Post by Mitch 'The Broken' Heart on Aug 3, 2020 23:03:43 GMT -5
"I'm not an idiot. I know how booking works."
He snorted, sitting up, arms folded, as if drawing into himself. His eyes were still bearing a hostile sheen.
"You really want me to buy that, huh. That you, saying out of nowhere that I was fighting for an important family member, was because 'the cards said so'. Like there's really some sort of magic hoodoo going on here."
One eyebrow raised, the universal expression of the skeptic.
Post by mystifyingoracle on Aug 3, 2020 23:40:17 GMT -5
"I'm not going to tell you what to believe," Silvio replies, sitting up and shaking his head. "If you don't believe me, talk to other people I've done readings for. Kohaku, Adrienne, Knox, King, The Family?" He shrugs, spreading his hands in a helpless expression. "I'm sure more than a few of them have gotten the Leon Heebie Jeebies. I mean, I even seem to have Willis' number."
Holding up a finger, he raises a brow.
"Now, think about it. Occam's razor - shave away all other possibilities and whatever is left, however improbable, is likely the truth or close to it. I have my tattoo parlor and I got cash coming in from Carnage. But do you really think I have the kind of funds needed to hire out a private eye for every one of my opponents? Do you think I've got the time and money to go to Detroit and track you and your family down? Even if I did, I get the feeling you'd probably find out if I was pounding the pavement in your hometown. Am I right?"
Post by Mitch 'The Broken' Heart on Aug 4, 2020 11:33:15 GMT -5
Mitch snorted, his hands gripping at his forearms. There was a soft squeak of leather on leather.
"...I guess."
He probably would. He was known in his neighborhood and he made it his business to keep a general eye on things. People who didn't belong weren't seen often, save the occasional tourist who always had the deer-in-headlights expressions of people who knew they'd taken a very wrong turn. A snoop would be obvious in trying not to be obvious, and Silvio himself would be even more visible. The kid stood out in a crowd.
Grunting a bit, he pulled himself to his feet, offering a hand but looking away.
"...sorry. It's something I'm really wary about people finding out about. She's just a little kid, and I'm responsible for her. Last thing I want is some chump gunning for her to get to me."
Post by mystifyingoracle on Aug 4, 2020 12:04:32 GMT -5
"Understandable," Silvio said, taking Mitch's hand and getting to his feet with a grunt. Smiling crookedly, he placed a hand on his mid-section and shook his head. "Helluva spear you got there, dude."
Everything in the reading made sense now. That's why Mitch was doing this - in order to provide for someone more vulnerable than he was. Someone dearer to his heart than the preservation of his own body. Silvio considered what might have been so appealing about coming to a wrestling promotion out in Baltimore for Mitch. The extra infusion of cash from the shows supplementing whatever else he might have been doing for work must have been going toward something related to his younger sibling.
A pang of familiarity lanced through him as a few possibilities came to mind.
"And I won't tell anyone," he said lowly. "If anybody asks, just say I was wrong about that part of the reading."
Mitch was probably ready to just write it off as a lucky guess now, and Silvio was fine with that. There was a part of him that wanted to offer his help; ask if there was something he could do. He was fairly certain if he did, though, the Broken Heart would treat him to another spear.
Post by Mitch 'The Broken' Heart on Aug 4, 2020 13:35:05 GMT -5
"Appreciate that."
There was a flick of a smile on the brawler's face- something that could be read as a brief show of gratitude.
"I was hoping I was wrong. Pen likes you. Not as much as Levi, though, kid's fuckin' crazy about her. Probably likes her even better than me from a fan standpoint. Wants me to 'kick King in the butt for being a jerk to Adrienne'. ... Her words, not mine."
He gave a light chuckle, but then his expression grew dark.
"...speaking of. I'm sure you've had your ears open, but I meant what I said. For your own good, I'd stay out of my way, least far as the match is concerned. You're not who I'm there for and I can't promise you won't wind up collateral if you don't steer clear."
