romeo brizzi

everything to lose

[theodore-winthrop]

groundctrlaltdelete‌:

Rory was fairly certain that they were going in the right direction, but this entire thing had been a gamble from the start. He’d kidnapped the doctor, and the chef. Both necessary, in Rory’s opinion. 

“Otters are built for the cold, right?” He asked with obvious doubts. “Not that you’re oily.” He assured Theodore. “I just meant, you’re probably stronger than you look. I mean, you survived med school.”

@theodore-winthrop​

The cold was making Theo uneasy, and being that he didn’t want to be out here in the first place he was already annoyed. Hell if Rory really did know where they were going but he wasn’t thrilled with the topic of conversation being his body compared to that of an otter. He was going to have to agree with Romeo though because to a degree they aren’t built for any of this. “Whether or not Romeo or I are strong enough is not the issue here. We’re traveling in the freezing cold for god knows how long because of you-” Shooting a look in Rory’s direction, “And not even you will be strong enough when hypothermia sets in.” Wrapping his arms around his own chest Teddy was not comfortable with how angry he was and he most certainly did not like the look of this river they were now stopped at. 

“What are the chances we’re going to be able to cross this anyways?” Nodding his head to the obvious stop in their journey. 

@pinotromeo​

[pinotromeo]

@groundctrlaltdelete​

Romeo stomped his feet in an effort to keep himself warm, teeth chattering like a cartoon beaver as he shot furtive looks at their surroundings. He instinctively gravitated towards Teddy and Rory, attempting to huddle like he’d seen penguins do on the Discovery Channel. “Do we have any other choice? We could probably go back, but--” He gestured sharply at Rory instead of finishing the bleak thought. To be honest, he was still on the fence about this whole escape thing, but he’d also witnessed enough atrocities at Belmont that he was willing to be swayed. The icy river of death wasn’t very convincing, though.

“I think we’re just going to have to use the rocks as stepping stones,” Romeo announced with an air of finality. It was way too cold to be spending so much time deliberating when they needed to be on the move. Teddy was right-- if they didn’t do something soon, the hypothermia would get them before the guards did. 

[pinotromeo]

@groundctrlaltdelete​

Romeo started to regret his impulsiveness as he lost feeling in his limbs, and finding himself on the bank of a river getting sprayed by an icy mist only added to the sinking feeling in his gut. “Are you sure this is the right way?” he asked through chattering teeth, not bothering to keep up the pretense of being a hostage to Rory’s, frankly laughable, kidnapping. He sank back into the depths of his coat and tugged his scarf up to his eyeballs, taking advantage of the cold to pretend he wasn’t totally freaking out. The fact that his powers were going haywire didn’t help his nerves, and he gestured emphatically at himself. “I’m not built for this. I’m from Los Angeles.” He motioned to Theo. “He’s not built for this. Look at his body and face. He’s like a baby sea otter.”

[pinotromeo]

groundctrlaltdelete‌:

Rory was having a shit day, but finding Romeo like this was both a blessing and a reminder of how much fun he’d been missing out on since he’d had his elective classes restricted. 

“God, I miss your class.” He muttered, walking to the sinks to hack up a bunch of blood into it.

What brief delight Romeo felt at seeing Rory’s face was snuffed out seconds later at the sight of blood. He looked shocked by the splatter and dropped his shirt in the sink, rushing forward to examine the other’s face. “What happened? Why are you coughing up blood?” His eyes narrowed, either concerned or suspicious (it was hard to tell). “It’s not internal, is it? Did you just eat too fast and bite your tongue again?”

[pinotromeo]

bash-alvarez‌:

“This place should’ve done it, too.” There was no stranger place, in Bash’s opinion, and no worse place either. He’d been itching to get out of here since he got here and that was years ago now. But then, he’d never been to Hollywood. He couldn’t see how it would possibly be worse but maybe it was. 

