Realistic or Modern Tempted by Nightlife

[apolla]

mood :

concerned

location :

Crimson Shrine

outfit :

tags :

Leo; Vietto ( Desert_Blossom ); Rhys ( _amaranth_ )

Morello

;; Mariah

Mariah could feel the anger and embarrassment flooding her tiny body as she stood there staring at Vietto, hissing at him, wanting to know why he'd taken her away from the fucking idiot she'd slapped. Along with those two emotions filling her, though, there was something else, something that took her a moment to recognize. Hurt. She was hurt. Hurt that Ryan hadn't even seemed to recognize her, or if he had, he'd been damn good at hiding it. She hadn't seen even a spark of recognition in his eyes, and the way he'd touched her seemed rough and foreign.

But as much as she wanted to cry, to scream, to tear him apart-- she knew she couldn't. Vietto's words did get through to her, but before she could even soften her posture or relax, Leo was grabbing her wrist and yanking her aside. "You're lucky I don't slap you too, you culo." She wrenched her hand from his grip, looking over at Vietto as he suggested they take the service hallway back to the meeting room. It was about that time. With a soft sigh, she shot one more glare at Leo before both siblings turned to follow the other man.

Food was served and drinks were as well, though the vibe in the room was definitely not a festive one. Mimi sipped at her second glass of champagne after downing the first within seconds, her eyes searching the room as time ticked by. When Sandro finally called attention to himself, Mariah turned her eyes to him, trying to ignore Ryan's presence completely. He obviously wasn't interested in acknowledging her, so she shouldn't give him the pleasure either.

Unfortunately, though, he'd captured her thoughts once again and she completely missed Sandro's announcement. She swung her head around, looking at the mixed emotions in the room, before her eyes landed on Leo's red face. "What? What happened? What the hell did I just miss?" She grabbed Leo's hand but he just sat there, still as stone and looking like he'd just had ice water dumped down all over him. "Leo!"

Spoiler: Bigger Outfit Pic

coded by reveriee.

 

[apolla]

mood :

no longer amused

location :

Crimson Shrine

outfit :

tags :

Sandro ( _amaranth_ )

Morello

;; Leonardo

Leo was very protective of both of his siblings, and he would do anything for them that he could. At least, that's what he liked to think. He knew that tonight was important and that Sandro had instructed them both to be on their best behavior, and yet here Mimi was, slapping some guy across the face. Just who was he? Leo had no doubt that if Mimi was slapping him, it was for a reason, but he also wasn't blind to the fact that that reason could be completely in her mind. That's the only thing that stopped him from going to the guy instead of yanking Mimi away further.

He and Mimi ended up following Vietto to the meeting room after Mimi called him an ass, and he just shook his head as he grabbed a glass of champagne, wishing immediately it was something much harder. With a sigh, he downed one glass and then another, stopping himself from grabbing a third. He ate some, and was actually in a pretty decent mood-- until Sandro stood and started talking. Something about the way he spoke and what he was saying didn't sit right with Leo.

And sure enough, there was the bomb. For a moment, Leo saw red. Nothing but blind rage filled him, and he could hear Mimi calling to him, even felt her grab him but he couldn't form the words to answer her. His eyes flicked towards Camila before they darted to Mariah, who had just practically whisper-shouted his name. "Ask your brother." He shrugged his sisters touch from his arm before he stood, grabbing another glass of champagne and downing it much like he had the other two.

"You're a piece of shit." He hissed at Sandro, his body shaking with barely contained anger. His brother should have come to him first, Leo thought, though that honestly wouldn't have helped much. Leo would have refused then and there, just like he was refusing now. Shaking his head, he turned and threw the glass at the wall, where it shattered and rained down on the ground below. "No. I refuse, Alessandro."

Spoiler: Bigger Outfit Pic

coded by reveriee.

 

[apolla]

mood :

apprehensive

location :

The Crimson Shrine

outfit :

tags :

Vincenzo ( Desert_Blossom ); Rhys/Gianna ( _amaranth_ ); Camila ( Misty Gray )

Rossi

;; Antonio

Tony's earlier thoughts about this evening being a trainwreck waiting to happen repeated in his mind as Rhys confirmed that the Morello girl was already starting trouble. Rhy's cheek was red and Tony was damn sure it wasn't from embarrassment, and he planned on letting Don Salvatore know so that he could relay a message to Don Morello. Who knows, maybe even Tony would get to relay the message himself, which could be fun. Still, there was no time for those thoughts as he mad ehis way towards the meeting room with the others.

