interstellar5555 | "In cento anni o cento mesi, l'acqua torna a' suoi paesi."

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"In cento anni o cento mesi, l'acqua torna a' suoi paesi."

Who: Squalo and YOU!
What: birthday catch-all! Squalo's turning 23 on the 13th. ~~Yes he is Pisces because his character wasn't fish-related enough yet.~~
When: 12th-14th
Where: All around Vista city, the mall, the bars, Pride HQ, MANTICORE penthouse, Junkyard Carnival penthouse, etc.
Warnings: ~~Squalo~~ language, violence, substance abuse, (mentions of) banging, will update as necessary

[ prompts in comments! ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Of fucking course there is! Nothing like an image change to stand out in the crowd! And some rioting, definitely.

[ A serious look. ]

Alright, think hard but not too long now. What is something you've always wanted to do but didn't?

I guess...

[That's tough, and a change of pace... something cooler? Rugged? Wild? What does he say?]

Maybe be in charge for once? I'm always in the background. I never fight for anything, and I feel like I should be. Look at me, though! I don't even know what I want.

[ HE GETS A SLAP OVER THE HEAD FOR THAT ]

You just fucking SAID what you want! Come on, we're gonna get you fighting. [ There's that dangerous thoughtful look on his face as he scans the bar... settling on some unfortunate couple that must've come in to have fun. ] There! Get the girl!

Ow!

[He ducks and rubs the spot he was smacked in, narrowing his eyes. Then he follows that gaze and shakes his head slowly.]

No way. I'm not getting in the middle. I don't even know her. Can't I do something else?

There'll be no middle by the time you're done, if you know what you're doing. Fine. Go punch that guy.

[ He points some dude at the bar that looks like a sailor and has twice the muscle mass of both of them combined. ]

Are you serious???

[WHY.]

I can't just punch somebody!

[ OKAY HIS LOOK IS STARTING TO SHIFT TO ONE OF PITY AND DISDAIN ]

YOU think of something, then. What is it that you want to be on top of?

[Pity and disdain are apropos, honestly. Dino looks around the place, then at Squalo, and realizes he is drunk as fuck and probably couldn't punch someone even if he wanted to.

Again, though, he looks around as though considering every single person in the bar slash club slash whatever, he doesn't care anymore.

Finally he lands on Squalo again and smiles the most beautifully calm smile anyone could while being, well, drunk as fuck.]

You?

[Kidding or serious...? You be the judge.]

[ ????????????????????????? ]

[ Pipsqueak Dino what happened to you. Not that it's... still not pathetic or anything. God. What does he hope to achieve being... like this? Gesturing at his whole body etc etc. What a loser. ]

[ Squalo looks at him blankly for a few moments, as if he was actually caught by surprise for once, then suddenly breaks out laughing. Hope your eardrums can still take the volume. He's even punching the table, tears in his eyes and everything. It will take him a minute to calm down enough to respond. ]

I fucking knew it. There, was it that hard to admit? [ And there's that vicious grin again. ] You're gonna have to try MUCH harder than that to get anywhere near that. Have you fucking seen yourself?

[Dino is smiling until Squalo loses it laughing, at which point he looks away and runs a hand through his hair. Squalo is right. He's a loser. And everyone knows it. The loudmouth is louder than usual, and Dino actually starts to get up to leave or hide or something.]

I wasn't really that serious anyway. You're right! Look at me.

[ Hahaha nice try but nah. He'll grab the back of Dino's jacket/hoodie/coat/whatever and pull at it with enough force to plonk him right back into his seat. ]

Pussying out already? How the fuck do you expect to ever lead anything? No. [ He leans in a bit, grin growing wider. ] What you fucking need is practice.

[WELL THEN.

Dino flails a bit and slams his hand on the table to keep from hitting his head on Squalo's.]

I wouldn't be good at it, anyway. Look, it was a dumb thing to say. You can't just practice to be... whatever. A leader or something.

[ SHAKES HIM A LITTLE ]

If you keep fucking saying that, of course you won't. That's the goddamn mindset of a loser. And you're here because you want to change that, yeah? So you don't get to cry and piss off.

[IS SHAKEN.]

I just came here to get drunk.

[Maybe talk to people. Maybe meet fans. Maybe... something else. He's a confused guy. Everything in the world feels backwards sometimes. He looks at Squalo with some odd mixture of gratitude and apprehension.]

Fine. I can't let everyone else do everything for me forever. You want me to do something about it?

That's not what you said earlier.

