![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Entry tags:
Earth - Accidental Baby Acquisition
After a certain period of being in the criminal underground, one learns to roll with the punches. There are few stranger places and careers on God's good earth that deal with such an absurd stretch of events. If Romario had to name any in particular, then he would have to guess that hospital workers of any stripes, morticians, and the poor souls who work at convenience stores open twenty-four seven for far too little a wage.
Some would say cops must surely see similar, but that is far overestimating the bravery or selflessness of law enforcement and just how much they're willing to involve themselves in.
That is why, when Lussuria shows up at his favorite bar in the Cavallone territory with an infant swaddled in her arms, all he does is take another small sip of his wine and observe the babe with all the curiosity of seeing her with a new fur coat. "I didn't think that the Varia had a taste for stealing children," he comments, gesturing for the bartender to bring another glass, and in fact another bottle entirely. He knows what Lussuria's tastes are like, and his simple white wine just won't cut it.
Lussuria chuckles a bit, raising one leg up elegantly. That's more than enough to make the person who was sitting on the barstool besides Romario scurry off quite quick, and she sweeps onto it as though it was pure coincidence and not immediate threat. "It isn't something that often comes up in assassination," she admits, tapping up her sunglasses - on even in the bar.
By all means, the assassination business makes a lot of orphans, but that's not usually something any self-respecting assassin would get tangled up in. That just makes the whole job messy, and, anyway. For the kind of people who get involved in assassination, it's not like they'd usually make great family anyway.
And while Romario may be dating an assassin himself and thinks the moon of her, one also needs only to look towards the Varia as a whole and how Bel ended up raised to see why that is.
In record time, the bartender comes over with a glass, and the wine is poured - rose, suitable for someone with something of a romantic streak. At least, it's for when they're in a bar together. "So what had it come up this time around?" he asks idly, because it's only the right thing to do, to show his lady that he's paying attention. Giving her all his attention, and his interest. "An interesting story, perhaps?"
"Oh, if only it was so romantic as to have a murderous self-made orphan show up on our doorstep, or to rescue a clearly abused babe from the arms of the cruel," she sighs, taking the glass and swirling it around a bit. Lussuria has always like the visual aesthetic of such things; she's never been one for drinking in the smell. Surprisingly, the babe in her arms seems to be doing quite well in sleeping right through all that's going on. It probably the helps that the bar went quiet at the sight of Varia leather. "But no - I am afraid to say that this is the child of someone in one of my squadron's."
Out of all the options in the world that could explain the baby's presence, that one is probably the least alarming even without the details that could make it considerably moreso. Romario considers the babe a bit more. It's interesting, that someone in the Varia would want to have a child with all the risks that come with their line of work, but even assassins might want to have a child. "Still alive?" he asks conversationally.
"Probably not," Lussuria answers, in the same kind of tone. That is the way of life, for their lot. Staying old in a life of crime is something that's something of a blessing, and it speaks to their own skills and luck that they've managed as long as they have. "They went missing a little while ago on a hit, and we haven't gotten any updates since then. I went to go check on their home, and it was in a less than ideal state. Quite a surprise, honestly, that they'd manage to miss a living baby during that attack... But I suppose we would hardly be Varia quality if we had any sad little attempt join us to the point that they couldn't even protect their own flesh and blood." A pause. "All the traps around the nursery probably helped. A few hadn't even been set off yet by the time I got there!"
Leaning over, Romario presses a quick kiss along her jaw. "And yet you still surpassed all of them superbly," he tells her.
Lussuria titters into her wine glass, eyes hidden behind her shades. Despite that, he can still guess the way she smiles by the crinkles that peek out from behind the frames. "Terrible charmer, and yet I would never want to disappoint your confidence in my skills." As though it isn't just a Varia standard that she's living up to. "At any rate, I didn't find any leads there, and there's been nothing in any of our channels... So I thought I'd just take the baby!"
There is something to be said for the kind of bizarre loyalty that the Varia have with one another. Xanxus will kick Squalo down a whole flight of stairs, Mammon will charge people just for the ability to breathe in their space. Bel thinks that life or death games involving wire and knives is a fun bonding activity.
But there is some measure of obligation to those in their respective squadrons. Perhaps it could even almost be called respect. After all, an organization run entirely on fear and intimidation internally cannot last forever. There needs to be something worth staying for, outside of a monetary gain. In this respect, for the Varia who have existed alongside the Vongola for so long, they have it done well enough.