Post by mystifyingoracle on Aug 4, 2020 14:25:28 GMT -5
"Sounds like she has good taste," Silvio says with an impish grin.
His expression shifted as Mitch's does, though, and he arches a brow.
"Yeah, I heard." He crosses his arms and exhales at length. "Listen, like I said - I don't want to fight you, but I'm not going to leave my partner high and dry, either. We all might have our own preferred targets with our own reasons, but I'm curious." He tilts his head slightly, a hint of sugar and smoke on his voice. "Why are you so sure I'm the one at risk of being collateral damage?"
Post by Mitch 'The Broken' Heart on Aug 4, 2020 14:32:01 GMT -5
"I'm not worried. I just would rather not throw hands at you, but I ain't gonna have much of a choice if you're in the way. Could say the same to Willis, but Willis ain't here right now, is he?"
Glass-blue eyes hardened. Sharpened.
"But just because I don't feel like fighting you doesn't mean I think you ain't capable. In fact, in my opinion, you just might be the most dangerous motherfucker in the match."
Post by mystifyingoracle on Aug 4, 2020 14:37:44 GMT -5
Well that was a surprise.
"...Seriously?"
He blinks and let out an incredulous snort.
"There's a dude in this fight almost a foot taller than I am who outweighs me by about a hundred pounds." Shaking his head laughing, he says, "Honest to god, that's the first time anyone's called me a, 'dangerous motherfucker.' Usually I lean more toward, 'Muppet,' territory."
Post by Mitch 'The Broken' Heart on Aug 4, 2020 14:42:31 GMT -5
"And that's why you're a dangerous motherfucker. You don't go around advertising it. You don't scream and yak off to anyone who'll listen about how great you are. You're... the nice guy. The helpful, friendly, wide-eyed rook who goes out of his way to be nice to anyone, and nobody would peg as a threat at a glance."
He holds up a calloused finger.
"But you're also the dude who came in out of nowhere and, in his, what, second match? Put down a seasoned veteran who's got more chops than a professional butcher shop. That's no mean feat."
Post by mystifyingoracle on Aug 4, 2020 14:51:51 GMT -5
Silvio starts to open his mouth to reply, but stops, blinking and closing it again.
"I...never thought of it like..." he stutters. Shaking his head, he gives Mitch a sheepish smile. "That match was really close. Definitely taught me a lot, but..."
The thought of anyone genuinely seeing him as threatening was new to Silvio. Sure, there were folks who could be intimidated by the tattoos and the piercings, but that wasn't quite the same thing.
WHY NOT?
Because, he thinks, now I guess I've demonstrated I'm capable of actually being a threat.
Looking abashed, he reaches to rub at the back of his neck compulsively.
=== Adrienne Levi prior to her matches liked to stay to herself. She had picked a corner out of the way in the women's locker room. No one paid her any mind. Her match wasn't later until the evening so she hadn't put the boots on. They were second hand, beat up, plain black leather wrestling boots. They were a size too big and still hurt her feet. Popping in her ear buds, she opted to quietly do some last minute match study on Insidious.
Silvio starts to open his mouth to reply, but stops, blinking and closing it again.
"I...never thought of it like..." he stutters. Shaking his head, he gives Mitch a sheepish smile. "That match was really close. Definitely taught me a lot, but..."
The thought of anyone genuinely seeing him as threatening was new to Silvio. Sure, there were folks who could be intimidated by the tattoos and the piercings, but that wasn't quite the same thing.
WHY NOT?
Because, he thinks, now I guess I've demonstrated I'm capable of actually being a threat.
Looking abashed, he reaches to rub at the back of his neck compulsively.
"...Well, shit."
"Well, now you know. Use this information as you will."
Mitch grinned slightly. Just a tiny upturn of his lips. But it was something.
"Whelp, I'm gonna go find me a hotel room to crash at and get all this road funk off of me. I... heh. Didn't stop anyplace else, I was so pissed at you I came straight here from home. Guess if you weren't here I would've sniffed out where your shop is and yelled at you there."