Jack of All Trades

"Strive to achieve your baser desires; like a coin in your pocket and a playmate in your bed." Zoroaster Thief. Hustler. Grave robber. Fortune-teller extraordinaire. A link to Florence's underworld and a jack of all underhanded trades. And the secret keeper of a golden heart and a soft soul. [Independent Zoroaster Ask/RP blog from Starz's Da Vinci's Demons. Will roleplay with anyone regardless of fandom. OCs welcome. Tracking the URL. Time Zone: GMT]

[routewendigo]

[zxmbiebxy-archive-blog]

     “Good.” Miguel muttered quietly. All he was concerned about was if they had red meat. That’s what all he would need. He nodded and followed after the other, keeping himself composed and distracted with the thought that he’d be able to satisfy his hunger soon.

      As they walked, the teenager’s gaze kept flickering from the back of the man’s head, catching the eyes of people in the crowd and on the ground. Miguel shook his head, disappointed in himself. He can imagine how he looked to other people. He hated it when he got like this.

     He lifted his head at the comment. Just one sniff and he cringed. The stench was strong, but he could pick out the scent of fresh, raw meat. That’s what he wanted. “Any kind of red meat will do for me.”

[florentinefelon]

"Red meat, huh? Well... Take your pick."

With an unnecessary flourish, Zo gestured down the isles of stalls. Meat, freshly cut and quartered that morning (after being kept in cellar storage all night, no doubt), was hung about the place on hooks or unceremoniously laid out across slabs.

"Cow, pig, deer..." He shrugged, beginning to wander down the passage between the stalls. "And fowl, but that's not red meat, I guess."

He stopped and turned to watch the other. The kid didn't appear to be much of a talker. But that was alright - he had a gift of the gab and could talk plenty for the both of them. Though... There was something definitely kinda off about the boy.

"...You alright? You look kinda sick. I'm not gonna catch anything walking about with you, am I?"

Zo grinned and, to look at his face alone, one would be reassured of the question being nothing more than a joke. But the concern was hidden in his voice and Zo rather hoped the kid wasn't about to collapse.

[florentinefelon]

[omg sorry for vanishing I'm back haha orz]

[eternalnamjoon-deactivated20200]

Girolamo Riario with his fabulous long hair in Da Vinci’s Demons S2xE4

[mererecorder]

Tavern by QuentinStipp

[eternalnamjoon-deactivated20200]

[moontideempress]

"Oh, that’s mean, but I’m really curious. What do you- are those tarot cards?" my own words were interrupted as soon as I saw a pack of cards in his shirt. I had a deep fascination for the metaphysical ever since I was very young. 

[florentinefelon]

"Oh, aware of the art, are you? They are indeed."

With a deft hand, Zo lifted the deck from his clothing, shuffling the cards with apparent ease. They were a little worn from use and he could probably do with making a new set, but he was oddly taken with his first deck.

"Do you want a reading?"

He grinned, laying the cards down.

"I'll do it for a single florin."

[florentinefelon]

zxmbiebxy:

     The teen was glad to hear that he was on the right track. His hunger was at an all time high at the moment and even doing simple tasks was becoming harder to do. Miguel felt like kicking himself in the head, how had he let himself go this long without eating. No good ever came out of it.

     Brown hues lifted and stared at the man when he voiced his reward. His gaze ran over the other, tongue flicking out to lick his lips.Time was ticking and there was no use wasting any of it to bargain.

    “Sure. Fine, but they do sell raw meat? I need that.”

     Miguel reached out and shook the man’s hand. “Let’s hurry and get going.” He didn’t mean to be so rude, but he wanted to do anything he could to make sure that he didn’t cause anything unpleasant to happen.

"Thanking you most kindly, good sir. O'course they do raw meat. And fish by the docks."

The hand in his own felt somewhat unusual, almost clammy. Zo wondered briefly if the boy was sick before the urgency in the other's tone caught his attention. Apparently there was some sort of rush. He couldn't really consider himself a fan of being made to hurry, but with a free lunch on the cards, he wasn't going to complain.

"Alright, come on, this way then."

With practised ease, Zo walked into the crowd and started ducking and weaving between the people, looking back occasionally to make sure his newly acquired tag-along was keeping up. He paused to wait on the corner before the turn into the food district of the market.

"Might wanna hold your nose, sure does reek down here."

[theshinkiyukine]

     Yukine scoffed lightly at the other’s comment. He’d believe that if he actually went up and asked then the he’d be answered with some far fetched story of the origin of the poor animal. When money was the prize, most people would do just about anything to get it. 

     The young teen paused, his interest growing at the stranger’s words. The grin on his lips was infectious. His own lips curved upwards, a small grin of his own being sported.

     ”I don’t, but I’m a quick learner.”

     He could only imagine why the older male would ask him something like that, and if he was imagining correctly, then things were about to get much more intriguing. 

[florentinefelon]

Zo chuckled and gave the boy a hearty pat on the back. This kid seemed game and that was always when the most fun was had. 

"Well, I am a very good lock-pick, as it happens."

The sentence was mumbled without smugness but certainly with a hint of pride. After all, very few talents he possessed were better than those of his closest friends, but lock picking happened to be one of them. His eyes on the watchful stall vendor but his hand rested lightly on the kid's shoulder, Zo continued.

"I'll teach you sometime if you like, but not now, we'll get caught. However, if you'd like to go and distract the stall holder and leave the lock to me..."

He winked conspiratorially, squeezed the boy's shoulder and lightly nudged him forwards. It had been quite a while since Zo had done something like this, and he was quite looking forward to it. 

[zxmbiebxy-archive-blog]

+ florentinefelon

[zxmbiebxy-archive-blog]

     “Meat market.                             Meat market.”

     “Do ya know where I can find one? Fast.”