Tony picked at the food he was given, and declined the champagne, wanting to keep his mind clear just in case he had to protect the Don or his two girls. And sure enough, once Sandro gave the announcement, Tony's eyes found the middle Morello child and even from here, Tony could see how angry he was. The Morello daughter was trying to get his attention, but she was failing, and a few moments passed in silence. Tony looked over at Camila and Gianna, but before he could say a word, the sound of glass shattering filled the room.

Tony was on his feet in an instant, looking towards the source of the noise. He quickly figured out what had happened, and he was ready to lay his life down to protect any of the Salvatores just in case Leo turned on them. But he just turned on his brother, refusing the proposal that had been laid out. "I don't believe it was an option, Mr. Morello." Tony knew he was possibly speaking out of turn, but he just wanted to deescalate the situation. Looking over at Vincenzo, Tony forced himself to relax and sit back down, though he kept his hands near his hidden blade.

Truthfully, the fighting between the families had been going on for way too long now, and Tony completely understood why the Salvatore Don and Vincenzo had come up with the marriage. Their options were limited, though, considering Leo was the only male since Sandro was married. But now he was refusing, and Tony could only shake his head softly as he glanced over at Gianna and Camila to see how they were faring.

Spoiler: Bigger Outfit Pic

coded by reveriee.

 

[Misty Gray]

Camila Salvatore and Marco Marino ​

Marco took his seat at his cousin's side as they waited for everyone to join them in the casino's fancy dining room. Watching Sandro sip at his champagne, he was sure both Laura's presence and the nature of the meeting were weighing the man down. For now, all he could do was sit by rather than drawing any attention to the tension. Marco took a drink of his own champagne though the sound of the door opening cause him to peer curiously over the rim of his glass. Seeing it was Don Salvatore caused him to place the glass down. Not out of some kind of respect, but more to be prepared for anything. He sat up straight and subconsciously re-engaged his vigilance of their surroundings. Standing up, Marco watched over his cousin's shoulder as the two bosses shook hands. Hearing Sandro's instruction to keep an eye on Leo, Marco nodded his head before sitting back down at the table.

Once everyone was present, the appetisers were served. Marco ate the food but didn't really think much about whether it tasted good or not, as his mind was too focused on those around the table, not to mention him wanting to know what the meeting was really about. Thankfully, Sandro didn't have them sit through the entire meal before making his announcement. As his cousin addressed everyone, Marco continued to keep scanning the faces at the table, though his attention mostly stuck on Leo in an anticipation of what could be said or done that warranted him having to keep an eye on the younger man. With mention of marriage and Sandro's own to Laura, Marco briefly turned to the woman and somehow kept a straight face despite knowing the truth about how awful that marriage really was. The mention of an engagement dinner immediately set alarm bells ringing in his mind. Marco sat up straight and now kept his eyes on both Mariah and Leo. Then the names were revealed; Camila and Leo were to be married. Marco almost choked on air as the announcement caught him by surprise.

Mariah clearly hadn't been paying attention as she desperately asked her brother to explain what was going on. Marco's eyes studied Leo and as soon as he could see the anger building in his young cousin, he got up from his seat ready to approach Leo. After shouting at Sandro, Leo threw his glass against the wall. Marco rushed to Leo's side, ready to stop him if he decided to throw anything else. Hearing the young man tell Sandro directly that he refused, Marco looked to the Morello Boss to see how he would respond.

*****​

Camila had remained silent throughout the start of the meal, though her straight and composed posture often spoke enough about the strong-willed woman without the need for words. Once the appetisers were finished, Sandro Morello began his speech. The man's words seemed positive, with talk of peace and unity. The sentiment may have sounded genuine, but Camila had no real reason to trust them, even if she had to remain civil for her father's sake. As soon as the word marriage was mentioned, her body tensed up. Though no names had yet been mentioned, it didn't take a genius to know that would mean a member of each family. She didn't have time to consider which name would be worse - her own or her sister's. Instead, her name was mentioned along with Leo's. Her eyes immediately shot to the man in question and her jaw tightened as she tried to maintain her composure.

