bad luck club / .

"The elves and demigods are valuable to all realms," she said as a matter-of-fact. Her smile was false and indulging. She wasn't an idiot, she knew not all the potential vessels of the world were wise enough to truly comprehend and appreciate the honor it was to be favored by the Gods. Arrogance didn't bother her, at least not when it came from facts that she could not argue - and so she didn't.

The words easily earned themselves a pointed roll of his eyes, for Caio knew the difference between what she said and what she meant. Their value only extended to how useful their bodies could be for the gods. For those that sought to possess them so that they could remain within the realms. It was laughable, for he wondered what fear would strike Artemis if she ever found herself at a loss for another host. Maybe he'd offer her some luck if the moment ever came. Though, he'd apologize profusely for only providing her with an ugly one. "Perhaps you couldn't, but then again, my parents never intended to gobble me up," the smile was bright still on his lips, even as she patted his cheek. Maybe he had simply been glad that she would be leaving, a fact that kept him from wrinkling his nose at her touch. Though, a brow peaked all the same, as her unsolicited advice was bestowed upon him. "Oh, I understand. But you'll have to forgive me that I won't be taking your word at face value," for there surely was always an ulterior motive when it came to Artemis. Her interest in his wellbeing could certainly only come down to his value to her.

closed starter for @xfortunax location: lupercalia note: 2 bros chillin in a hot tub

There would be more than enough in terms of entertainment for the avariel, yet none of that would matter when it came to Paloma. The moment that her band took the stage, he would be certain that he was right in front. Was he the band's number one fan? No. But he was indeed Paloma's number one fan, and that was all that mattered. To him, at least. He wouldn't have cared if it mattered to the other bandmates. There were two of them, right? The thought was minor, as he waited for the banshee to find him. While he had expected her to find him easily, he had not anticipated her sweaty arms encircling his midsection. His nose immediately wrinkled, but the grin soon enough morphed his features, "Only when the smoke show DJ is up on stage."

Adoration was one thing, worship was another; Giovanni had known for centuries that the love he felt for Caio had been initially built upon gratitude. How could he not love someone who'd laid the world at his feet? This though- this connection between them was one that Giovanni prized above anything else. "I would never tell you what to do," if Caio wanted the company of others then Giovanni's pride could handle the blow, "I just ask that if you feel so inclined, as my patron, you'd send me an invitation to share a seat at your table."

Amusement played upon the edges of his lips, light, just as he felt in the moment. Caio had advised the vampire to begin telling him what he wanted. To make his requests, or his demands. Whether the avariel listened to them, or appeased them, would be an entirely different story. But it would be hearing them that gave him the greater satisfaction. Well, among other things. "No, of course you wouldn't," words simple upon his tongue, as they fell almost like a whisper. His hand had lifted, fingers trailed through the hairs at the back of Giovanni's neck, "You are welcome wherever I go. I told you that I wanted you by my side, and I fully meant it."

She was a Marshal and so she was one step closer to having the city where she wanted it, control felt like the most natural position and she had lived among the shadows for too long, advised to hide but she did better at fighting, at drawing blood and enticing gore until she stood among the wreckage, sturdy and smelling of smoke. She had been born in the Underdark and even if she never had the Drow gift of shadow manipulation, to know how to manipulate the shadows was a natural effect of their society. So it was the covered darkness of the trees that she moved until she was before him. "You know what they say.. curiosity killed the cat but satisfaction brought it back." Lowering her purple hood that had hid her pointed ears.

An intrigue settled within the avariel, along with that pestering giddiness that always seized him at the prospect of something new. It had been understood for some time now, that each of the demigods were gifted with their own special powers. He himself had his luck, along with his transmutation. Which meant that she herself had her own little powers, one of which had been determined by the rumors that he'd heard. Fearful little rumors. "You know what they say about black cats," he returned, if only because she had brought cats into the conversation. A grin was fitted to his lips as he strayed closer, a watchful gaze not quite leaving her, "So what are these little creatures I've been hearing so much about?"