Still, while it is something worth praising to some degree... Romario takes another sip of his drink thoughtfully. "Will they be safe, in the Varia headquarters?" he asks thoughtfully.
Even if the rest of the Varia never made a concentrated effort of any sort to go after a defenseless random baby, well... It's a dangerous place. He would know, on account of having to have visited it more than a couple of times when he went with Dino years ago on Cavallone business and when the Varia was still unsteady from having to so suddenly change hands during the attempted coup. All it would take is one wrong explosion, or a misplaced bit of poison... There are a lot of things that could happen in an assassins' headquarters, even if they took all the care in the world as a collective.
And it would be something of a stretch to say that the Varia are careful even on a good day.
Fortunately, Lussuria shakes her head. "Oh, no, there's just no space for a baby there." Unfortunately, she follows it up with, "So I was thinking about leaving them in the Cavallone's capable hands. Or, you know... Your hands."
All Romario does is take a drink of his wine again as he mulls that over. Frankly, he doesn't make it a habit of taking in random kids, either. There's not really a professional reason to either, as the Varia and Cavallone can at best be considered on... somewhat amiable terms, even with the fact that their don held a gun to Squalo's head at one point. (Technically, many of their Family held a gun to Squalo's head, but then they're getting into semantics.) And yet that's as good as anyone is going to get with the Varia, who by their very nature are in the position to turn on anyone in the world... even their own primary Family, apparently.
But on the level of personal reasons, well, Lussuria is his woman, just as much as he's her man. If it's just for a short while, he's sure he can manage that much. Worst comes to worst, then he's sure he can look around to see who's in the best position to take in a random baby. Somehow, he has a feeling that's something which could turn right around back to the Sawadas.
Nana Sawada is probably doing a public service, taking in so many wayward criminal kids. She really deserves another vacation of some sort.
"I suppose, although it's rather short notice," he says, thinking back to what they have in town near the Cavallone mansion. Plenty of the locals there are kind to him, and the boss. It might not work out like people think it should with a criminal group, but, well, honestly... When the local government and law enforcement aren't worth the effort it would take to spit at their shoes, it's not that hard at all for a mafia boss to ingratiate himself to the community. Sometimes, it gets to the point that Romario wonders if they're running their own little country inside Italy. Go right back to the middle ages, where it's all the ruling families instead of a united government. "I suppose you'd want to get the little thing off your hands as soon as possible?"
Lussuria doesn't even let him finish his question before she's nodding along, taking a sip from her own wine as well. "If it's of no trouble to you, of course, my love," she says, once she's swallowed. "But I'm afraid that along with the rooming problem, I'm just not... mothering material."
This is quite a bit of a joke to anyone who's seen her interact with the rest of the Varia, to the point that she could almost teasingly be called the Varia mother hen. But Romario doesn't question it. He merely nods, thinking to whoever's had children the most recently. Whose birthdays have passed in town, and if they might still have kept some of their old things instead of immediately selling them away or giving them to acquaintances and friends. "I'm sure we can hoodwink things, if you like." With that, he finishes off his wine - a little more quickly than he'd really like to on a normal night but it's fine. "Shall we take our leave then, my beauty?"
"I suppose there's no point in messing around when it comes to a baby, is there?" Lussuria finishes off her own wine, and is so considerate as to leave a tip behind when she gets up. It's not necessary in a place like Italy... but for people like them, a little extra insurance never hurts.
He hadn't had much to drink, by the time that Lussuria had arrived, but he'd still had enough wine to feel a little bit of heat in his blood. Makes it all the more refreshing as he and Lussuria step outside into the cool night together. Wordlessly, he holds his hands out, and Lussuria hands over the babe without a bit of dallying. Still a rather young child, truth be told. Enough that he suspects that they might not need milk anymore, although maybe that's just his own hopeful thinking getting involved there. They fit well enough carefully cradled in the crook of one arm.
Good. He likes to offer his other arm to Lussuria when he can, and it'd be a shame to miss out on her company on a night such as this.
"Nice calm night, isn't it?" he says as the two of them make their way down the street, conspicuously empty. Words spread quick in a tiny little Italian town like this one; no one wants to catch the attention of a Varia assassin. "I would have made sure to arrange something at a nice restaurant, if I'd known you were coming to visit."
