"Il bugiardo deve avere buona memoria."

[sharktrash]

Who: Squalo and YOU!
What: Squalo returns from surprise trip to Scary Lab Dungeon
When: evening of April 2nd (and later)
Where: Pride HQ, maybe the city later
Warnings: squalo language, drugs, craziness, will update if needed


-- A

[ Turns out trying (and (temporarily) succeeding) to trick Lesedi is a bad idea. He spends about thirty hours with the delightful brain probing team down in the labs, and then he's extensively warned and set free. Or, rather, just shoved out after making sure he got the message. ]

[ So, there he is, sort of staggering into Pride's lobby because he can still feel those unpleasant tingly things in his brain which might be aftereffects of the machine or cocaine withdrawal or an unholy mix of both. He takes a few shaky steps, rests a hand on the wall while leaning forward -- and throws up right there on the floor. ]

[ He stands there for a moment, and then starts laughing. It's loud, sharp, and frankly, somewhat unsettling. ]

[ There's probably a lot of people around and everything. The tabloids will sure love destroying his image further if anyone from the media is there to see him empty his stomach in a public area and have a manic hyena laughter fit over it. The famous alcoholic, cokehead and sex criminal of metal finally gone off his rocker etc etc. Does he care? Not right now, no. ]


-- B

[ Once he's done with that, he'll head "home". Which might be either MANTICORE's or Junkyard Carnival's suite at this rate. For what it's worth, he seems unharmed, but that weird aura of amusement and being close to a psychotic murder fit is still lingering. Did you even notice he was gone? ]

[ If you're anyone who has some reason to see him naked -- a bandmate, a bae, someone who helps him in the bathroom or just loves peeping on people in there -- you'll discover that pretty much his whole back seems to be bruised, as if he'd been thrown against something with incredible force. He doesn't seem bothered unless you ask, though. ]


-- C

[ The next day, he can be found doing the usual stuff. Recording, going outside to play with his bike, heading out into the city, most likely to drink. Possibly to meet Luce too, at some point. He might seem a little calmer than usual, though, as if the whole world around is somehow beneath him. The trademark smirk on his face almost looks knowing at times, but depending on who you are, he might just shrug if asked about it. ]


-- D

[ Wild card! Hit me up via PM or at jigglyballs and we'll make something else up! ]

Comments

A.

[scalpedsociety]

[Guess who happens to be in the lobby as Squalo's getting out. Her time in Pride HQ is becoming shorter and shorter lately. She doesn't like this place, she doesn't like Lesedi. Although all of that is gone once she sees him like this...

I shouldn't have left...

No one in the lobby comes over to see about him, when he starts puking Aramat will attempt to pull back his hair. Then there's the laugh loud, high pitched and unsettling as anything. Common sense says that one should back away from such noises... but she doesn't.

Guilt is still in her heart.

I shouldn't have left...]

[sharktrash]

[ And what the fuck does she think she could have done? Become another lever to be used against him? No, it's just as well. ]

[ He barely notices her at first, though he'll probably be pretty grateful about vomit not getting on his hair in a minute or two. He runs a hand through his bangs, almost as if trying to card something out of his head, then finally glances back at her. His thoughts are a mush; whatever had been in that powder he drank at the trials clearly didn't agree well with... this. ]

Hey there. Hot stuff. Or should I say "ma"?

[ He bursts into another fit of laughter, but it only lasts a couple seconds this time. He clearly thinks he's being hilarious. ]

[ ...on the bright side, this is probably no different from things he's said when he was really, really drunk before. ]

[scalpedsociety]

[She could have least attempted to tell Squalo that questioning Lesedi was a bad idea. (After all, he didn't see her kill a person with her bare hands.)

It is nothing different from drunk speak, but it still disturbs her for some reason. She'll try to help Squalo up, sling a long arm on her should to help him walk.]

Come on, let's bring you home.

[She's trying to remain calm here. I can cry once I get him to his suite.]