[ Squalo has no idea why Dino acting like a scared little girl grates him as much as it does. There's just that overwhelming feeling of something being wrong, as if some kind of great, amazing progress was suddenly lost and he was stuck ten years in the past with nothing noteworthy about him. Him, or someone else. ]

Yeah. [ There's something devilish glinting in his eyes. ] I'd bet your family does, too.

You're making me nervous...

[Dino tugs at the collar of his shirt and unbuttons the top button, thereby looking a lot less lame. Something is entirely wrong, it's not okay for him to be like this. He feels like he's missed a memo somewhere. Then........

Family.]

You know my family's dead... [They're "not", but they are. He can't explain it. However, that's not what destroys Dino. It's the part where family makes him feel stronger, and he sits up a little straighter.] They need me to be strong, I guess. It's hard, but I just... I just... [He looks quite serious actually.] I have to. I'll fuck it all up eventually if I don't get a spine. That's what you're saying.

[ Frankly, Squalo looks smug about making him nervous. He'll also give that undone button an approving look. ]

[ He shakes his head. ]

I'm not talking about mom and dad, asswipe. You've called your band 'family' last time we spoke. Friends, too, I suppose, if you have any. Your real family are the people you choose.

But yes. That's what I'm saying.

[Dino bites at his lower lip and balls his hands into fists, letting them rest on the table.]

Yeah, they're all I have. I don't have friends or anything. I have my band.

[Doesn't sound quite right, though.]

Sometimes family chooses you. I feel like you and me were meant to meet. [Hands flail.] Not like anything weird. You just... make me feel something. Something weird. More than what I am. Can't explain it, sorry...

You know what they say. Blood makes you related, loyalty makes you family.

[ He's not sure why, but that feels especially true to him. ]

[ ...and congratulations Dino, he's just going to blankface at you. That is so fucking gay and your 'not like that' explanation only makes it worse. A moment and, since he knows no shame, there's an unfriendly grin spreading on his face. ]

I can make you feel more things, if you'd like.

Sometimes... sometimes...

[It dies on his lips, and he hangs his head before settling his now open hands on the table. He doesn't see much of that grin, but he feels an aura of ill intent and oppressive wickedness.

Well, that's a hell of an offer. To feel. He's felt some things lately, but not... you know. Physically. If that's what's being offered, why the fuck not?]

Yeah. Okay. [Oh, Squalo. Look at those big brown eyes and say you want to hurt Dino. Can you?]

[ Oh hell yes. Actually the big brown eyes make it easier. It makes him think back to some little brat whose throat he'd gladly rip out. ]

Alright then --

[ The grin spreads wider and he turns, getting up from his chair -- ]

[ AND DECKS DINO ACROSS THE FACE ]

[Dino recoils, looking shocked for a minute before he sets his jaw and rubs his head. Standing up straight, though slowly, he puts his hand low behind his back, then looks wildly at it like something is missing. Something is missing. He's supposed to have a whip...?]

You've got to be fucking kidding me. I saved your life and you're giving me this.

Stay down, you --

[ What did he just say. ]

[ JUST. THE MOST ????? FACE EVER. He's actually staring at him wide-eyed and everything. Saved his life? What the fuck? They've only just met -- ]

[ But wait. No. He remembers. A hospital bed. This guy's annoyingly concerned face when he comes to -- ]

What did you just say?

[ For once, his voice is actually quiet. ]

Stay down? Why? So you can kick me around? I grew out of that! I'm not--

[He holds his head, suddenly aching inexplicably. A hospital bed. A question. Concern. Gratitude. Fear.

Why?

Go with it, Cavallone.]

I paid you back. I'll never understand you at all.

[Hell, it's like someone else is speaking. He feels like someone else. Someone who broke.

Dino leans on the table.] Don't be someone's puppet. Don't.

[Right. He is getting the fuck out of there, fumbling with his wallet so he can pay and fucking flee.]

[ You've changed. What did you see in him? And all he can think of is, maybe you didn't know me as well as you thought you have -- ]

[ You should've left me there. That would have been better for everyone, right? ]

[ He fights the urge to pull on his own hair, but keeps upright, facing Dino, as more and more little pieces flood in. Of course. That's why he thought he knew him -- he did, and -- ]

Paid me back for what? I never did anything for you out of kindness, you know.

[ But that last bit stirs anger inside him, both past and present, and he grits his teeth, reaching out to grip Dino's arm with his metal hand, hard. You're not going anywhere. ]

I'M NOT ANYONE'S PAWN!!

[ Ah, if only you knew. ]

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