Bash shrugged, supposing the other guy had a point. “Guess so. Sitting in a room full of people isn’t what I’d choose to do, though.” Then again, Bash didn’t really like most people so it made sense. “Obviously. Exploding cakes are always fun.” It was deadpan but that was usually the tone Bash used to deliver jokes. Not everyone realised that, though. 

Romeo did a double-take at Bash, brows jumping up as he regarded the man with incredulity. “Did I detect a sense of humor?” he teased, though he was careful not to push too far. Bash looked like he did squats for a living, and as much as he enjoyed reaping the visual benefits of that, he was more apprehensive about the physical. 

“We don’t just sit in a room with each other. You might know that if you came to one of my classes,” Romeo said lightly. “And the food’s better than most of what the cafeteria serves.” He plucked up his still-sopping shirt from the vents and eyeballed the conspicuous pink stain blooming across the front. “I still have some enchiladas in the fridge. You’d definitely come to class if you tried one,” he said confidently.

[ava-deb]

[pinotromeo]

@tommie-dalton

[pinotromeo]

bash-alvarez‌:

Bash rolled his eyes at the comeback, leaning back against the wall and crossing his arms to watch as Romeo tried to get cleaned up. “You should be used to crazy shit by now.” It was Hellmont, that was just fact. Bash shrugged at the question. “Damned if I know. Could probably figure it out if I had to but I’m no baker.” Pushing off the wall he went into one of the stalls, since there were no urinals here, and did what he’d come in here to do before coming back out. “I’m surprised anyone’s still going to cooking class.” Bash had certainly never been but then he never went to any of the classes because the fact that this place posed as a kind of school was a crock of shit and Bash had never bought into it. 

Romeo snorted at the observation, nevertheless in agreement. “You’re right. Hollywood should’ve inoculated me by now.” There was no shortage of outrageous happenings in his former stomping grounds, though the sort of crazy that happened at Belmont was nothing like it was in LA. For one, the stakes were much higher, even if a faux pas on TMZ was enough to tank his reputation and career.

Deciding that his shirt was a lost cause, Romeo abandoned it to dry on the air conditioning vents and focused on trying to remove as much sugar from his hair as possible without losing any precious strands. “It’s probably just a way to pass the time,” he mused, choosing not to take the remark as an insult. He glanced at Bash’s reflection in the mirror with a wry look. “And I’m a cool teacher. My classes happen to be a lot of fun.”

[pinotromeo]

tommie-dalton‌:

Oh boy, did Tommie wish she had her camera. Or a Dictaphone. Or a notepad. Fuck, she’d just have to catalog this in her good old fashion memory banks and get it down on paper later.

Prison teacher found in sticky situation!

A bit of a sensationalized headline maybe, but god that sort of shit would sell a paper. Nevermind the fact that she’d come in to fetch one of her memory sticks from behind a loose tile in one of the cubicles, this was much more interesting.

“You have to be aware that the explanation of your presence is seriously lacking.” Tommie rolled her eyes and gestured towards his torso. “Why are you covered in icing? Also, stop scrubbing and let it sit in some hot soapy water for a few minutes for fucks sake, keep going like that and you’ll just work the stain into the fabric.”

“My explanation was perfectly sufficient,” Romeo protested, though he did pause long enough to examine his ruined shirt. Truth be told, he didn’t know much about laundry-- he usually sent his clothes out for dry cleaning-- but living at Belmont had been a crash course in learning basic life skills (laundry included). 

“A cake blew up in class,” Romeo said as he did what Tommie suggested. “I don’t know how it happened, there isn’t even anything you can use to create a reaction like that.” He waited for the sink to fill before dunking his shirt into the suds. “I’m not sure this is how this is how you’re supposed to treat Burberry,” he said despondently. He really should’ve packed more t-shirts.

[pinotromeo]

bash-alvarez‌:

Bash blinked when he walked in, forced to go to the women’s washroom because the men’s was out of service or whatever. He didn’t expect to find Romeo in there, shirtless and covered in frosting. It was hot, in a weird way. 

“I noticed.” Bash replied, flatly. “It looks like a cake came all over you.” His tone didn’t change but he was vaguely amused in spite of himself. 