"Charmer," Lussuria says, laughing against a little bit even as she leans against his side. "I do know that you were so terribly amused when I had to chase someone out of that seat."
"Oh? Did it show on my face, then?"
"Always." The corner of Lussuria's lips quirk up, a little giveaway to when she's winking. It's taken him a little while to recognize things like that, with the ever present sunglasses rarely budging from their spot, but he's learned. Nothing is impossible when you like a lady enough. "Your moustache can't hide everything, you know."
"I suppose I had best get a slightly better poker face. It's no wonder that I lose every Friday night."
The two of them could probably carry on like this for a long while yet; Romario knows because they've whittled away many night in the exact same fashion. There's something to be said for mundane time well spent in little ways like that. But before the two of them can continue much more on that, they both pause ever so slightly before making their turn into one of the many sidestreets that can be found in old towns like this. Somewhere that has shadows a little bit longer and deeper than anywhere else, where sensible people know not to wander about in when it's more street light than sunlight.
Maybe it's not the absolute best place in the world to be, but it does well enough for what they need it to do. It does well enough for what their newest bit of company needs it to.
The reassuring smell of wine and cigar smoke can't quite suffocate the smell of blood as the Varia operative lands right there in front of them, already sinking into a bent knee before them. Then again, with the blood he can smell so thickly around them, he supposes that they also might not have had a choice. "Operative Rou reporting," they wheeze out, blood catching on their knee from where they spit it out. "I have no excuses for how long it's taken me to get back to you, Commander Lussuria."
If he had a hand free, Romario would pull out a cigarette right around now. Have something to do with his hands and his mouth instead of just blatantly listening in on Varia information. As it his, one hand is wrapped around a baby, and one hand is being occupied by his girlfriend. As it is, all he can really do is tilt his head slightly to the side and consider the assassin there in front of them.
"I would consider the overwhelming bloodloss to count," he comments idly.
Ultimately, it's not really him who decides on if it's enough of an 'excuse' or not, however. That's up to Lussuria, pressing one delicate pinky finger along her jaw. "Well, it took you long enough," she chides gently. How gentle her voice is doesn't really mean anything one way or another, and Romario is pretty sure everyone here and conscious in the area knows it. The babe's still somehow sleeping neatly. "Still, I will say that it's not every day that one of the Varia is left to limp along with wounds like that! Let's see...." She tilts her head from one side to the other, as though physically rolling her thoughts around in her head. "I suppose if it was that much of a hassle, I really do need to get the full details! We'll decide on your punishment after that, okaaaaay?"
It's about as good as any fairness that one is likely to get in the Varia, quite frankly. Might not even end up as a punishment, depending on just what sort of event had happened to get a Varia operative into that sort of state... But that's none of his business.
What's slightly more relevant to his place in this whole affair is when the assassin gives a jerk of a nod, only to hesitate. "I will give my report to you as soon as possible, Commander Lussuria. But..."
Yeah, Romario gets it. He wouldn't expect any action besides this one from someone with child. He shifts his arm a bit, holding up the baby bundled up still in their blanket. "I know from experience that babies don't offer particularly good company when you're trying to focus on paperwork, but I imagine you'll want this one back regardless," he says simply.
The assassin's hood is pulled up, so it's hard to see the details of their face, but Romario doesn't need to see that. He can tell from the slump of their shoulders how relieved they are. "Commander Lussuria..."
Probably if a Varia commander demanded that one of their operatives give them their child, they'd be obligated to do so, or have to deal with a permanent bullseye on their head. Fortunately, besides the initial nosing about that got her a free child to start with, Lussuria doesn't seem to be in the mood. All she does is wave one hand about idly. "Oh, that would save us so much work, wouldn't it? Then off you go with the babe. You really should tell me more about them when you hand in your report."
"The smell of blood might be a bother to them," Romario offers, with some experience in this area. But, then, he imagines that the assassin parent has some experience too with the ginger way that they accept their baby once again.
"Of course," they mutter, and it's hard to tell if they're replying to Romario or Lussuria. Or both. Or if they can barely focus on keeping the world from spinning, in the state that they're in. "Then, I will report to you in the morning, Commander Lussuria." And just like that, with a push of their legs, they leap off back across the walls and roofs of town, out of sight and back into the night time.
