mayfield_rpg | oo1: actual intro!

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oo1: actual intro!

[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 His outfit choice looks a couple decades out of date, too, although the clothes are definitely from the right era.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.]

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[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.

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.]

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.

You fall for pranks real easily though.

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

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?

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

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

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

The others?

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

Sometimes? That's bad enough!

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

Er...

[A grimace.] S-sorry.

[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.]

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

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.

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

"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.]

...

[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.

[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?

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

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

What, to not hurt your friends? Yeah, that's sometimes hard to do when Claire or Berga won't shut up.

[...Probably not the best time to be joking about this, Firo.]

... [He scuffs his foot against the ground.]

To get hurt over and over again.

To wha-?

[Now he's really concerned. They were just talking about being teased by friends, right?]

Uh, yeah... It's not.

[He's way off the mark, but Firo starts thinking. Czes did say he hangs out a lot at Alveare, and the Martillo capos aren't the only criminals there. Even some of their picciotto are prone to cruelty; he has to wonder if they've been picking on Czes.]

Does that... Does that happen?

Oh!

[He shakes his head.]

Not at Alveare. I dunno, you guys are all really nice people to each other. I guess you're all still cammoristi, but... some people are really bad guys. Like Szilard...

[And Fermet. And Czes himself. He doesn't want you to know that, though.]

I've met a lot of people, but you guys really are... very kind.

[It's a relief to know that those at Alveare aren't at fault, but now Firo's worrying about what kind of things Czes went through before being adopted by Ennis. Firo's own childhood was no picnic; he learned firsthand how bad some people could be. He flinches at the mention of Szilard, that memory is far too recent.]

There's a lotta bad people out there, but you'll be safe with us. We don't let anybody hurt our friends.

[He tries to force a smile.]

I'll take your word for it. But with how quickly you accepted me here, I gotta worry about exactly how many people you have to look out for.

What?

[It's not like he adopts everyone he meets! He laughs and shakes his head.]

Oh come on, there's not that many. Especially here.

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