featuring: ( @briclassified )

sour mango sunset title inspo from ( @fracturedlcve )

“the sunset faded and blended from pink to peace to mango in a smoothie in the sky. for as long as she doesn’t love me, i will love her.”

dario: good morning, d-man. dario: is it morning there? it’s like 9pm here. dario: what’s good, man? been a while since i have checked in on your grumpy ass. how is…life? dario: also check it out. dinner of champs right here.

dario stood just outside of the salty splatoon, the cool night air doing little to settle the restless feeling sitting heavy in his chest. a half-finished beer hung loosely in his hand as his thoughts drifted somewhere he didn’t want them to, back to bash, to everything left unsaid, everything that never got the chance to be fixed. all because he had to be stubborn. his jaw tightened, grip on the bottle shifting before he even really registered it, and then...crack. glass shattered against the wall beside him, sharp and sudden, the sound cutting through the quiet as a sting followed almost immediately. “shit,” he hissed under his breath, more annoyed than anything as he looked down at the small cut across his hand, flexing his fingers like that might undo it.

he exhaled slowly, shaking his head at himself before glancing up, and that’s when he saw her. sav. of course. something in his expression softened despite himself, even now, even like this, a half-smile pulling at his lips like it was instinct. “oh, hey,” he greeted, voice a little rougher than usual but still warm because it was her. he shifted his weight, injured hand dropping slightly out of view like it wasn’t worth mentioning. “how are you?”

dario had fully committed to the song somewhere around the second chorus, one hand wrapped around the microphone while the other pointed dramatically at the crowd like he was performing for an arena instead of a half-packed karaoke bar with people probably too drunk to even know what he was singing in all honesty. by the time a hard day’s night came to an end, he was laughing breathlessly, giving an exaggerated bow before handing the mic back over to the host. “thank you, thank you, i’ll be here all night,” he joked, still grinning as he made his way back toward the table. sliding into the seat beside them, he grabbed his drink and took a sip before nudging their shoulder lightly. “be honest,” he said, eyes narrowing playfully, “was that performance life changing, or should i retire now? don't worry. either way, i'm getting us a round of shots. how's tequila sound?”

since bash’s arrest, dario hadn’t been doing too good. he slipped back into old habits faster than he’d like to admit—drinks stacking up at the end of every shift, patience running thinner by the day, and that restless feeling under his skin that never quite let him settle. he hated how easily it all came back, like nothing he’d built had really stuck. the bar felt smaller lately, louder too, every conversation grating on him just enough to make him want to snap. so instead of risking it, he wiped his hands on a rag, muttered something about needing air, and pushed his way out the back door into the cool night, fishing a cigarette from his pocket like it was the only thing that might quiet his head for a minute.

he had just gotten it lit when he caught sight of someone familiar near the entrance, and he paused, exhaling a slow stream of smoke before calling out, “hey, sorry,” he said, as he lifted a hand slightly. “you heading in? can you give me five? it’s just me, but i need a smoke real quick.”

dario had only meant to stop for one drink. he hadn’t gone to his usual spot, avoiding familiar faces on purpose, but at some point the bar blurred into every other one he’d been in lately. he wasn’t a mess, not really, but his head wasn’t exactly clear either. one drink turned into two, then a few more, and by the time he decided to call it, everything felt just slightly better. making his way toward the door, he wasn’t paying enough attention, and his shoulder bumped into someone, hard enough to stop him short. his hand came up instinctively, reaching out to steady them without thinking, guilt hitting him just as quickly as the contact.

“i’m sorry,” he murmured, a little quieter than the room around them, like he meant it more than just a passing apology. “i didn’t see you there.” he huffed a small breath through his nose, already knowing how stupid that sounded, but it was the truth. his eyes flicked over them quickly, checking for damage like that would somehow fix it. “you okay? i didn’t spill your drink or mess up your outfit, did i?” he added, lingering there a second longer than necessary, hand hovering like he wasn’t sure if he should pull away yet.

dario had claimed a spot at the bar not too long ago, drink in hand, deciding to give sav a bit of her own time to mingle. it felt wrong to be here, if dario were entirely honest. he was doing everything in his power to be the perfect date for savannah, from pulling out all the stops to sticking by her side as much as possible, but he couldn't shake the feeling he got tonight. daisy was dead, miles was dead, how many more were going to meet that same fate? his people were dropping like flies, and he felt powerless to help against it. all he could do was show face for his people, keep an eye on the ones who matter, and make sure sav had a perfect evening.

he had just placed another drink order, figuring he'd have one more before going to meet sav again. he didn’t need to look to know who was approaching—he felt it before anything else, that familiar shift that had his jaw tightening before he could stop it. bash. for a second, he considered leaving, slipping back into the crowd like it would be easier that way, because it kind of was. but he didn’t. instead, he stayed right where he was, letting out a low, quiet sigh under his breath as he brought the new drink up for a sip. even when bash came to stand beside him, dario didn’t turn, didn’t acknowledge him—just stared straight ahead like the space next to him was still empty, trying to fight back another frustrated sigh.

addicted to the bean had always been one of those spots people gravitated toward without really thinking about it. the kind of place that felt easy to settle into, even when it was packed wall to wall. today just happened to be one of those days. every table was claimed, the low hum of conversation mixing with the hiss of espresso machines and the occasional laugh cutting through it all. dario had managed to snag a small table tucked off to the side, more out of luck than anything, a half-finished drink in front of him and his phone loosely gripped in one hand. he wasn’t really paying attention to it, though—his gaze drifting up every so often, seeing if he could spot any potential recruits in the crowd.

it wasn’t until he noticed someone lingering nearby, that seemed to be searching for an empty seat, that he finally spoke up. “you can stop looking,” he said, a hint of amusement tugging at it as he gestured to the empty chair across from him. “if that's what you're doing. i'm pretty sure every table’s been claimed for the next three hours.” a faint smirk pulled at his mouth as he leaned back slightly, giving them just enough space to decide. “if you’re looking for a spot, you’re welcome to join me. place is more packed than usual today, ain’t it?”