[florentinefelon]

Zo often wondered why people had a habit of stopping and asking him for directions. Leo had told him on more than one occasion that he had a dishonest look about him... Which really, when considering his lifestyle, was fair enough. So why was he such a trusted navigator to strangers? Perhaps he just had the worn in look of one who had knowledge of the streets.

Which was also rather accurate.

"Meat market, huh? Well, you're on the right track..."

He looked over the boy in front of him. Not one he recognised, but there were so many faces in Florence, one could hardly learn them all. Though, judging by the fact the kid didn't even know his way through the market, he was probably not from around the area. 

Even so, he could probably get a little something for his trouble, right?

"I'll show you... In exchange for a little lunch."

Zo grinned and held out his hand in offering.

[zorosaster]

that one time zo tried to get into bed with leo

[moontideempress]

"People just call me Kas," I said closing the book and setting it aside. "And you are?"

[florentinefelon]

"Kas, huh? Unusual. Very nice."

Zo idly brushed a little dust from his breeches.

"Oh, I get called plenty. Blaggard, thief, mongrel, street rat..."

He chuckled, mildly amused. The list was never ending really, he'd been called every insult under the sun. But he was rather a dab-hand at cussing himself, nothing bothered him much these days.

"You can call me Zoroaster though, if you like. Or just Zo if that's too much of a mouthful."

[theshinkiyukine]

     The boy looked at the male before his amber hues traveled to land on a near by vendors stand, cages of animals being its product to sell. “What I’m talking about is that animal right there.” He lifted a hand and pointed a finger at on cage in particular. Inside was a dog with vibrant feathers placed in arrangements on its body. It looked beautiful.

     ”That dog has feathers on it. It can’t be real.” He pursed his lips in distaste. He couldn’t believe it, poor thing probably had the feathers dug into its skin, kept in place by having the healed skin grow back around it. 

     His gaze returns back to the other. “What do you think?”

[florentinefelon]

Oh, that. Admittedly, animals were not his strong area. That was more of an interest to Leonardo who, if he was here, would no doubt be sketching the animal before indeed declaring the thing fake. In all honesty, apart from the decoration, it did rather look like a normal dog to him. Probably used to be one of the mongrels that roamed the streets.

"I couldn't say for absolute certain, but I bet if you asked the vendor he'd give you some cock-and-bull story about the thing being imported from some foreign land."

Zo looked back at the boy, noting the displeasure about his demeanour. For those that lived in Florence, a sight such as this was quite usual. But to foreigners... Well, perhaps they had higher sensibilities wherever this lad was from.

A grin crossed his features and Zo stooped, so his lowered voice could still be heard by the other.

"So kid, can you lock-pick?"

[johnwgrey]

[libxrtaspxpuli]

A bastard yes, but it shouldn’t have meant he let that stand in the way of his vision of the world. If that meant getting cocky then that was what he had to do. He was going on this stupid quest in order to find out about his mother so why not have a little fun on the way?

"Because you have no other choice." Leo laughed before Zo decided to drape himself over the artista’s shoulder.

His breath stank and Leo could detect the smallest hint of meat in his exhalation that he winced slightly at the smell.

"God, Zo- ever heard of a mint sprig? It does wonders, you know? And he’s no-one. Won’t even be missed…"

[florentinefelon]

Without a second thought, Zo deftly ran his tongue up his friend's cheek, squeezed his shoulder and ducked out of the way before Leo could get a swipe in. Keeping a safe distance between them, he grinned.

"Fresh as a day old babe, thank you, Leonardo."

So he didn't hold himself in miraculous upkeep. In all honesty, he couldn't really afford to. Leo was used to it, anyway. He put up with Leo's sudden bouts of madness and the Maestro, in turn, put up with his less than admirable habits.

"And that's what you always say."

There had been more than one time he'd had to hide for a while after digging up someone that very much would be missed. A sudden thought came to him and his demeanour instantly sobered.

"What about Nico? He'd not coming, is he?"

As much as he liked the young boy and enjoyed his company, there were some sides of Leo's plans that the kid just didn't need to see. Zo never had been fond of taking the poor boy grave-robbing with him.

[florentinefelon]

the devil

The Devil: What do you think your worst quality is?

Zo idly ran a thumb through the deck, flicked over the card from the top and pulled a face at the image presented to him. The Devil. Not really the best card to have picked first. Not that he actually believed in the cards, of course. That would be silly. This was just practice. To memorise the meanings. 

Definitely all it was.

"Let’s see. Interpretations of the Devil card. First of all… Being bound to indulgence."

Fitting. Zo frowned lightly. He supposed he certainly was a sod for always trying to get the best deal out of things. And admittedly, he was rather fond of his drink and money and… Well, less-than-polite company. But did it control him? 

Perhaps it had once. But all things considered, that was more a vice of the past these days. Now he had Leo and Nico around…

"Second meaning… Being too restrained. Quelling ambition."

Oh. Zo rubbed at his beard, a gesture somewhere between thought and frustration. He wouldn’t exactly call himself dispassionate about things… But Leonardo’s plans didn’t always really fill him with enthusiasm. Besides, surely someone had to tell him when he was being an idiot? Nico would never do it, he admired the man too much. Andrea was losing his touch at it these days.

…Maybe he did complain about Leo’s experiments too much. Was he restricting the Maestro too much? Was that his worst habit?

No… He just worried too much, that was all. 

"Uh… Associated words. Lust, vice, pessimism, temptation, sexuality, hedonism, materialism… No, okay, fuck this."

Zo turned the card on its face, the plain back of the paper a welcoming sight. The oddly familiar chill of an accurate reading settled around him and he repressed a shiver.

"I’m getting too good at this."

[lupusmilitis]

You

       can

              never

                        escape

                                      your

                                               past