rain on my parade /open

[BIAGGIO BEATAN BACCO]

please don't make

ANY SUDDEN MOVES; YOU DON'T KNOW THE HALF OF THE ABUSE

He woke with a head ache. His back aching in time to the constant pounding in his head. He glared upwards, the sun blinding him until he shifted, rolled sideways and fell off the park bench. "Damnit!" Gio had landed face first onto the hard concrete of the sidewalk that marked a path through the park and towards the houses on each side of the green fields. For a moment he just sat there, stunned, unsure of how he had ended up sleeping on a park bench. He remembered drinking a lot, one of his favorite past times, and then a beautiful blonde woman in a red dress.

"Oh shite." Gio's hands automatically grabbed at the pockets of his pants, groped at his chest and came away with nothing. "DAMNIT!" He took a hand and punched the ground, regretting it immediately afterwards as a shot of pain coursed up his arm. He had been robbed. Again. Oh, this wasn't the first time for Gio, he had been robbed plenty of times in the past. Usually by pretty ladies who seduced him and left him wherever he ended up passing out. Last night was no different.

Slowly he picked his body up off the ground and slipped back onto the bench he had originally fallen off of. His head fell back, his eyes closed as he just let the aches and pains he was feeling swallow him whole. He remembered going to the bar, another favorite past time, and he remembered drinking more than he probably should have. A pretty blonde had come up to him at some point in the night Gio had pretty much been too drunk to turn down anything she asked of him. Which apparently involved going to the park and leaving him for dead while taking his wallet.

Thankfully he didn't have anything of real importance in his wallet, but still, it annoyed him that he had lost yet another one. He had actually liked the leather wallet quite a bit, Selby had presented him with it when the last one he had had been... Well, stolen. With a sigh he opened his eyes and stared at the sun above him until his eyes watered and he saw spots. It probably wasn't the smartest thing he had ever done, and in the long scheme of things this morning had started better than most. At least he hadn't woken up in a trash can again.

With a lot more effort than was necessary, Gio dragged himself off the bench and proceeded to walk towards the end of the park. Stumbling a bit as he did so. He wasn't hung over and aside from the head ache and the back pain he was feeling pretty good. But his eyes were refusing to stay focused and he found it hard to judge where sidewalk ended and grass started. It made for an interesting journey as he headed towards the houses that looked more run down than pretty. He knew Dick was in that direction and even though he nearly burst out in giggles at the thought that he was looking for Dick, he continued moving with a deliberate pace.

He made it to the corner with only falling over once and considered it a victory. Gio stopped for a moment, collecting his thoughts and rubbing at his eyes. Upon opening them he found that he could actually see a lot better and started on his trek again. Only to fall face first onto the opposite sidewalk when his foot didn't quite go high enough to clear the curb. With a grunt and a groan he rolled over, sprawled on the sidewalk and yelled at the top of his lungs to vent his frustrations. If only a car would hop the curb and end his miserable excuse for a life right then and there. But Gio knew it wasn't going to happen, he needed to suffer a bit more before he would be given any kind of piece.

What a day.

671

@open

Gio needs hugs

deltra of gangnam style

[ALEX FAYE CHIU]

rain on my parade

“Ouch!” Alex jerked her hand away from the cutting board and towards the television—she recognized the all too familiar stinging sensation gathering on her right thumb. Somehow, she had managed to cut herself while cooking, again. Dropping the knife, she brought the injury closer to her chest to inspect the cut. Blood dribbled out slowly and tempted her to suck the little pool before it became a gooey mess. And she did—the metallic taste wasn’t pleasant at all. “Cooking will be the end of me.” Alex groaned before she extended her hand towards the sink. She turned on the water and looked around her apartment. Now where did she leave the band aids?

Her apartment was relatively tiny and old. It had seen better days, but she had made it her home—the result of purchasing way too much chartreuse décor. Alex smiled. The room wasn’t much, but her arrangement was vaguely reminiscent of lofts she had seen in magazines. It made her quite proud. The months of careful planning had turned the shabby apartment into something worthwhile.