With one hand now free, Romario reaches into his jacket pocket and pulls out a pack of cigarettes. "Well," he says, "I suppose that frees us up to finding a nice restaurant."
The only proper "nice restaurant" with the level of security he's looking for is a couple of times away from them, and takes a couple of hours by car to arrive there. It's fine; time, effort, and gas money are all worth it when it comes to good food. It's only when they're nicely tucked away in a private booth, with servers whose palms have been greased to stay far away when not bringing over their wine and drinks, does Romario speak up again. "Almost a pity. It would have been amusing for both of us to have a go at playing house, although I suppose I'd be the trophy husband in that case." Since he'd be the one taking care of the baby for a short while until they could find a slightly better solution.
Lussuria laughs at him a little bit over her fettuccine alfredo, fingers twirling about her fork. "Well, we'll have to play out that daydream some other time," she says, but there's a kind of pause Romario recognizes that comes after the words. He lets it rest between them for a second, simply working on his own fusilli alla vodka. Lussuria speaks in her own time. "When it's a kid as young as that, it doesn't feel quite as comfortable, you know?"
He thinks he kind of gets it, yeah, although he'd never be able to describe it in the same bonedeep way that Lussuria knows it. There's something distinctly... different about the presence of a baby in one's arms compared to holding the hand of even a gradeschool kid as you help them cross the street, or convince them into eating their vegetables.
It's a hard thing to describe, honestly. A harder thing to be reminded of, he supposes.
"Well, it's not our problem anymore," he says simply as he pours her some more wine, and his comment rewards him with a smile on her lips. "I suppose we can skip straight to the part of parenting where the children are finally out of the house, and we start living out all our wild vacation dreams. That's how it usually goes, doesn't it? The usual cruise ship choices are in the islands, aren't they? Although we could always try those 'viking' cruises that keep getting sent to some of our men in America."
"Oh, is that how it goes?" Lussuria says, skin crinkling behind the frames of her sunglasses once again. "Well then, my dearly beloved, I will let you know when I next get a job that takes place on a cruise ship." She offers her glass out to him - partially full only, but that doesn't really matter. "Cheers to empty nests."
Their glasses clink together, a soft and melodic sound.
"Cheers to empty nests, and empty glasses."
Some would say cops must surely see similar, but that is far overestimating the bravery or selflessness of law enforcement and just how much they're willing to involve themselves in.
That is why, when Lussuria shows up at his favorite bar in the Cavallone territory with an infant swaddled in her arms, all he does is take another small sip of his wine and observe the babe with all the curiosity of seeing her with a new fur coat. "I didn't think that the Varia had a taste for stealing children," he comments, gesturing for the bartender to bring another glass, and in fact another bottle entirely. He knows what Lussuria's tastes are like, and his simple white wine just won't cut it.
Lussuria chuckles a bit, raising one leg up elegantly. That's more than enough to make the person who was sitting on the barstool besides Romario scurry off quite quick, and she sweeps onto it as though it was pure coincidence and not immediate threat. "It isn't something that often comes up in assassination," she admits, tapping up her sunglasses - on even in the bar.
By all means, the assassination business makes a lot of orphans, but that's not usually something any self-respecting assassin would get tangled up in. That just makes the whole job messy, and, anyway. For the kind of people who get involved in assassination, it's not like they'd usually make great family anyway.
And while Romario may be dating an assassin himself and thinks the moon of her, one also needs only to look towards the Varia as a whole and how Bel ended up raised to see why that is.
In record time, the bartender comes over with a glass, and the wine is poured - rose, suitable for someone with something of a romantic streak. At least, it's for when they're in a bar together. "So what had it come up this time around?" he asks idly, because it's only the right thing to do, to show his lady that he's paying attention. Giving her all his attention, and his interest. "An interesting story, perhaps?"
"Oh, if only it was so romantic as to have a murderous self-made orphan show up on our doorstep, or to rescue a clearly abused babe from the arms of the cruel," she sighs, taking the glass and swirling it around a bit. Lussuria has always like the visual aesthetic of such things; she's never been one for drinking in the smell. Surprisingly, the babe in her arms seems to be doing quite well in sleeping right through all that's going on. It probably the helps that the bar went quiet at the sight of Varia leather. "But no - I am afraid to say that this is the child of someone in one of my squadron's."
