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[ a-ha, finally. he immediately drops his arms and his sour expression once he sees their friends arrive, smiling broadly in spite of how weird and intimidating Giovanni's presence is. what's with the crazy getup? he just assumes it's fine—Rhys invited him and Steph is undoing all his shit, so obviously there's nothing to worry about, right?

it's kinda cool, actually, if you ask him. dude must be even more badass than he thought. ]

Hey, guys. [ he gives Steph a little wave, and nods toward Giovanni. ] You are needed for something specific, as it turns out. It involves a lot of explosions.

Edited (lol i don't know what i'm doing sorry) 2017-02-14 09:05 (UTC)

[ A dude gets marched into his lavish Qreshi mansion in full restraints and firearms, a muzzle on his face and Vaughn just...goes with it. Like it's totally normal and there's nothing at all alarming about seeing someone normally in Company attire or a suit bound and gagged up like some sort of animal. Totally chill with it enough to deliver an easy line.

...And then there's Rhys, who stares for several moments before he gives the most confused and uncomfortable of weak smiles. It's very forced, very uncertain. ]

Hey, uhhh...what, what's with the get-up? Are you like...were you at a costume party before you came here, or...

[ he knows that isn't the case but man Steph, when you mentioned being hands-on he didn't know you meant this. wao. ]

Edited 2017-02-14 10:50 (UTC)

[Quietly, to Giovanni, as she finishes taking off the muzzle and drops it to the floor.]

This is Kendry land, Rhys can wiggle around the rules a little. I'll keep the Bite with me if it makes you feel better.

[Not in case he hurts people, but so he can't get in trouble for not being restrained; the Dog Bite is still close by, that last line of defense.

And the way Rhys reacts suggests that he hasn't seen this before, but also that maybe he's never really seen Gio before. If it's true, it's a little troubling, but she smiles anyway, trying to be reassuring.

That probably isn't helped by the way she's undoing the restraints on Gio's arms.]

Apparently this is protocol for Qresh, you might wanna have the next movie night on Leith.

[There's a tightness in her voice that makes it clear she doesn't approve of this, the way Giovanni is tied up like a feral dog, but she isn't in a position to ignore orders.]

[He holds still as Steph finishes with the restraints, answers her quietly, voice gently coloured by mild incredulity.]

It ought to make you feel better. Hahah. But keeping it with you is advisabe, yes.

[And in truth it settles something in him, too, just slightly-- deviance from standard protocol, from what's expected of him, there's something in it that leaves him feeling unmoored and uncertain, vaguely discomforted. His conditioning, it runs bone-deep.

He looks back at the two men, then, gives Rhys the same wary kind of look he tends to reserve for him whenever he says something odd like that.]

You remember, Mr Kendry, that I'm a warhound, a biological weapon. Not a lapdog. The get-up is intended to keep you safe.

[But he's rolling his aching shoulders in a shrug, knows better by now than to expect Rhys to fully comprehend exactly what he's dealing with. What he's decided to bring into his home.

But enough of that-- he flashes Vaughn a sharp little smile, all razor-edged teeth.]

...you said something about explosions?

[ Rhys has the weirdest friends, it's official. Steph and Vaughn are...arguably more normal than not but they're also some of his only friends, and then there's Gio who's...well. Gio. ]

Wh--come on, of course I know you're not a lapdog. I didn't invite you over because of that. [ It's also weird to think of him like that. ]

You said you'd never had a day off so...now you can have one! [ See Steph not a single stripper was used in the formulating of this plan. ] Besides it's fine. Atlas is here to keep an eye on things. Right Atlas?

[ That would be Rhys addressing...the far wall where a single spherical camera lens built into the wall sits, a green light glowing within. ]

Affirmative, Rhys. All systems are functioning at full capacity. Would you care for refreshments? [ It's a synthetic female voice that replies, and Rhys looks appropriately proud for it. Best nanny AI ever. ]

She'll handle the security. You just relax.

[ he waves a hand like none of this is a big deal. warhound? biological weapon? not even worried about it. what he is worried about is whether they'll have fun and enjoy the movie, even if it is intensely stupid. he doesn't have many friends, either, and while he's clearly blasé about things (or people) that could be dangerous, he's a pretty insecure dude. he's less concerned about Gio killing him than Gio not liking him. it's a little sad. ]

Yeah, pretty much everyone here has a huge stick up their ass, sorry. Leith would have been better, you're right. But hey, your first day off! [ a grand gesture at their luxurious accommodations. ] It'll be a good one.