[sharktrash]

[ Oh yeah, that's true. He did hear about it, though. ]

Home? That's not -- [ A hiss, and he presses his free hand to his forehead. That hurts. Good, to be honest; what is he thinking saying this right here in the open? Shit, he needs to get himself together... ]

[ Fine. He'll just let her help him, then. ]

C

[bass_instincts]

[Shin's been trying to deal with what Dazai had been telling him and it's not going well. Of course, 'dealing' with it means getting drunk and doing drugs. Surprise.

He runs into Squalo at some sort of bar or nightclub. He was switching between them randomly, looking for something more and more intense. When he notices the look on the man's face he walks up with a smile,] You look like you just punched out some dude.

[sharktrash]

[ Squalo is looking... surprisingly sober for once. He's sipping on a fucking martini of all things, and looks as if he's scanning the crowd for something or someone. ]

[ He actually scowls when the teen addresses him too, though it's brief enough and quickly replaced by one of his usual smirks. ]

Well, that's gonna be my version.

[ More like some dudette punched out him, but details. ]

[bass_instincts]

[Shin isn't drunk enough to miss that look. He also isn't drunk enough to point it out or pick on it.] That's the only version that matters.

I owe you a bit, don't I?

C

[avidita]

["Yamamoto" makes sure to get to the gym early, seeming to be carting around a gym bag and whistling without a care in the world. Mammon isn't truly on the level of happy whistling, but they are satisfied.]

[Finally, some damn contact. They were getting worried he had taken too many drugs and forgotten.]

april 5th, 18:55

[sharktrash]

[ Squalo actually shows a little early. Maybe some of his punctuality is returning, who knows. ]

[ ...and that guess really wouldn't be too far from reality, to be honest. You know, music, drugs, banging, it's pretty hard to find time for weird shit like getting ~rescued~ or whatever. Except he's been forcefully subjected to weird shit in the last few days, and he's sort of done with it. ]

[ Actually, he sort of wants to murder Lesedi, but he knows he'll need a better plan than his last one for that. ]

[ So, uh, yeah. Trying to find out as much as possible, and clearly weird people should know plenty about weird stuff, so that face gets dug out of the depths of his memory (and the email out of his pocket. The piece of paper is probably all crumply and molded to his ass by now, but at least it was still legible. ]

[ He scrunches his nose when he enters the gym - ah, the unmistakeable jock scent - and looks around for his supposed rendezvous. ]

[avidita]

Hey! Heeeeeey! Hey!

[Don't worry, he doesn't have to look for. There's "Yamamoto", standing up and waving his arms about like a cheerful puppy's tail.]

You came!

B

[variaboss]

[ Oh now the shoe is on the other foot. Only Squalo doesn't look AS tortured on the outside as he did. But that doesn't matter because he hadn't realized the shark is taking up his bathtub. Not until he goes in to take a piss and finds a fish taking up the entire tub. ]

[ More than the bruising is that aura. It's so familiar and there's a tiny bit of jealousy because he wasn't the one to make Squalo feel that. ]

You get hair down my drain and I'm going to make you clean it out.

[ Concern? Worry? What are these things? ]

[sharktrash]

[ Instead of turning around, Squalo just leans his head back over the edge of the bath, some of his hair reaching the floor tiles, to look at him upside-down. And yeah, he's definitely sticking his tongue out and holding up his middle finger to boot. It's somehow casually volatile, like a demon wearing a man's skin. ]

Want me to shove it down your throat instead?

[variaboss]

[ He'll finish his business and even wash his hands before heading over to stand over Squalo and really look at him. Oh, that face. He really really likes that face. It's like a shark on crack. ]

[ He's going to give the tub a kick though. ]

Sorry to break it to you, but I don't deep throat anything. That's your job. But you want anything. I have a little comfort in the medicine cabinet.

[ Not drugs cause Squalo flushed those...asshole. But booze. He's got booze stashed EVERYWHERE. ]

B

[traumatizing]

[Mei's gone, Garnet moved out, and he still doesn't really know Sabo - home doesn't feel much like home these days. It's why Terry's in the Carnie suite instead. He's upside down on the couch, reading something when Squalo comes in, but beyond lifting the magazine to see who it is, he doesn't really acknowledge the guy. Honestly Terry can't stand him anyway.]

You look like shit.

[Morning sunshine.]