Out of all the options in the world that could explain the baby's presence, that one is probably the least alarming even without the details that could make it considerably moreso. Romario considers the babe a bit more. It's interesting, that someone in the Varia would want to have a child with all the risks that come with their line of work, but even assassins might want to have a child. "Still alive?" he asks conversationally.
"Probably not," Lussuria answers, in the same kind of tone. That is the way of life, for their lot. Staying old in a life of crime is something that's something of a blessing, and it speaks to their own skills and luck that they've managed as long as they have. "They went missing a little while ago on a hit, and we haven't gotten any updates since then. I went to go check on their home, and it was in a less than ideal state. Quite a surprise, honestly, that they'd manage to miss a living baby during that attack... But I suppose we would hardly be Varia quality if we had any sad little attempt join us to the point that they couldn't even protect their own flesh and blood." A pause. "All the traps around the nursery probably helped. A few hadn't even been set off yet by the time I got there!"
Leaning over, Romario presses a quick kiss along her jaw. "And yet you still surpassed all of them superbly," he tells her.
Lussuria titters into her wine glass, eyes hidden behind her shades. Despite that, he can still guess the way she smiles by the crinkles that peek out from behind the frames. "Terrible charmer, and yet I would never want to disappoint your confidence in my skills." As though it isn't just a Varia standard that she's living up to. "At any rate, I didn't find any leads there, and there's been nothing in any of our channels... So I thought I'd just take the baby!"
There is something to be said for the kind of bizarre loyalty that the Varia have with one another. Xanxus will kick Squalo down a whole flight of stairs, Mammon will charge people just for the ability to breathe in their space. Bel thinks that life or death games involving wire and knives is a fun bonding activity.
But there is some measure of obligation to those in their respective squadrons. Perhaps it could even almost be called respect. After all, an organization run entirely on fear and intimidation internally cannot last forever. There needs to be something worth staying for, outside of a monetary gain. In this respect, for the Varia who have existed alongside the Vongola for so long, they have it done well enough.
Still, while it is something worth praising to some degree... Romario takes another sip of his drink thoughtfully. "Will they be safe, in the Varia headquarters?" he asks thoughtfully.
Even if the rest of the Varia never made a concentrated effort of any sort to go after a defenseless random baby, well... It's a dangerous place. He would know, on account of having to have visited it more than a couple of times when he went with Dino years ago on Cavallone business and when the Varia was still unsteady from having to so suddenly change hands during the attempted coup. All it would take is one wrong explosion, or a misplaced bit of poison... There are a lot of things that could happen in an assassins' headquarters, even if they took all the care in the world as a collective.
And it would be something of a stretch to say that the Varia are careful even on a good day.
Fortunately, Lussuria shakes her head. "Oh, no, there's just no space for a baby there." Unfortunately, she follows it up with, "So I was thinking about leaving them in the Cavallone's capable hands. Or, you know... Your hands."
All Romario does is take a drink of his wine again as he mulls that over. Frankly, he doesn't make it a habit of taking in random kids, either. There's not really a professional reason to either, as the Varia and Cavallone can at best be considered on... somewhat amiable terms, even with the fact that their don held a gun to Squalo's head at one point. (Technically, many of their Family held a gun to Squalo's head, but then they're getting into semantics.) And yet that's as good as anyone is going to get with the Varia, who by their very nature are in the position to turn on anyone in the world... even their own primary Family, apparently.
But on the level of personal reasons, well, Lussuria is his woman, just as much as he's her man. If it's just for a short while, he's sure he can manage that much. Worst comes to worst, then he's sure he can look around to see who's in the best position to take in a random baby. Somehow, he has a feeling that's something which could turn right around back to the Sawadas.
Nana Sawada is probably doing a public service, taking in so many wayward criminal kids. She really deserves another vacation of some sort.
"I suppose, although it's rather short notice," he says, thinking back to what they have in town near the Cavallone mansion. Plenty of the locals there are kind to him, and the boss. It might not work out like people think it should with a criminal group, but, well, honestly... When the local government and law enforcement aren't worth the effort it would take to spit at their shoes, it's not that hard at all for a mafia boss to ingratiate himself to the community. Sometimes, it gets to the point that Romario wonders if they're running their own little country inside Italy. Go right back to the middle ages, where it's all the ruling families instead of a united government. "I suppose you'd want to get the little thing off your hands as soon as possible?"
