright, so being monitored is a pain in the butt, but this is innocent, two guys eating some good food in a park in the middle of the day, set out from most of the populace, but still public enough to not be suspicious. So Dino thinks, anyway. He's a little late, jogging up with a slight look of worry that subsides once he sees the extended hand.

Yes, he did it. Better be happy, Squalo.

The blanket is shifted under one arm so he can reach out with the other and offer the man a handshake. It's genuine, strong, and oddly comfortable.]

Nice to meet you. It's good to hear Italian again. I was really surprised.

[sharktrash]

[ Public enough for there not to be murder, at least. ]

[ Oh, he's happy. Although he half expects the guy to trip over his feet and crash into him instead of managing to shake his hand, for some reason. All well that ends well. His own shake is just as firm, though the genuineness can probably be questioned if you have a sixth sense or something. ]

It's a pleasure. I didn't think there was any more of us here either. Let's pick a spot, then.

[alleato]

[Never fear, Squalo. When Dino whips around to look for a spot, there's too much momentum and he wobbles precariously. Seems to take it in stride, with a little laugh.]

By the trees? It's shady. Or out here where it's warmer...

[sharktrash]

[ Whoa, calm down there, new friend. Squalo is ready to point and laugh, just it case, but it seems it's not necessary just yet. He considers. ]

Half and half? So we can move easily.

[ He sets off toward the junction between the shade and the sunny area, and holds a hand out for the blanket. ]

OPEN!

[sharktrash]

[ So, here's two guys from rival labels, sitting on a goddamn blanket sharing food and coffee and possibly wine (as necessary for Italian meals, duh), happily chattering away in a foreign language, while security is chilling out somewhere a bit to the side but no doubt keeping an eye on them. How peaceful. How interesting. Or maybe you actually know one or both of them and this is looking all kinds of wrong to you? Feel free to spectate or even disrupt this miracle. ]


(( OOC: I'm not going to put a limit on how many people can come across them, but I'll ask that anything disruptive in nature (like yelling or punching either of them) happens toward the end of the meeting - when they're finishing up the food or starting to pack, or already leaving. If it's just a simple hello, or stalking from the bushes without interaction, any point of time is fine. ))

Spectating...

[dishevelment]

[The sounds of a foreign language always struck a strange chord within him whenever he heard a snatch of conversation on his walks. The chord felt almost unreal, like what he was hearing was a figment of a half forgotten dream, but it enticed his curiosity no less.

Don't mind Koumei plopping himself down near by to ostensibly take a nap in the grass. His long hair was astonishingly neat and braided for once, and his face was obscured by a pair of wide sunglasses that reflected the world around him. His hoodie, with a wild tribal design on the fabric and an unflatteringly shapeless cut, was perhaps the only real tell that it was him hiding behind that tree over there....

He didn't understand a word of what was being said, but it was pleasant to listen to.]

[sharktrash]

[ It'll take a while for Squalo to notice him. It's not exactly shocking for someone to go to a park and sit down nearby or anything. But that bit of red hair he'd managed to spot, and that hobo hoodie eventually start sinking in, and at some point he'll be giving that tree a suspicious look. ]

Heeey!

[dishevelment]

[Koumei jerked upright at the familiar outcry, and made a big show of comically looking around the park as if to see who was being yelled at.

Finally accepting that he ha been spotted, he tipped his glasses down and looked at the pair with lost, dumbfounded eyes.]

Me?

[alleato]

I...don't know him. Do you know him?

[Dino squints. And then waves. Like a dork.]

later in the day

[variaboss]

Xanxus is not in the park for any pleasure time. That arrest, the one that had been in the tabloids, the one where he punched out some cops, well, it's finally come and bit him on the ass and he's out there as some sort of court mandated community service.

Thus, he's not in the best of moods. His mood just got much worse as he heads around a path and sees them. The long haired asshole and some blond guy that he vaguely knows from Virgo Records. They're together. Together and having a picnic of all the ridiculous things.

"He's mine." The snarl comes from nowhere and he blinks at the sudden surge of jealousy that hit him so suddenly. Xanxus steps backwards, unsure if he had been heard. But he doesn't have any explanation for it. He doesn't know where or why he suddenly felt that. It makes no damn sense.

[sharktrash]

It's rather hard to miss a growl like that in an empty park, even if it is far away enough to not be very clear. It still catches enough of Squalo's attention to glance that way --

He stares at Xanxus for about three seconds, then slowly turns away, a very wide and very fake smile on his face as he looks at Dino and hisses out of the side of his mouth that's opposite from the bassist, "Don't make eye contact."

[alleato]

Well holy hell, alright then. Dino thought they might be seen, but he doesn't really think it's going to cause anything weird to happen. It's shocking that it has. He nods slowly at Squalo, and turns his eyes steadily toward the food he's been eating, taking a careful bite.