“Band aids, band aids…” She muttered. She turned off the water, noticing the stray box of bandages that she had left on the couch. Drying her hands, Alex shuffled over and picked up the box. It was common for her to have medical supplies readily available because of the nature of her job. Or rather, because of her coworkers that had been in the guild. Rarely did she ever find herself in the midst of combat, but most of her friends did. Although the hospital had been a few blocks away from the apartments, the medical supplies had been her precautionary measure. She expected the unexpected—past experiences had taught her to do so.

Ripping a band aid out of its packaging, Alex applied it to her thumb before gazing wearily at her kitchen counter. A momentary scowl shown on her face and she whispered, “Not today,” before she maneuvered her way to the dresser. Putting on a black sunflower sweatshirt to match her navy jeans, Alex made her way to the door. She grabbed her wallet and clutched the handle. Fast food would have to do for today.

“Maybe…” Alex crinkled her nose. “Tacos?” Her stomach rumbled in agreement. She was in front of the apartments and pacing towards the family restaurants she had remembered in South Town. Glancing at the cash she had on hand, she decided the cheaper spots would be easier on the wallet. Turning the corner, Alex gave a soft sigh. However, that all ended when she saw a man face-plant onto the sidewalk.

Her heart froze. Her eyes locked onto the figure and she suddenly felt knotted and sour. What just happened? Something isn’t right. Is he hurt? Now her heart was pulsing, racing as every second crawled by. She staggered towards the body. Then she started to jog, run, sprint. Get closer, Alex. He needs help. Much to her surprise (and relief), the man flopped over and yelled. There was no indication of blood—a good sign that there was no immediate danger. He’s okay. Even more to her surprise, however, was that the man was someone she recognized. Slowing to a walk, Alex gasped.

Then she scoffed, profusely.

Biaggio Beatan Bacco. The name itself almost caused a headache. He was a hunter from the Ashton Guild. A dear friend. And usually left more trouble for Alex in the wake of his antics. It was hard not to be slightly stressed whenever he was around. But he was a trouper and good company from what she knew. She had to give him that, at least.

Stepping closer to the man, Alex cast a shadow over him. She crouched down, tilting her head slightly to the left as if it would help her decipher the situation. “Bac, are you alive?” Her voice had been awfully blunt—a poor attempt at dry humor to break the ice. “But seriously, are you okay? Is something wrong?” Hints of concern started trickling through her words. “Here,” standing up, Alex offered an extended hand to him. “Take my hand. To be frank, you look silly on the pavement.”

tags BIAGGIO BEATAN BACCO | 694 words | notes: well, sort of a hug?

MADE BY STOAT

[BIAGGIO BEATAN BACCO]

please don't make

ANY SUDDEN MOVES; YOU DON'T KNOW THE HALF OF THE ABUSE

He could hear the soft patter of footsteps approach him, his exhaustion too much to even try and raise a hand to let them know he was alive. Maybe if he played dead they'd just leave him alone and he wouldn't have to try and be social. Or maybe it was the blonde coming back to apologize and give him his wallet back. Mmm, he could smell her perfume, sweet and... herby? He didn't remember her smelling like dinner, then again he had been beyond plastered by the time she had approached him and he could only remember the color of her hair.

Bac, are you alive? That was definitely not the sultry voice he had heard last night. He sniffed, his tongue reaching out to touch the pavement before he rolled over. He squinted against the harsh light of the afternoon and ended up hitting his head against the concrete. "Ouch." Even the simplest things were coming as a hardship to him, maybe he really had drank too much last night. He suddenly wondered if he even had his phone on him. Is something wrong? Oh, right, someone was standing over him. He dared to peek open one eye, staring up at the dark blurb and waiting for it to come into focus.

