008 ✽ It's betta down where it's wetter

[giglio_madonna]

Who: Flowers Over Bones and those in attendance
What: One last solo band performance before the big tour, at the world's largest aquarium. Of course, being a giant aquarium, there's plenty of other things to do too.
When: Backdated to early April
Where: The Vista City Aquarium
Warnings: None planned, but note- this is set before Flowers Over Bones (Luce, Doctor, Rei, Ivan, Pao-Lin) escape out of Virgo's grip. If you want to talk with any of them one last time, now is the chance to do so. Also doubles as a mingle log!


As befitting such an enormous and thriving city, Vista houses the largest aquarium on the entire Americana west coast. Vista City Aquarium takes up the entirety of a multi-floor building, sprawling over a sizeable bit of land in the crowded city and providing nothing but top of the line care for its many aquatic and amphibious inhabitants. Needless to say, the gift shop is an entire floor all its own.

Such a place is obviously a popular place in the city for those interested in aquatic life, but today is special. The Annual Charity Run is taking place to usher in spring, just like every other year, and, to help this goal, they've enlisted the help of Virgo's own Flowers Over Bones. On one of the only levels not for the housing of aquatic life, a stage area has been set up for the band. All proceeds to see them, of course, go straight to the Aquarium.

That isn't to say people are obligated to go to the concert. It's an optional event of the day. There's still an entire building full of water and creatures to explore, an endeavor which can take up an entire day if one is so willing. Notable attractions include:

- A glass tunnel that goes through an entire tank of Caribbean sea life
- A room filled with screens livestreaming the events of oceanic researchers watching over the dolphins and whales the aquarium doesn't house
- A shallow tank where you can pet more docile small sharks and rays
- An area where you can play chess electronically with one out of a pair of octopi, Celia or Pat. Human winners are rewarded a voucher for food down in the food court. Celia and Pat get pieces of crab. Celia and Pat also have a high win rate.
- The food court and gift shop floor, where you can buy refreshments for the day or whatever gift shop knicknacks your heart desires. Not only are there the typical things such as clothing emblazoned with the aquarium's logo, keychains, and lovely coral or shark teeth jewelry.... But there are also plushies larger than most people. There's seemingly one for just about every kind of animal. Yes, even the blobfish.

Comments

C

[variaboss]

[ Holy crap but that's the most adorable thing he's ever seen. How is that possible that this loud ass crackhead could look so fucking cute. it's no fair. Now he's going to see that stupid serene face every time to makes Squalo spread for him and pound him into the mattress. ]

[ He totally is heading over him and his little angelshark. ]

Holy shit. I didn't know you were even capable of that look.

[sharktrash]

[ Live and learn, dickface, live and learn. Obviously, Squalo would deny his very capability of looking cute, but he might be aware of it on some level. Big fishes did cause relatively gentle feelings in him. ]

[ Still, his face immediately sours up into a scoff when (he thinks) he's teased. ...he totally keeps petting the shark, though. ]

Jealous? Too bad, you're short quite a few fins.

[variaboss]

[ It's super weird. Then again, him being a doting daddy is fucking strange too. But he can ignore it because Squalo is totally getting his shark loving on. ]

Like fuck I am. I'm in no way jealous of a goddamned fish.

[ This is probably said before one of the early Sharky numbers died. ]

But at least you don't look like you're on fucking crack right now. Are sharks your fucking anti-drug or something?

[sharktrash]

[ That's even stranger tbh. Xanxus doting on anyone or anything except cats is fucking unnatural. ]

...I've heard that before.

[ He's not sure where or when but he's pretty sure of it. He also remembers a poor little dead fish, and narrows his eyes at the other man. ]

You've ever looked in a mirror when you had a cat in your hands? [ POT CALLING THE KETTLE BLACK. Also what the fuck is an anti-drug. ] They're both make me happy, what's your point?

[variaboss]

Then you know what's going to happen.

[ Nothing because he's not going to murder a shark in cold blood while it's in Squalo's arms. He does have some standards. ]

No. But you know what I'm talking about. You helped me quit. [ Helped, forced, same difference. ] And our little girl is coming today, to see the both of us. So I need to know you're clean right now.

[sharktrash]

[ Squalo stares at him in mild horror, then moves to wedge himself between Xanxus and the shark protectively, turning sideways so he can keep petting it and look at the other man at once. ]

...

[ Ah. That's what this is about. He'd just gotten a lecture about it from his parents -- oh sorry, bandmate and teacher, and while he's mildly annoyed everyone and their mother seem concerned about his habits all of the sudden... this is Xanxus. ]

[ He shifts, a bit uncomfortably. ]

Well, kinda.

[ He's not exactly high, but it's definitely not out of his system, either. Gotta keep up not wanting to murder people after all. ]

[variaboss]

[ How cute. Squalo's protecting his sharkchild from the bad man. Xanxus grins in a way that's more snarling predator then actual smile. He's totally sneaking more pictures because he can. But he can't fall for the cute because he needs to make a damn point. ]

You're a fucking asshole. Kinda. You forcefully help me, which by the fucking way sucked. [ His withdrawal had been utter hell. He's never felt so sick. Even now, he's got the shakes though he sort of hides it. ] And you're still on. Well, guess what, you fucker. Soon as we get back, I'm going to your room and I'm flushing your stash. If I have to be clean for our little girl, so do you.