Camila heard her sister asking their father what Sandro was talking about, but her own eyes remained fixed on Leo. From what she knew of him, he was lazy and unambitious. She wasn't an idealist who ever imagined marrying a prince and living happily ever after, but she still had preferences in a partner. Strong, hardworking and ambitious men were her type. To be quite honest, she was offended her father would think to have her marry someone who would drag her down. After spending her whole life pushing herself and striving to be the best, Vincenzo was willing to marry her off to someone who seemed to contradict all of that. As she turned to Vincenzo, she felt even more offended that he hadn't thought to ask or at least warn her first. How was she meant to stay professional after she'd just had one mess of an arrangement thrown at her in front of her family and their enemies?

Despite their differences, there was a moment where Camila envied Leo as she watched him throw the glass and express his emotional reaction towards the engagement. She reached out for her own glass and kept her breathing controlled as she took a long, steady drink of her champagne. Placing the glass delicately back down on the table, she looked to Sandro and then back to her father. "Well, I do believe Leonardo has made his thoughts on the matter known and I'm inclined to share the boy's sentiment," she finally spoke up. It took a lot to get Camila wound up, but she could feel her blood boiling beneath the surface. She was angry and frustrated but felt an obligation to remain composed for her father's sake... even if she felt a sense of betrayal at what the man had decided on her behalf.

_amaranth_ apolla Desert_Blossom @Devotion

 

[Desert_Blossom]

Vincenzo Salvatore

While displeased to learn about the scuffle between the Morello girl and Rhys, Don Salvatore decided not to bring it to Sandro's attention when they entered the dinner room. The opposing Don greeted the Salvatore family cordially enough, and bringing up a minor dispute would do little to help the purpose of tonight's dinner. As Vincenzo shook Sandro's hand and shook it, he slipped Mariah's act of violence against one of his men into his back pocket for safe keeping, in case he were to need it for leverage at a later time. No need to play all of his cards tonight, even if peace was the goal.

Once the expected formalities of greetings were out of the way, Vincenzo took a seat opposite from Sandro. The two Dons sat at both ends of the table, it was just a matter of perspective as to who was at the head. Drinks and food were served without problem, though the tension itself laid heavy on the room, stifling conversation and the ability to relax. Both families kept their conversations to their ends of the table for the most part. Only those lower on the totem pole and placed at the center of the seating arrangement had the opportunity to freely converse with the enemy, so to speak. Though, if everything went accordingly, that enemy would soon become family and they would leave this room united.

Don Salvatore's gaze often found its way to Camila throughout the night, his guilt for submitting his daughter to a life with Leonardo Morello making his food taste of ash and champagne of vinegar. However, when Don Morello began his toast, Vincenzo knew it was time for their plans to be revealed, and his gaze turned to anywhere but his eldest daughter. He could not bear to see her expression when she learned of the news. Instead, he set his gaze steadily between Sandro and Leo- paying respect to his counterpart and sizing up his future son-in-law.

When Sandro finally revealed that tonight's dinner was actually an engagement party for Camila and Leo, Vincenzo was not the slightest bit surprised that the first voice to ring out was Gia's. While the don couldn't dare look at Camila, knowing the look of betrayal that would be etched on her face, he knew that it would be Gia to voice said betrayal. Camila would come to him in a less public manner, but his youngest didn't have such a filter. Gia's narrowed eyes cut like daggers, but the Don kept a calm expression, ignoring his daughter's direct question with the intention of addressing the entire group once Leo had made his feelings about the engagement known.

Tony had been quick to rise to his feet when the glass shattered, and the Don was pleased that his second was on guard and ready to defend at a moment's notice. Antonio got a word edgewise into Leo, but took his seat once more. Vincenzo offered Tony a small nod, appreciating his willingness to jump into action, but giving him the signal to stand down for the moment. Camila echoed Leo's displeasure, in a more refined matter, and the Don finally turned to look at her. He knew he deserved everything she was thinking about him at this moment, but he couldn't let his emotional ties to his daughters disrupt the necessary plans for the future.

Rising to his feet, the Don looked around the room. "Don Morello speaks the truth. Countless lives have been lost, and needless blood has been shed, with both families to blame." Don Salvatore said, his voice steady and commanding, ignoring the pang of guilt that Camila's expression caused within him. "It is not surprising that there are strong feelings against the idea of a marriage between the two families. This is not an agreement that Don Morello or myself have come to lightly." He continued, nodding at Sandro briefly, before finally turning his attention to his eldest daughter, though he spoke to both her and Leo.