Blue jeans, black sweater with some sort of flowers on it, a head of dark hair and... "Aleeeeeex, babyyyyyyy." He smiled, closing his eye again and reaching a wavering hand up towards her. "Where did you come from?" His arm fell to the ground, his strength diminished from that one movement. "What are you doing up there? So high, come down here with me." He rolled over again, using the momentum to sit up straight and groaned at the amount of headache he received in response to his movements. He tittered for a moment before laying back down again to ease the pain and the constant swimming in his head.

"The pavement is actually quite comfy, you should definitely join me down here." He chuckled softly to himself, opening his eyes again to stare up at Alex. He kept himself from staring directly at the sun and tried to focus on her face. He was in another one of his moods and he felt a pang of guilt that he was acting this way in front of her. He already knew that most of the people he was around thought he was a bumbling idiot. And he was always trying to make himself appear like a functioning member of society. But drinking alcohol just felt too damn good to not do. A sense of panic washed over him at the thought that his guild mates might send him to rehab.

Then again, all Dick had to do was smack him upside the head and he'd probably straighten out a bit.

Gio tried to sober himself up a bit, focusing on the sunflowers on her sweater to help keep him grounded. "You got any of them pain killers, babe?" He flashed her one of his award winning smiles. The kind that usually got him whatever he wanted. With other people, of course. Those that really knew him weren't as charmed by his smile anymore. He was like a child, his parents weren't persuaded by his adorableness, but strangers could still be swayed.

556

ALEX FAYE CHIU

he still needs hugs

deltra of gangnam style

[ALEX FAYE CHIU]

rain on my parade

It hurt watching him be like this. Reckless. Vulnerable. Disconnected. Absent. He was gone, somewhere, and the smile Alex recognized disappeared with him. It was a look she knew all too well. It was a look she had seen on many different people. The look that made them another memory lost in the crowds.

“I came from the apartments. Mealtime. You’re not drunk, are you?” Alex smiled bitterly. She had known the answer to the question and her brown eyes assessed him. Bac reeked of alcohol. The girl winced as his arm fell against the pavement. She winced when he sat up before collapsing because of the pain. Alex had to look away from the eyes she had been focused on, even if it was only for a second.

“Hardy har har.” She said dryly, voice lower than usual. “And ruin my jeans?” Her eyes fell back onto him. She knew. She knew what it was like to act as if everything was perfect—to lie and promise that everything was okay. It was the hardest on those that were accustomed to being independent. They didn’t like to be coddled. And the dread always came more slowly for them, more steadily.

Pulling out her wallet, Alex found her hands tightening onto them with every word Bac spoke. “Sorry, I only brought my wallet this time around, ‘babe’.” She laughed lightly and waved it over him for proof. The girl had her smooth voice again, full of subtle confidence. Tucking a stray bang, she crouched down beside Bac and gave him a once over. “Besides, what am I? A walking ambulance?” A soft sigh escaped her lips before she pocketed the wallet. You’d definitely hate me if you had the energy to…

“Sit still. And don’t worry, you’ll only hear it for a minute or two.”

The girl took a deep breath and placed the palms of her hands against his chest. She pictured calming ocean waves and euphoric whales; she focused on their sounds. Immediately, she felt a jolt of static and steeled herself as it coursed through her. She closed her eyes and felt every hair on her body stand as energy seemed to surge from her and into him. The scene she had imagined would soon play out mentally for him—she made it so. It was her method of treating a hangover with the gift she possessed: illusions. Sounds usually affected the brain in more ways than one. And although she didn’t need to touch him, shortening the distance between them made it easier on her.

Reaching out with her left hand, Alex tugged at Bac’s right arm. She slipped her stray hand underneath his back—or at least, the best she could manage—before gently coercing him to sit upward. “Hey, let’s get you out of here, okay? Lean on me for support. And sling your arm over my shoulder…” she said sternly before she looked back at the apartments as she readied to stand. “I left the pain killers back in my room. You can walk for a little bit, right? We’ll rest once we get there.”