"I don't track my sisters without necessity. We are wild," she mused with pride, making past him to look around the home. "We cannot so easily be contained." The home was very nice but it gave Diana no satisfaction; she turned her nose at the pattern on the nearby carpet. Ridiculous... it wasn't even made out of quality fur. At the very least it should have been made out of the finest menagerie pelt. She would have to procure Paloma a better one, one that she deserved.

A sense of amusement always settled over him when it came to Diana, Artemis, whom spoke as if she were an enigma. A mystery that men, even demigods who presented as such, could not decipher. Perhaps that is why he remained, off to the side, with a bright smile etched into his features. She really should have liked him, given how many heroes he led to their unfortunate demise. Men with big egos, and all that. But Caio would let it slide, he understood that old minds couldn't always comprehend. "I figured you'd know who each of us were, considering if it weren't for us, you wouldn't be here," he smiled still, always amused despite the tension that came with a topic of conversation. Of course, Diana couldn't very well touch him, what with his connection to Paloma, after all. "I didn't realize I was so popular among the elves. If they wanted me to come visit, they should have just asked," he mimicked tucking a strand of hair behind his ear, before he grinned that much more. "If I don't visit, doesn't that answer your question?"

"I do, too." They stood there at the entrance to Rome's vast market and she offers her arm to him almost playfully. It's not like it was something out of the ordinary, for her to see to one of Gio's suitor's. Granted, usually they all went to brunch and she tried to assess a current partner. They both had their ways of protecting each other, her husband and her. This though, Caio seeking her out, it bodes well. "He told me the sculptures you're getting for the house. I'll have to send something over, I love doing a bathroom renovation for someone. But I was thinking maybe something for the garden, how do you feel about hydrangeas?"

How many years had passed since Caio had given Giovanni immortality? How much time had his name fallen so pleasantly from the vampire's tongue? It felt strange that only now Harlow and he were becoming more acquainted. Though, he supposed that was primarily his doing. Given how he had flitted back to Elysia for much of the last several centuries. His arm slipped around her own, "He's got quite the eye for décor, wouldn't you say?" As if the avariel would argue against statues of himself. "A poisonous flower? I love them."

"I'm always open to some inspiration." Caio would ensure that luck was on their side wherever they went. "Hmmm...." Giovanni hummed thoughtfully as he leaned against the avariel. He'd like to say that the entirety of Caio was just for him and him alone, but that'd defeat the nature of these statues he hoped to have made. "Here." The vampire started with a languid pass as he brushed his lips against the other's, his fingers trailing lightly down Fortuna's chest towards his midsection. "And here." Giovanni had landed just below the other's waistband. He moved his mouth to the curve of Caio's neck and attached his lips. "And here too."

Love, love, love; it was such a fickle feeling. And yet, it was one that had his mind wandering, to all the places that he would drag Giovanni to. The museum would be a start, somewhere to draw inspiration from. But eventually, they would go on to another, then perhaps another, until the expanse of the mortal realm became their playground. The brush of lips against his own drew his mind back to the present, to the vampire that pressed against him. Here, Giovanni had whispered, a spot that the avariel would happily oblige to be his. And here, fingers had danced across his chest, stomach, until they landed in such a tantalizing spot. Another that he would reserve strictly for his vampire. But as lips moved to that spot on his neck, a soft hum settled in his throat, "So I should give up my favored booth at Just A Bite?"

Date: January, some time Location: their house Characters: @xfortunax & @divinitydiana Notes: ew men

Giovanni would likely have something to say about it, but Caio knew that Paloma's home was also his own. Which was precisely why he had strolled into it even though the banshee was not home. He did have a key, after all. So Diana was quite lucky that he had when she had come knocking, for who else would have answered for her. A smile curved his lips even after she had been quite rude to not be excited to see him, "Shouldn't you already know where she is?" In reality, Caio had no qualm when it came to the deity, even if she took ownership of those such as himself. Yet it seemed the other had quite the issue with him.