"What's his problem?"

[sharktrash]

Well, he's just gonna continue pretending Xanxus isn't there at all! Which includes talking about him as if he's not within earshot (maybe not for most people, but thanks to the unique qualities of Squalo's voice, the whole damn park is within earshot). Hope that's not too infuriating.

"Where do I even start. He's got a lot of those, believe me."

Frog spectating

[avidita]

[Wow, this is kind of gay even by Squalo standards.]

[It's also kind of weird, seeing him be chill in any sort of way, but Mammon doesn't let it bother them. Brainwashing is a hell of a drug. Instead, they stay invisible as they have since they first noticed Squalo leaving Pride, and just record everything patiently.]

[The number of bodyguards he has, what they're carrying, who they are- it's all valuable information. Mammon is fine with waiting.]

[Fantasma has her own role to play and at some point, she might even be noticed lounging nearby on a rock in a sunspot. Frogs aren't weird in the park, right? Even if her red eyes are maybe a little unusual, but it can be hard to note the color when she's squinting all the time.]

[sharktrash]

[ WHAT DOES THAT "EVEN" MEAN. ]

[ But yeah, that's at least slightly unusual. Let alone be chill in near vicinity to Dino of all people. However, he seems not bothered by any of it at all. Why would he be? Brainwashing is one hell of a drug indeed. ]

[ He's not sure why he feels as if he's being watched, though. After a while, he'll probably notice the amphibian nearby, but he'll do his best to ignore it. One, he's probably going crazy, two, he's dealing with a new potential lay buddy here and "I think I know that frog from somewhere" is not exactly conversational material if you don't want the other person to run without looking back. ]

[avidita]

[You know what it means, Squalo.]

[Fantasma, for a while, seems content to just stay where she is waiting and watching. At some point, however, when Squalo looks back, the frog will have hopped closer.]

[Feel free to ignore her, Squalo. She's just a frog. You're not losing it.]

[sharktrash]

[ Yeah you're trying to imply his levels of homo are higher than Levi's which is definitely not true. ...though it might depend on what you measure it with. ]

[ .......that's definitely unsettling. The frog is watching him. THE FROG IS WATCHING HIM. What the fuck is he supposed to do? ]

[ He'll try throwing a bit of risotto at her. ]

For Dino

[totheright]

[ It's an honest coincidence, that Kaoru ends up where he is when he does. He's just taking a walk around a park - nothing out of the ordinary. But when he sees a familiar figure sitting on a blanket and having a picnic with some random dude??

Well, Kaoru is going to do what any good friend would do and spy on the interaction from a distance. And if he casually decides to stay there until the two pack up and leave, well. It's casual.

As Dino is walking back towards Virgo HQ, Kaoru will run to catch up with him and nudge him in the side. ] So? What was that? [ SPILL. ]

[alleato]

[Dino is headed back, blanket folded neatly and tucked under his arm, when he's broadsided by his curious bandmate. And his eyes go way, way too wide. It's clearly his lot now to get in trouble for fraternizing with someone from the other label.

He stops immediately and drops the blanket so he can wave both hands in protest.]

It's nothing! We were just having risotto!

[totheright]

[ Kaoru doesn't expect such a vehement response, and when he gets it, he can't help smirking a little, crossing his arms over his chest. ] Just risotto, huh? You don't have to lie, you know. He's hot. I'd hit that too. [ Come on, Dino, get even more embarrassed. ]

[alleato]

He's... hot?

[Legitimately, Dino hadn't thought about that or noted it whatsoever. He was just another person from back home, who totally got it and made it big. And played the same instrument. What's wrong with that? His face turns red anyway, and he runs a hand through his hair as his gaze goes straight to the ground in front of him.]

I'm not that kinda guy... We just met...

Definitely a spectator

[psyvampexperiment]

[Sariel might have gone for a long walk to clear his head and to jot some lyrics for a new song. His guard, knowing enough to give the artist his space to work in - his charge might even have jested that his protector's energies had an effect on his own energy field - walks behind him at a reasonable distance. But in his progress, he might come upon the picnic in progress. He doesn't recognize the language, but he likes the peace of this scene, the young couple enjoying each other's company. He can't help but pause to admire them....]

[sharktrash]

[ THEY ARE NOT A "YOUNG COUPLE"!! ]

[ Is what Squalo would yell if he was a mind reader, but he's not, so he's not really paying the weird lone guy any mind. He... actually probably doesn't even recognize him. The light hair color does give him a pause, for a moment feeling the dread of the possibility his father could be there, but no, doesn't look like him. Just some weirdo passing by. Whatever. ]

[psyvampexperiment]

[The passer-by, a tall guy in a grey three-piece suit, albeit with a black collarless shirt and no tie under his vest, might smile and raise a hand as if to acknowledge that he's been seen.]

Nice day for a picnic meal, if you don't mind my interloping.