There was still a liveliness in Bac that Alex couldn’t ignore. He hadn’t given up. The hunter was lost today but he wasn’t gone, truly gone. He just needed a push. And that was all she needed to know.

tags BIAGGIO BEATAN BACCO | 556 words | notes: it will come eventually

MADE BY STOAT

[BIAGGIO BEATAN BACCO]

please don't make

ANY SUDDEN MOVES; YOU DON'T KNOW THE HALF OF THE ABUSE

There was a place deep inside Gio that seemed to be floating on water, at peace with the world and relaxing against the current that was his mind. The feeling started to grow and spread, affecting each of his muscles and limbs. Caressing each bit of stressed and damaged part of him and leaving him feel relaxed and at peace. Even his mind seemed to shut down for a few minutes, his thoughts processing at a slower pace which made it easy for him to actually think about each one individually instead of all of them as a jumble.

When the feeling seemed to be at it's peak he opened his eyes and stared up at Alex. Guilt washed over him as he thought about the crap he put her and the rest of the guild through. He knew he needed to stop drinking, but there was too much in his mind, too much guilt he had that weighed him down and caused him to need the alcohol. He didn't like himself this way, but it was who he was right now and it was going to take a miracle for him to change. With a sigh he sat himself up, electricity charging and running between the tips of his fingers. He shook his hands to free them of his gift so he wouldn't shock Alex and stood up.

"You're my hero, Alex." He stretched his arms up over his head, leaning back to stretch as many of his muscles that he possibly could before dropping his arms and slinging one around Alex's shoulders. "I didn't know you lived over here, I thought you were in one of those fancy apartments on the other side of town." He smiled, putting as little weight as possible on her as they walked. He wasn't sure what she did but it had calmed and cleared most of the hang over and pain he had been feeling. He actually figured he felt the best he had in weeks. Alex really was a life saver.

He stared down at the concrete, watching his conversed feet come into his line of site and then leave with each step he took. He was happy to have Alex's company, but at the same time he knew that he had probably taken her away from something important. Or maybe nothing important. But he had gotten in the way and he felt ashamed that he was being babied so much. He was four years older than Alex, he should have been the one to be carrying her home after she did something stupid. But he knew that she was much more mature than he would ever be and secretly thanked her for that. He would never understand why Dick had brought him into the guild, he had done nothing productive since joining, except for hunt a few things that a child could have easily taken care of.

"I'm sorry, Alex." He hand squeezed her shoulder, his eyes still downcast as he continued to walk beside her. He was a burden and he was going to have to figure out a way to make it up to her, and to the rest of the guild. Preferably while he was sober.

539

ALEX FAYE CHIU

-pets gio- ;_;

deltra of gangnam style

[ALEX FAYE CHIU]

rain on my parade

When Bac sat upright, Alex smiled sweetly and gave him all of her attention. When the electricity seemed to dance in his hands, Alex couldn’t help but feel delighted, though she’d never admit it. And when he stood, she stood with him—readied to catch him if his legs gave way. The girl was grateful. Bits and pieces of the Bac she knew had started to return. For a moment, she considered clasping his arm just in case he needed more support, but she withheld in the end. Bac is strong. Her eyes swept the street beside them. And he’d probably feel worse. She was sure of it. She would’ve hated being pampered herself.

Hero. Bac’s statement caught Alex unexpectedly and she lowered her chin before staring intently at the ground in the distance. Why? She felt the faintest signs of a blush on her cheeks and pressed her lips together. Why was the first rational response he managed to utter a compliment? “Smooth talker.” She mumbled quickly in a voice just loud enough for him to hear. The girl brushed brown tresses from her face. Shouldering his arm, Alex composed herself and bit the inside of her cheek. Thankfully, he had followed it up with a question of his own. And it was a question right up her alley.

