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 His outfit choice looks a couple decades out of date, too, although the clothes are definitely from the right era.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

You grumble at everyone but Maiza and Mr. Ronnie and Miss Ennis.

Sometimes you grumble when Maiza's not looking.

[action]

[justdumbluck]

Wha-!

[He's shocked. Not because Czes is wrong, but because he's so specific. Firo's still offended, despite the fact that Czes is completely right.]

That's... That's not true! And what do you mean "when Maiza's not lookin'"? That makes me sound like some kinda kid afraid of gettin' in trouble!

[Firo's tone says that he clearly finds that idea ridiculous.]

[action]

[cursedtolive]

You can't get in trouble with Maiza. But you don't say it to his face because you think you'll hurt his feelings, don't you?

[Oh and because Maiza is Firo's superior and Czes guesses Firo's still a camorrista no matter how nice he looks, and that sort of thing is important.]

[action]

[justdumbluck]

I-!

[Maiza is a little weird, but Firo doesn't want to concede to thinking that.]

I'd never say somethin' bad about him! Back when all the other picciotto'd make fun of him, I'd be the one tryin' to defend him.

[action]

[cursedtolive]

... Do you know about dominos?

[He can't exactly remember if that was a thing Isaac and Miria started before or after he met them.]

[action]

[justdumbluck]

Dominos?

[Isaac and Miria ran off to California before they could introduce the wonder of dominos to Alveare.]

Kids play games with 'em, don't they?

[action]

[cursedtolive]

That's right!

But... well, you see, your friends play with them, too.

[action]

[justdumbluck]

They...

[No, no, he can't imagine his senior capos playing with dominos. It's silly!]

...You mean Isaac and Miria?

[They're the only ones who make sense; they're basically kids.]

[action]

[cursedtolive]

They started it, but everyone else plays it too.

[action]

[justdumbluck]

...Everybody?

[You can't be serious.]

[action]

[cursedtolive]

Everybody.

... Well, except for you.

[action]

[justdumbluck]

[He stares at Czes, wondering if he's joking.]

But... why?

[action]

[cursedtolive]

A bunch of people said it reminded them of when they were kids.

Maiza said it brought him a peace of mind...

[action]

[justdumbluck]

Maiza did..?

[He knew Maiza was a bit weird, but that's pretty darn odd.]

That's... I can't picture everybody doin' that...

[action]

[cursedtolive]

Well, I'm not making this up, so I guess there's more to your friends than you knew.

[action]

[justdumbluck]

You're really not..?

[Well, why would Czes have reason to lie about this? He settles for frowning and folding his arms.]

That's... That's fine, I guess... And for your information, I know a lot about my friends.

[action]

[cursedtolive]

I didn't say you didn't! I'm just saying there's more you still don't know. You still know more about them than I do.

[action]

[justdumbluck]

Oh, uh... right. Sorry.

How long did you say you'd been around?

[action]

[cursedtolive]

A few months. It's almost been half a year.

[action]

[justdumbluck]

Half a year... So you must know everybody pretty well by now.

[He really wants to ask how they were when Czes left, but that would probably violate the "don't talk about your future" rule.]

[action]

[cursedtolive]

Kind of. I talk to them and they let me play with them sometimes, but I don't sit in when you're doing Family stuff or anything like that.

... They were doing pretty well, though, when I last saw them.

[action]

[justdumbluck]

They are? That's great!

[Czes's remark about their Family stuff makes him wonder.]

You think you wanna get involved in the Family one day?

[action]

[cursedtolive]

... But I'm always gonna be like this.

[He throws his arms to demonstrate "this." Small and child.]

[action]

[justdumbluck]

...Right. Sorry.

[He shrugs.]

I was a few years older than you look when I started doin' small stuff.

[And hardly anyone took him seriously.]

[action]

[cursedtolive]

... Why so early, though? You sound like you've been with the Martillos for a really long time.