[ he hopes. ]

And yes, this movie is basically just a series of explosions. Not high art, but at least it's entertaining.

[Once all the restraints are off, Steph gives Giovanni a little pat on the arm, both a signal that he's good to go, and that a reassurance that she's still here with the Bite, if he's at all worried.

When she speaks, her words are meant just for him.]

I'm not scared of you, pup.

[It's a joke, maybe, something almost fond in it, but it's true.

She's wary of him, might not ever fully let her guard down with him around, but she isn't scared.

Then, to Rhys and Vaughn:]

I'm gonna go grab some stuff from my ship, try not to break anything.

[Later nerds.

Don't worry she'll only be gone for one tag cycle.]

[Did she just call him pup...again, there's mild incredulity in his expression, a slight lifting of one pale blond eyebrow, but on the plus side there's no increase of tension in him when she pats his arm, no jump of the muscles beneath skin. No ripple of repressed violence. Perhaps it's only because she'd already been handling him whilst undoing the restraints, but whatever the case, it's an improvement on the other times she'd attempted such gestures. A subtle loosening up.

But then she's turning to temporarily leave, and when he refocuses his attention on the two men once again there's something of mild hesitation in his face. Something uncertain. They really want him to just do nothing all evening? Just 'relax'? Quite frankly it's an alien concept and one he's not sure what to do with. There's a significant part of him that had thought it a joke when Rhys initially said he wanted to do this, but he supposes he should have known better than that.

Slowly, he stretches his unrestrained arms, frees up the ache in them, gets the blood flowing normally again. Softly exhales.]

You wouldn't rather I just...stood guard, or something? And the explosions, they're just in the movies?

[ Oh. Okay, Steph apparently has some sort of pet...name? For Giovanni, that's cool. Nothing to be worried over or notice too hard. Rhys is just going to probably think about that a lot tonight. Yep.

Or at least after he's finished trying to assure Giovanni that everything's handled and taken care of. Guy looks way out of his element already, so Rhys just offers a confident look and motions him to come along. ]

Trust me, Atlas has us covered. We've got Hokk and snacks and the very best of cinematic explosions thanks to one very rugged and inspiring Sean Ex Machinus.

So yeah. They're only in the movie--but I mean if action flicks aren't your thing we have other stuff we can watch too.

Edited 2017-02-15 03:07 (UTC)

[ "rugged and inspiring"... okay, Rhys. the sirens go off in his head when he hears "other stuff"—anything but That One Show, please god—but he's quickly relieved by the fact that Giovanni probably isn't into that shit. he's not sure what he would be into, as baffled by the concept of just hanging out he seems to be, but romantic drama seems unlikely. ]

Yeah, just in the movie, unfortunately. Not the same as watching things actually blow up, I know, but it's a decent alternative. [ look, it's fine as long as no one's getting hurt, right? ] Don't worry if you don't like it, though. Like he said, we have options.

[Having missed the entire conversation while running off to grab all her stuff, Steph has no insightful comment to add to the topic of explosions, only fictional ones.

Instead, she tosses a bundle of clothes at Gio without even announcing that she's going to do it, knowing he has the reflexes to catch it, then looks expectantly at Rhys with a silent where can we get changed? that she doesn't want to interrupt the conversation to verbalize.

Hopefully he can figure it out.]

[Well...he's more accustomed to dealing with real explosions, has no experience at all, in fact, of the cinematic variety, but at least Vaughn can rest assured that romantic dramas would only further baffle and bore him. He still looks very much out of his comfort zone, posture a little awkward and face coloured by vague wariness, but he at least responds readily enough to Rhys' gesture to come forward, starts to follow him. Tries not to look too dazed by the sumptuous environment, the sheer size of the place Rhys calls home.]

...I'll trust your judgment, I suppose, if this is really all you require of me.

[He's aware of Steph's approach before she enters, catches the sounds of movement, the faint scent of her, and when she rejoins them and tosses something in his direction he doesn't so much as look around as his hand moves out in a swift fluid motion, something unnatural, catches the bundle based on the shift of the air around him rather than relying on sight. He turns though, once it's caught. Looks at her quizzically.]

[ Rhys looks a little confused too, but then he realizes Giovanni's not exactly "dressed for the occasion," so to speak and that maybe they should do something about that. It's actually a really nice gesture from her and Rhys can't help smiling a little when he gets it. He's a sucker for things like that, and he lifts a hand to point off to an ajoining hallway once they reach the main entertainment room. ]

Yup, one-hundred percent. Tonight's about enjoying yourself with the rest of us cool dudes. [ Steph is included in the "cool dudes" club, in case she wondered. ] If you want to get changed there's a washroom down the hall. First door on the left.