“What?!” Her eyes shot open and she gasped before genuinely smiling for the first time in a while. “And waste my money on overpriced housing? No thanks!” There was a touch of surprise in her words—a hint of shock as if someone had committed a taboo. She had always been a scrooge. “Besides,” she had started to walk along beside him. “my apartment is a thousand times comfier than all of those places combined.” Alex bragged in a singsong tone and was practically bouncing near the end of it. Since it’s closer to everyone.

“Just wait ‘til you see it.”

Alex staggered when Bac tightened his grip around her shoulder and exhaustion had started to show on her face. It was her drawback for using the gift—the consequence of having her illusions. She required more energy than others and she still hadn’t even eaten yet. I really need food. A grimace had briefly clouded her expression and her stomach rumbled once more. Alex forced a smile, hoping he wouldn’t notice. “Hey,” she said abruptly, elbowing him in the rib cage. “you always have the choice to repay me by ordering pizza. If you’re not too embarrassed to demand seven boxes over the phone, that is. I’ll pay, of course.” Although she worded it pleasantly, the girl made it quite clear from her wry grin that she didn’t expect him to refuse. “And don’t worry about it, silly.”

“Just a few more steps.” she said optimistically, speeding up the pace. “Then we’ll have air condition, a place to sit and much needed sleep. Although,” Alex crinkled her nose and turned her head to look at Bac. “you’re in desperate need of a shower.” She figured that, perhaps, the more she talked, the more she could ease the tension she felt. It was for his sake. And hers.

tags BIAGGIO BEATAN BACCO | 525 words | notes: -pets with-

MADE BY STOAT

[BIAGGIO BEATAN BACCO]

please don't make

ANY SUDDEN MOVES; YOU DON'T KNOW THE HALF OF THE ABUSE

Thankfully Gio's mind was staying pretty calm and clear as he walked with Alex. Although there was a terrible pounding in his ears from his headache he was able to hear her clearly and smile lightly as she spoke. Gio's arm stayed draped over her shoulders, though he could tell she was starting to drag a bit. He was a rather large man compared to her and even half his weight on her was probably more than she could handle. Though Gio knew that Alex was perfectly capable of handling any situation thrown at her that didn't involve too much heavy lifting.

His eyes watched the path in front of him, his feet stepping over cracks and lines in the concrete as he recited a poem in his head. Gio was trying to distract himself from his current situation and from his pounding headache. But pretending that cracks would break his dead mother's back wasn't helping much. After awhile he sighed and lifted his arm from her shoulders and continued to walk beside her, his hands quickly shoving themselves into his jeans pockets.

"Well, you probably have a nicer place than I do. Dick just rented me a little motel room over by the outskirts of town. I think he's trying to get rid of me." Gio teased as he kept his pace with Alex, a small smile tugging at his lips. Every few feet he'd glance over at Alex to see what kind of expression she had on her face. He hadn't known her too long, compared to Dick and Selby, but he liked it when she smiled. It made him feel better when the people around him were happy. Which is why when he was left alone he felt the need to drink to forget his issues.

He grimmaced a bit when she said he could order pizza, his hands grasping at his empty pockets. "Yeah... You'll have to this time, Alex. I... Uh, lost my wallet again." He cleared his throat and quickly turned his attention to the sky and some very interesting clouds that were up above them. He wasn't about to admit to being robbed by a skirt in front of her, just yet. He'd have a lot of explaining to do to Selby once she found out anyways.

He lowered his head again, paying attention to the street and glancing at the houses on either side of them as they continued to her apartment. He actually didn't mind his hotel room, he was able to get plenty of sleep, so long as he switched his phone over to silent, and there was a TV. Alex more than likely got the better end of the stick because Dick had a soft spot for her, though he'd never admit it.

"Are you saying I smell?" Gio feigned being offended and crossed his arms over his chest, raising his nose to the air and sniffing indignantly. "How rude of you, missy." He opened one eye to look down at her, trying his best not to smile or break out in a chuckle in front of her.

519

ALEX FAYE CHIU

-dances-

deltra of gangnam style