Lussuria doesn't even let him finish his question before she's nodding along, taking a sip from her own wine as well. "If it's of no trouble to you, of course, my love," she says, once she's swallowed. "But I'm afraid that along with the rooming problem, I'm just not... mothering material."
This is quite a bit of a joke to anyone who's seen her interact with the rest of the Varia, to the point that she could almost teasingly be called the Varia mother hen. But Romario doesn't question it. He merely nods, thinking to whoever's had children the most recently. Whose birthdays have passed in town, and if they might still have kept some of their old things instead of immediately selling them away or giving them to acquaintances and friends. "I'm sure we can hoodwink things, if you like." With that, he finishes off his wine - a little more quickly than he'd really like to on a normal night but it's fine. "Shall we take our leave then, my beauty?"
"I suppose there's no point in messing around when it comes to a baby, is there?" Lussuria finishes off her own wine, and is so considerate as to leave a tip behind when she gets up. It's not necessary in a place like Italy... but for people like them, a little extra insurance never hurts.
He hadn't had much to drink, by the time that Lussuria had arrived, but he'd still had enough wine to feel a little bit of heat in his blood. Makes it all the more refreshing as he and Lussuria step outside into the cool night together. Wordlessly, he holds his hands out, and Lussuria hands over the babe without a bit of dallying. Still a rather young child, truth be told. Enough that he suspects that they might not need milk anymore, although maybe that's just his own hopeful thinking getting involved there. They fit well enough carefully cradled in the crook of one arm.
Good. He likes to offer his other arm to Lussuria when he can, and it'd be a shame to miss out on her company on a night such as this.
"Nice calm night, isn't it?" he says as the two of them make their way down the street, conspicuously empty. Words spread quick in a tiny little Italian town like this one; no one wants to catch the attention of a Varia assassin. "I would have made sure to arrange something at a nice restaurant, if I'd known you were coming to visit."
"Charmer," Lussuria says, laughing against a little bit even as she leans against his side. "I do know that you were so terribly amused when I had to chase someone out of that seat."
"Oh? Did it show on my face, then?"
"Always." The corner of Lussuria's lips quirk up, a little giveaway to when she's winking. It's taken him a little while to recognize things like that, with the ever present sunglasses rarely budging from their spot, but he's learned. Nothing is impossible when you like a lady enough. "Your moustache can't hide everything, you know."
"I suppose I had best get a slightly better poker face. It's no wonder that I lose every Friday night."
The two of them could probably carry on like this for a long while yet; Romario knows because they've whittled away many night in the exact same fashion. There's something to be said for mundane time well spent in little ways like that. But before the two of them can continue much more on that, they both pause ever so slightly before making their turn into one of the many sidestreets that can be found in old towns like this. Somewhere that has shadows a little bit longer and deeper than anywhere else, where sensible people know not to wander about in when it's more street light than sunlight.
Maybe it's not the absolute best place in the world to be, but it does well enough for what they need it to do. It does well enough for what their newest bit of company needs it to.
The reassuring smell of wine and cigar smoke can't quite suffocate the smell of blood as the Varia operative lands right there in front of them, already sinking into a bent knee before them. Then again, with the blood he can smell so thickly around them, he supposes that they also might not have had a choice. "Operative Rou reporting," they wheeze out, blood catching on their knee from where they spit it out. "I have no excuses for how long it's taken me to get back to you, Commander Lussuria."
If he had a hand free, Romario would pull out a cigarette right around now. Have something to do with his hands and his mouth instead of just blatantly listening in on Varia information. As it his, one hand is wrapped around a baby, and one hand is being occupied by his girlfriend. As it is, all he can really do is tilt his head slightly to the side and consider the assassin there in front of them.
"I would consider the overwhelming bloodloss to count," he comments idly.