[ Giovanni's word choice strikes him—maybe it shouldn't, because he knows what the guy does, but he tilts his head, feeling the need to clarify. ]

...It's not really a requirement. Kinda the opposite of a requirement, really. We don't require anything of you. I mean, you're not even required to enjoy yourself, I guess, but it'd be cool if you did.

[ and then he gets a front row seat to Giovanni catching that wad of clothes like an absolute baller, and he can't help but grin. so awesome. ]

[There's a look on his face, then. As though he's trying to make sense of what's being said, grasping after it but falling short. Nothing's required of him. He's supposed to enjoy himself, but even that isn't a requirement. Apparently it's a difficult concept for him to wrap his head around, something outside of his lived experience. But he'll say nothing, and try his best, because that's what they want him to do. Requirement or not.]

....all right.

[And he looks down the the stretch of hallway as Rhys points it out, his eyes going briefly to Steph in question (they'd been unhappy last time, some of them, back at the Kennel, when he'd returned wearing her clothes), but then he frowns slightly. Nods. Heads off in the direction Rhys had pointed in to find the washroom, get changed.

And he'll be back after one tag round, probably.]

[Steph still has her bag hanging off a shoulder, a more comfortable change of clothes for herself in there as well, but for now she lets Giovanni head off, frowning after him.]

Hey, be careful with this, yeah? Giovanni's the one that'll cop the fallout if people think you're being too nice.

[The way the Handler talked about him when she loaned him clothes, the way Gio talks about himself, she's realized that if they think Rhys is abusing the privilege of requesting a Dog, Giovanni will be the one punished.]

Why would they do that? I mean...if they've got a problem with things wouldn't they talk to me? It's not like they ever said I couldn't have him over for some of the best movies in the Quad.

[ Rhys clearly doesn't understand the depths to which this is an actual Issues in Giovanni's life and that there are people who genuinely think of him just like a tool to be used without a trace of humanity due. ]

It's not like I'm using him to get a bunch of people in trouble or anything.

"Too nice?"

[ jesus, that's sad. he kind of gets it, but that doesn't make it less... lame. no wonder Gio's never had a day off. could he actually get in trouble for it? ]

Well, uh... we could always make up a cover story or something if someone asks, right? They don't actually have to know we're being nice to him. As long as no one says anything, we can be as nice as we want.

[ yeah, flawless plan. ]

[Vaughn's idea isn't terrible, though she does slightly doubt his ability to come up with an excuse on the fly, but none of that addresses the root of the problem.]

The way they see it, it's like... taking a very expensive ship for a joyride. He's just a thing to them, an object, not a person. [It's clear she doesn't agree with this line of thought, she's just explaining it.] But you're Kendry, most of the Company can't touch that, so it'll get Giovanni into trouble if they think he's being misused.

Well technically my family owns The Company. So if they've got a problem with it then I'll "take care" of them.

--Y, you know in the firing way. Not the murder way.

[ He feels like he should clarify there. ]

Who even treats someone else like a possession instead of a person??

[ yeah, that's right, Rhys. you go ahead and take care of it. godspeed. ]

Seriously. That's so depressing. I—

[ ...he's felt that way before, he realizes. but nowhere near to the extent of Giovanni, so he's not going to finish that sentence. ]

—I mean, yeah. They're... pretty awful for treating him that way.

I don't think this is the kinda thing you can Nine your way out of.

[At least, not for Giovanni, because Rhys isn't going to be told that Gio's getting in trouble because of this shit, so he wouldn't be able to intervene.]

Oh come on, what can't I "Nine" my way out of? My family literally owns them and their family's entire chances of Claimant Day! There's totally elbow grease there.

[ Never mind how awful it would be to use that as blackmail or a threat against someone after their family worked 200 years to get this far. ]

[ oh, my god. ]

Rhys. Don't take this the wrong way, man, but "elbow grease" is literally the last thing in the entire universe that I would associate with you. Maybe you can play the Nine card, here, but come on.

[ sorry, dude, but sometimes as your former obedient servant he's just gotta be Real for a sec. ]

[Steph is also pretty sure that's not exactly what Rhys is going for, but she has a feeling that it doesn't matter, anyway. She might not be able to get this message across to Rhys right now, so she gives it up with a shake off her head.]

I'll let you two argue about Rhys' use of elbow grease. Giovanni should be done soon so I'm gonna go get changed.

[Her work uniform is comfier than Giovanni's, but still not totally suitable for movie night.]

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