Caio's willingness to play along never failed to feed the vampire's inherent desire to have his affections returned. People talked about love languages and where Giovanni clearly communicated his with words of affirmation or acts of service, Caio seemed to return them in kind. "Depended on our poses; we had to try out a few, I think," Giovanni said, continuously playful as he tried to envision what version of them would be best depicted in stone. Something graceful but debaucherous all at once, something that would make people raise their brows but would hold their attention just the same. "We need to save some modesty; there are parts of you that are just for me and me alone, and likewise."

Playfulness had always been the very backbone of who Caio was. He did nothing if it were not some form of entertainment for him. From his inherent love of heroes to that of which he did with Giovanni. Any form of seriousness crawled across his skin like a nuisance, even when it had been necessary. Giovanni, Paloma; perhaps the only two that had ever bore witness to that. "The museum is sure to have statues of inspiration. Perhaps we will get lucky enough to have it to ourselves, to try out some of these poses for our own," along with a few other forms of entertainment for the avariel. "For you alone? Mm, and which parts might those be?"

Giovanni kept waiting for the honeymoon phase to end, it'd been seven months since Caio had come back into his orbit and day by day the vampire remained absolutely fixated on him. Fortuna seemed the same as well, when the vampire was in the demigod's orbit it was hard not to feel like he was almost lighter than air, like he could walk on water so long as they were together at the time. Maybe he could, Giovanni didn't know how far Caio's blessing could go. "Naked." Giovanni said all too quickly, "Absolutely naked." He grinned in his characteristic way as he leaned in while Caio pulled him closer. "Maybe a robe for aesthetic value, something draped." Giovanni drew a line to diagonally across Caio's chest, "Not too much coverage, I wouldn't want to cover fine art with something like clothes."

While Giovanni didn't need to breathe he did feel himself release a small breath that he'd been holding. "I'm glad, no sculptor could ever capture your likeness perfectly, but with practice they'll just get better and better." Giovanni said as he let his arm rest across the back of Fortuna's shoulders, eyes on the statue for a moment longer before they drifted to focus the entirety of his attention on Caio. There was another question that Giovanni wanted to ask but he was nervous about what the demigod would say, "What if I had one commissioned of the both of us, together?"

Statues, paintings; art forms of every medium had been crafted over the years for Fortuna. Gifts for the blessings that he could bestow, praises in the form of how he had once appeared to them. None of them had ever quite meant anything to him, not at this particular one had. His gaze swept over the statue once more, from the point of his toe to the top of his head. Magnificent, though that may rest solely on the muse. There was a moment more of simple admiration, before Giovanni once again captured his attention. A hesitancy seemed to grow within his vampire, a nervousness he could feel so keenly. So his brow rose as the words tumbled forth. A moment of consideration, a soft smile as it fought its way upon his lips before Caio turned to the other completely. Hands reached out to curl fingers into the fabric of Giovanni's shirt, if only to use the leverage to pull him closer, "Clothed, or..."

@xfortunax location: mojo dojo casa house notes: I took too long on their event thread so here's something fresh

Caio did not like staying still. So to have had to do that for an entire day, he'd been a little restless. A little crabby over the matter. But he hadn't complained too much, given what - or rather, who - he had done it for. Now, all that hard work of his would be paying off in the form of the statue that would decorate Giovanni's home. Or perhaps, their home. It felt odd to say, or think, or feel given that he still felt the loss of Elysium so keenly. Like a huge part of him had been ripped out. He pushed the thought from his mind as he took in the magnificence that was his own likeness. Finally, a statue that depicted him in his true form. Well, the one that he had perfected, the one that he graced this mortal realm with. A low hum vibrated within his throat, his head canted from this way to that as he inspected himself. The consideration only lasted a few moments, before he had turned to peer over at Giovanni. "It is perfect. Just as you are perfect for giving me such a treat."