Ultimately, it's not really him who decides on if it's enough of an 'excuse' or not, however. That's up to Lussuria, pressing one delicate pinky finger along her jaw. "Well, it took you long enough," she chides gently. How gentle her voice is doesn't really mean anything one way or another, and Romario is pretty sure everyone here and conscious in the area knows it. The babe's still somehow sleeping neatly. "Still, I will say that it's not every day that one of the Varia is left to limp along with wounds like that! Let's see...." She tilts her head from one side to the other, as though physically rolling her thoughts around in her head. "I suppose if it was that much of a hassle, I really do need to get the full details! We'll decide on your punishment after that, okaaaaay?"
It's about as good as any fairness that one is likely to get in the Varia, quite frankly. Might not even end up as a punishment, depending on just what sort of event had happened to get a Varia operative into that sort of state... But that's none of his business.
What's slightly more relevant to his place in this whole affair is when the assassin gives a jerk of a nod, only to hesitate. "I will give my report to you as soon as possible, Commander Lussuria. But..."
Yeah, Romario gets it. He wouldn't expect any action besides this one from someone with child. He shifts his arm a bit, holding up the baby bundled up still in their blanket. "I know from experience that babies don't offer particularly good company when you're trying to focus on paperwork, but I imagine you'll want this one back regardless," he says simply.
The assassin's hood is pulled up, so it's hard to see the details of their face, but Romario doesn't need to see that. He can tell from the slump of their shoulders how relieved they are. "Commander Lussuria..."
Probably if a Varia commander demanded that one of their operatives give them their child, they'd be obligated to do so, or have to deal with a permanent bullseye on their head. Fortunately, besides the initial nosing about that got her a free child to start with, Lussuria doesn't seem to be in the mood. All she does is wave one hand about idly. "Oh, that would save us so much work, wouldn't it? Then off you go with the babe. You really should tell me more about them when you hand in your report."
"The smell of blood might be a bother to them," Romario offers, with some experience in this area. But, then, he imagines that the assassin parent has some experience too with the ginger way that they accept their baby once again.
"Of course," they mutter, and it's hard to tell if they're replying to Romario or Lussuria. Or both. Or if they can barely focus on keeping the world from spinning, in the state that they're in. "Then, I will report to you in the morning, Commander Lussuria." And just like that, with a push of their legs, they leap off back across the walls and roofs of town, out of sight and back into the night time.
With one hand now free, Romario reaches into his jacket pocket and pulls out a pack of cigarettes. "Well," he says, "I suppose that frees us up to finding a nice restaurant."
The only proper "nice restaurant" with the level of security he's looking for is a couple of times away from them, and takes a couple of hours by car to arrive there. It's fine; time, effort, and gas money are all worth it when it comes to good food. It's only when they're nicely tucked away in a private booth, with servers whose palms have been greased to stay far away when not bringing over their wine and drinks, does Romario speak up again. "Almost a pity. It would have been amusing for both of us to have a go at playing house, although I suppose I'd be the trophy husband in that case." Since he'd be the one taking care of the baby for a short while until they could find a slightly better solution.
Lussuria laughs at him a little bit over her fettuccine alfredo, fingers twirling about her fork. "Well, we'll have to play out that daydream some other time," she says, but there's a kind of pause Romario recognizes that comes after the words. He lets it rest between them for a second, simply working on his own fusilli alla vodka. Lussuria speaks in her own time. "When it's a kid as young as that, it doesn't feel quite as comfortable, you know?"
He thinks he kind of gets it, yeah, although he'd never be able to describe it in the same bonedeep way that Lussuria knows it. There's something distinctly... different about the presence of a baby in one's arms compared to holding the hand of even a gradeschool kid as you help them cross the street, or convince them into eating their vegetables.
It's a hard thing to describe, honestly. A harder thing to be reminded of, he supposes.
"Well, it's not our problem anymore," he says simply as he pours her some more wine, and his comment rewards him with a smile on her lips. "I suppose we can skip straight to the part of parenting where the children are finally out of the house, and we start living out all our wild vacation dreams. That's how it usually goes, doesn't it? The usual cruise ship choices are in the islands, aren't they? Although we could always try those 'viking' cruises that keep getting sent to some of our men in America."
"Oh, is that how it goes?" Lussuria says, skin crinkling behind the frames of her sunglasses once again. "Well then, my dearly beloved, I will let you know when I next get a job that takes place on a cruise ship." She offers her glass out to him - partially full only, but that doesn't really matter. "Cheers to empty nests."
Their glasses clink together, a soft and melodic sound.
"Cheers to empty nests, and empty glasses."