[sharktrash]

Voooi, you'd asked me to! [ Kinda. Not really. He winces a bit in sympathy because yeah, he's heard horror stories about heroin withdrawals, but... ] And I didn't fucking forbid you from buying more, so wipe your own ass. [ Imp...lying he might just do that if Xanxus delivers on his threat. ]

[ ...he does seem to pause at the mention of their daughter, though. ]

I'm not gonna pose a danger to her! Hell, I'll be more dangerous if I quit. [ It helps him keep those... memories at bay. Helps him get a rush so he doesn't need to get it elsewhere. Like murder. Apparently that's a thing he does, and he doesn't know why, but he also feels a surprising lack of outrage about it, as if killing people is a perfectly legitimate hobby, just one he doesn't remember having. ] That what you want?

[variaboss]

The hell I did. And fuck you, you piece of shit. [ Someone is about to grab Squalo's head and see if he likes being shove face first into shark infested waters. ] I made a goddamn promise to stop. I don't break fucking promises. You know that.

[ He understands in a way because the heroin was a surefire way to calm his ass down. Without it, his violence is growing worse and worse. Memories too. But he's not running from those. Hell no. He needs to remember all he can. ]

And what I want is for you to be fucking clean so that if shit hits the fan, you aren't goddamn high as a kite. Because we got to be able to protect our girl. I don't trust anyone here that's not a Carnie or you and right now, you're fucking useless and worthless.

[sharktrash]

Yeah, you did. [ And he hasn't. Yet. A dunk in a shark pool may be in order. ]

[ Lucky him. Squalo's still not sure he wants those memories. He likes what he has here, thanks. Being a superstar and all. So he's not nowhere as determined to go out of his comfort zone to retrieve them. At the same time... Santiago fucking sucks, and if there's something he can do not to work for her anymore -- ]

[ He growls, that last bit clearly hitting the mark. ]

VOOOOII!! That's some big fucking words from you!! I'm not gonna sprout fucking wings or get superpowers just 'cause I quit this shit!

[variaboss]

Fucking piece of crap.

[ Head in sharktank it is. Just going to drown the fuck out of him for a second though he'll probably get bit by a shark for his effort. Mostly because sharks probably see Squalo as one of their own and protect their kin. Just hold him down under there for a second, get that hair all wet before letting him back up. ]

Let those fucks keep slowing you down. Let them control you with your dumb coke. If you're worthless, I'll just leave you the fuck behind. I have no use for trash. Just go and cut your fucking hair already because I don't need some crackhead.

[sharktrash]

[ I'm not sure if angelsharks are capable of that level of intelligence, but let's say they are for the lulz, so yeah, Xanxus is getting a chomp on his finger for being mean to momma. ]

[ Naturally, Squalo's trashing a little, and Xanxus might notice that he feels a lot stronger than before - but so is he, so his head still goes underwater. Once he's out of it again, he's swearing, coughing and pulling wet hair from his face -- ]

[ And then there's silence. ]

[ That hurts. That fucking hurts, that is literally the most awful thing anyone could ever tell him. The one thing he's afraid of. He may not remember the context, but he remembers the feeling. That dread and spite and passion. ]

[ In an instant, he's snapping around and grabbing Xanxus by the lapels, all teeth in his face. ]

Nobody controls me!! Don't you dare, don't you fucking dare to even suggest this! I'm cutting it when you're at the top of this world, and not. a single. second. before that.

[ Xanxus does get what he wanted though; whether it's just for extra dramatics of the moment or if Squalo actually took that "drugs or me" proposal seriously, he's digging out that box of cigarettes out of his jacket and dropping it right into the conveniently nearby trashcan. ]

[variaboss]

[ His finger has little angel shark marks on them now. But that's not important. He's trying to make a point. That if he has to be sober, so does Squalo. ]

[ He doesn't just punch the man for grabbing him because he likes that look. That look means maybe he got to Squalo where "mom" and "not!dad" couldn't. He counts it as a victory. Even more when a soaking wet shark goes and dumps his drugs. ]

[ Xanxus'll go to Squalo then. Stand before him and give him a hard little kiss. ]

That's right. I need you to stand with me when I'm standing above everyone. Now I'm going to get you a towel and you can go back to your sharks.

[sharktrash]

[ Why. It's not like they're two parts of the same -- oh wait. ]

[ What Xanxus wants, Xanxus gets. It's a very simple rule to go by. Oh, sure, it doesn't always apply to trivial bullshit like thirty sixth strip of bacon (but it still does plenty of times), but something serious... well. ]

[ It's a fucking easy choice to make. ]

[ He takes that kiss, pressing himself closer to the other man and everything to make it really proper. Finally, his mouth twitches into a smirk again. ]

I know you do. Nobody else has the qualifications for that job.

[variaboss]

[ Best rule. If only everyone else understood it as well as Squalo did. But bitch, he has his impending heart attack and high cholesterol want that bacon and he'll take it from you by force if he has to. ]

[ There's a little smile and he's off to find a towel. It's probably stupid cute with duckies on it or something. But whatever. He said he'd get a towel. ]

They don't. You're going to be the first one I make sure get one. You'll be second only to me. So you best get straight and keep me there too.

[ At least until he gets home and feeds you to a shark and laughs about it. So much for character development and making strides towards a warmer and more caring future. ]

[sharktrash]

[ He actually laughs a bit at that, though it's more of a chuckle than his usual bark this time. ]

You sure know how to sound all high and mighty.

[ It's not mocking, though. Rather, fond. ]

Count on me.

[ YEAH THAT. At least, with time, they'll get better again. Right? ]