oo1: actual intro!

[cursedtolive]

[action - around town in the afternoon]
[There's a small little boy walking around town. A flat cap pulled down over his eyes, and a brown jacket even in the middle of July. His outfit choice looks a couple decades out of date, too, although the clothes are definitely from the right era. Fashion statement?

Seemingly lost in his thoughts, Czeslaw Meyer-Stanfield is not paying much attention to where he is going. He passes by houses, by shops, by people. He might accidentally bump into people, at which point he will blink the surprise away and smile sheepishly, with a natural-sounding]

Oh...! Oh, I'm sorry [mister, or miss]. I guess I wasn't watching where I was going. I didn't mean to run into you. Good afternoon!

[action - 459 Stone Street]
[Nope. Nope. Nope nope nope. He can't handle this family arrangement. His "mother" won't let him hole up in his room, though, so he's sitting in a chair in the corner of the front room watching the door so he'll never be surprised by his "father"'s homecoming.]

Comments

[action]

[cursedtolive]

[He knows you bro.]

Books are good for you! But I guess you're right. You're always busy going to that casino to work.

[action]

[justdumbluck]

Sure they are. Just not as important as other stuff.

[He can't dismiss them entirely; he has friends who are big readers and he's enjoyed a few himself.

He shrugs.]

I gotta make sure everything's runnin' okay over there, and books don't make that any easier.

[action]

[cursedtolive]

I heard you're doin' a pretty good job, though?

[action]

[justdumbluck]

You do?

[Flattery gets you one happy Firo.]

Well, I hope so. I try.

[action]

[cursedtolive]

Oh yeah! I hang out at Alveare, remember? I always see Maiza an' the others there, so I hear some stuff too.

[Casually letting Firo know that kids can eavesdrop on Martillo talk easily yup.]

[action]

[justdumbluck]

[Firo's used to relatively open ways of the Family, so he doesn't see too much wrong with Czes knowing some things. Besides, Maiza wouldn't say anything too important in front of someone he didn't trust.]

So you're interested in what goes on with the Family?

[Maybe Czes wants to become a picciotto!]

[action]

[cursedtolive]

Well, I've got to worry too, y'know, since Maiza's in there and so are you. And Miss Ennis is friends with a lot of them, so I hear them talking to her sometimes. Randy and Pezo try to get me to play with them...

[Translation: they find him scheming pranks on Firo and join in]

[action]

[justdumbluck]

[Interesting word choice, Czes.]

Worry? You don't need to worry about us.

[He laughs at the mention of Randy and Pezzo, convinced that Czes is an innocent they're corrupting.]

Don't let those guys get you into too much trouble.

[action]

[cursedtolive]

I know how to take care of myself! [Huff huff huff.] You too, Firo, just 'cause you're immortal doesn't mean you should be careless, okay?

[Says Czes.]

[action]

[justdumbluck]

I'm sure you do.

[He says that just to pacify Czes, but even if he knew just how well Czes could take care of himself, Firo'd still fret over him.]

Careless? Me? I'm plenty careful.

[action]

[cursedtolive]

You fall for pranks real easily though.

[Oh how easy it is to make you run in on Ennis changing clothes.]

[action]

[justdumbluck]

I-I do?

[He's about to protest, but it's pretty well known among his friends. But then...]

Wait, how do you know that?

[action]

[cursedtolive]

I told you! I [live with you and come up with all the pranks] hang around you guys all the time.

[action]

[justdumbluck]

[He sighs and runs a hand through his hair.]

I just hope the others didn't rub off on you...

[action]

[cursedtolive]

The others?

Nah... I go along with them sometimes, that's all.

[action]

[justdumbluck]

Sometimes? That's bad enough!

[Is there no one Firo can trust not to tease him?]

[action]

[cursedtolive]

Er...

[A grimace.] S-sorry.

[action]

[justdumbluck]

[Firo winces, he hadn't meant to make such a fuss.]

It's fine. I guess it's not such a big deal, right?

[And without the other guys to egg czes on, Firo's sure there won't be any pranks.]

[action]

[cursedtolive]

They don't do anything to hurt you, promise.

[action]

[justdumbluck]

Hurt me?

[He smiles and shakes his head, almost laughing at how ridiculous that sounds.]

Of course they don't. It'd just be annoyin' at worst.

[action]

[cursedtolive]

You and the others are really friendly, so I guess you're right.

[action]

[justdumbluck]

"You guess"? Of course I'm right about that.

[There's not a whole lot he knows, but he is certain that his Family wouldn't hurt each other.]

Besides, we're all immortal. So it doesn't matter much anyway.

[Czes would probably beg to differ.]

[action]

[cursedtolive]

...

[He gives Firo a look that reads "You might learn eventually." Don't you know the only reason why Sylvie survived that night, Firo?]

I think it's because you're friends.

[action]

[justdumbluck]

[When he was thinking of ways they might wind up hurting each other, it was in the accidental bruises and cuts from sparring, nothing like what Czes went through; things that are barely noticeable when you're immortal and easily distracted. As such, he just gives Czes a quizzical smile at that look.]

Friends? Yeah, of course we are. More like family, really.

You alright?

[action]

[cursedtolive]

Y-yeah, I'm fine. I just thought...

Well... I just thought -- it isn't always easy.