[sharktrash]

[ Ah, yes. Mei's disappearance is what stirred all of this up, really. Squalo just felt the need to find out what really happened... ]

[ He sort of did, nowhere near as precisely as he would have liked, but he also made it out alive and without extra brainwashing, which wasn't anything to frown. ]

[ Of course, then there's Stick In The Mud Terry waiting for him in the Carnies' place. Really they spoke like maybe two times and Squalo's opinion on him is probably more neutral than negative, but that looks like it might change pretty damn fast. ]

[ Either way, he flips him the bird, without diverting his course for the bathroom. ]

You're on my favorite fuck couch.

[ He can only hope the guy will flip out over that, but if not, ah well, he tried. ]

[traumatizing]

Sucks for you.

[Really Squalo? Terry doesn't even flinch, he's long since come to terms with the fact that this couch would be a horrorshow under a blacklight. He does cast a glance to Squalo on his way to the bathroom though, mostly wondering how long he's gonna have to put up with his presence for.]

C

[giglio_madonna]

[Just as promised, Luce heads to the diner for a little lunch. It's already proven to be a favorite of their band, so she has a feeling management won't see it as particularly unusual. Her hair she keeps tucked away out of sight in a small cap, and sunglasses help as well, but, for once, she keeps her signature facial marking in plain sight.]

[Hopefully it'll be enough for Squalo to recognize her without getting too many paparazzi on her tail. She's not in her usual generous mood, considering things.]

[sharktrash]

[ Meanwhile Squalo's idea of disguise is putting on sunglasses and calling it a day. ]

[ Alright, nah, he just might actually have a hoodie on this time (it is getting a bit warm to go around in leather), effectively hiding most of his hair though the white's still visible from the front. He looks vaguely irritated. ]

[ It will take him a moment to spot her -- the mark definitely helps, though he knows he's seen it on someone else -- and then he heads over and takes a seat at her table. He's got the urge to speak in Italian, though there hasn't been anything suggesting she'd understand it. ]

Hey. Thanks for meeting me.

[giglio_madonna]

[Without missing a beat, Luce switches her sweat and flops down besides him, shamelessly curling her arms around one of his and looking for all accounts like she's delighted.]

[Her voice, in contrast, is mildly sardonic.]

You look like a drug dealer, people are going to think I'm working on an addiction. We'll just have to play up the dating angle, then.

So, speak quickly now. What did you want to talk about?

A

[worthlesspride]

Squalo?

[Tooru had been passing through. He's been worried. Sorta. Mei had vanished, and so had Squalo, but Squalo's back]

Oh, fuck.

[He's having flashbacks to what happened to Xanxus, to what happened to him!]

oh, holy fucking fuck.

[sharktrash]

[ And Mei isn't, even if he's the one who didn't go up to piss in Lesedi's cereal. Funny how that works, huh? He must've... discovered something crucial, maybe. Take him out before he can tell anyone, that sounds like a reasonable strategy. But what was it? What? ]

[ He does register his name being called, and in a couple more moments, he goes quiet again, though he still looks like he's heard the fucking best joke of the century when he turns to look at Tooru, still supporting himself against the wall with one arm. ]

Vooooi. Calm the fuck down.

[ KIND OF RICH COMING FROM HIM TBH ]

[worthlesspride]

[Yeah, it really is!]

Don't you Voi me you shark fetishist!

What happened?

[Already the worst possible ideas are forming in his head. Well. Shit.]

B - LATE AND I BRING NO STARBUCKS

[stylistic_disloyalty]

[The next morning, Luci gives no fucks if Squalo is naked in one of their bathrooms. She barges right in, and once she sees it's him, it seems to ramp her annoyance all the way up to outright pissed.]

What the fuck were you thinking? Huh? You think you're some clever bastard, can outmaneuver Santiago with some clumsy lines?

DAMN IT

[sharktrash]

[ He's got the galls to look surprised by her outburst, probably not connecting the dots yet. ]

More or less. I just need a decent plan.

[stylistic_disloyalty]

No, you need no plan, you need to keep your dick attached where it is. It's really easy, you just need to not fuck with her.