"While we have made the difficult decision, it is you two that must carry the heavy weight of it. The future of our families now rests upon your shoulders, just as it has rested upon Alessandro's and mine. We know it is a burden. We have felt it each waking moment and each restless sleep..." Vincenzo said, his following words meant solely for his beloved daughter. "I have every faith though that you will be strong enough to rise above though. To continue to bring success to the families and to do it in a peaceful manner that neither myself nor Don Morello could achieve."

Guilty

Crimson Shrine

_amaranth_ apolla Misty Gray

nine lives

 

[Desert_Blossom]

Vietto

When Vietto, Leo and Mimi reached the dinner room, the capo held his breath when he saw that Don Salvatore had already entered. He glanced between the two dons, trying to read whether Sandro had heard about the incident at the casino entrance. There didn't seem to be any tension, or at least any extra tension besides the usual, so he presumed that Mimi's altercation with the Salvatore capo hadn't been divulged. That was for the best.

Vietto took a seat next to Marco, towards the center table and across from Mimi and Leo. He declined the champagne, both because of his sobriety and also because he didn't want any distractions tonight. It was rare that the two enemy families came in contact without someone leaving bloodied or in a body bag. Vietto prayed that tonight would be an exception to that rule.

As the food and drinks were consumed, the night seemed to be going without a hitch, surprisingly. Though, just as Vietto let that thought cross his mind, shit hit the fan. Sandro rose and began giving a toast, that ended with the revelation that tonight was an engagement dinner for Camila Salvatore and... Leo?! Vietto had to prevent his jaw from dropping at the news and he immediately looked over at the middle Morello. There were a few moments of silence as the news sunk in, but then Leo snapped, understandably.

When Leo got up and smashed the champagne glass, Marco was quick to get up and run over to him. Vietto was on guard, but he didn't think he needed to add to the scene by rushing over as well. Instead, he stayed put, ready to handle anything else that came their way. Don Salvatore's underboss stood up and told Leo he didn't have a choice, which made Vietto's blood boil. Even if Antonio was correct, he shouldn't be opening his mouth to address Leo.

Don Salvatore spoke next, his words trying to calm Leo and Camila and convince them that this engagement was the best for both families. Vietto didn't know what to think at this moment, but he was really regretting his commitment to sobriety. A glass of whisky would really help take the edge of things right now. Glancing between the three Morello siblings, Vietto wondered what was next.

On Edge

Crimson Shrine

Outfit

apolla _amaranth_

nine lives

 

[Desert_Blossom]

Courtney aka “Kassandra”

Courtney watched the members of the Morello and Salvatore families closely as they began trickling in. She stood out of the way as they all gathered and took their seats. Luckily, her preparations for the evening were successful, as there were no incidents involving any of the seating, food or beverages. Once everyone was seated, Courtney took her seat at the middle of the table.

Courtney knew tonight's dinner was a big deal; however, other than doing enough to pass as Sandro's assistant Kassandra, she wasn't invested in what the purpose of the evening's event was. While others were feeling tense because there was a secret waiting to be dropped, Courtney was tense because she was in the same room as the Salvatores for the first time. The people responsible for the murder of her family were potentially seated feet away from her. Don Salvatore might not have been the one to pull the trigger, but one of his men or women was.

Courtney did her best to remain calm, though her heart was practically beating out of her chest and she didn't trust herself to hold her champagne glass without her hand visibly shaking. Her stomach did flips as she thought about the gun she had hidden beneath her dress. It was tempting to use this opportunity to avenge her family and put a bullet in Don Salvatore. Yes, pulling a stunt like that was certain suicide, but part of the undercover agent wondered if the millisecond of knowing the Don was dead would be worth it.

Luckily, Courtney's boss saved her from making any rash decisions when he dropped the bomb that the dons had arranged for Leo and Camila to be married. Leo quickly became upset and the eldest Salvatore echoed her potential fiance's refusal. Suddenly, Courtney was much more interested in this dinner.

While her assignment had been to observe the Morello family, Courtney's goal was to bring down the Salvatores. If the two families were now joined through marriage, perhaps she'd be able to kill two birds with one stone?

Anxious

The Crimson Shrine

Outfit

@ General

nine lives