Romeo’s lips lifted in a wry grin, silently relieved to see that it was Bash interrupting him and not some lady. Not that the other man was any easier to interact with, but at least he wouldn’t look like a creep standing topless next to the tampon dispenser. “You should see the other guy,” he joked ruefully as he turned to face the mirror and scrub at a glob of icing smeared on his ear. “Every time I think that you guys have achieved the impossible, some crazier shit happens.” He paused to wash the sticky residue from his fingers as he shot Bash an incredulous look. “How do you even make a cake explode?” It never failed to amaze him how far off the rails a simple cooking class could go at Belmont.

[pinotromeo]

Romeo froze when he heard someone walk in, looking up from where he’d been scrubbing his shirt in the sink. He was acutely aware of how he looked, shirtless and covered in icing, with the sign on the door distinctly displaying the word WOMEN.

“I’m not a pervert,” Romeo said before questions could arise. “The men’s room is closed for maintenance.”

[pinotromeo]

groundctrlaltdelete‌:

Rory grabbed Romeo’s arm as he barreled into him, choking on smoke as he laughed. “Is the fire still… on fire?” He asked, moving Romeo to try and see past him into the classroom. It was impossible to tell when vision was clouded with smoke. It definitely smelled like a fire. 

“I could probably fix a fire alarm.” He looked back at Romeo. “Did you start it?”

“The fire’s out,” Romeo confirmed, the words muffled as he covered the lower half of his face in the crook of his elbow. “I think. We were moving pretty fast.” The smoke made his eyes water but he moved further into the classroom, approaching the still-smoldering tray of black gunk in the sink. “I didn’t start it. I don’t really know what happened, my back was turned.” Granted, it hadn’t been the smartest move on his part, but he thought he’d weeded out the worst-intentioned students from his class. That wasn’t to say that accidents didn’t happen, but he liked to think that most of them weren’t on purpose.

“There’s the alarm,” Romeo said, pointing to the conspicuously-silent device mounted to the ceiling. “I’ll get you a ladder,” he said, shooing Rory out of the way in an attempt to keep him from climbing on the counter.

[thedailyhell]

Truth (Volunteering Romeo)

“So glad you decided to play, Bromeo. Name top 3 at Belmont that you would invite to the fantasy suite.”

@pinotromeo

[pinotromeo]

“Tommie and Kendall. And what the hell, I’ll throw you a bone, Rory.”

[groundctrlaltdelete]

Rory had a pen stuck behind his ear and a notepad in his back pocket, though he had little intention of using either until later tonight. He was looking for something, or someone, that wouldn’t require taking notes to recall later. 

He checked around the corner before stepping into the hall, following the sound of voices coming from one of the classrooms. “It was a bad week in a bad month; maybe even a bad year. Maybe even a string of six bad years.” He muttered to himself as he crept closer. “The staff was calling it the worst crime spike the compound had ever seen, but I’d heard enough to know that was just the fresh meat spouting off.” He leaned against the wall and slid closer to the edge of the door-frame, holding his breath only to get it knocked out of him when someone came flying out of the classroom.

“Whoa,” He held his hands up in front of him as he took a step backwards, knowing better than to look like he’d been trying to sneak up on anyone in this place. “Is there a fire?” He asked with a small grin.

[pinotromeo]

“Yes,” Romeo said, bullrushing Rory to move him out of the way. Smoke streamed out of the classroom as students came thundering out, a few of them coughing but most looking bemused. He waved everyone further down the hall as he doubled back to make sure there wasn’t anyone left behind. “Class dismissed,” he announced, lifting his arm to cover the lower half of his face. "I have to check the fire alarm. Enjoy your afternoon.” A scattered cheer rippled through the crowd as everyone dispersed, allowing him to finally address Rory. 

“Do you know how to fix a fire alarm?” Romeo asked, shooting a look at the conspicuously silent classroom. “I already replaced the batteries.”

[pinotromeo]

FMK — Leland, Bash, Marissa

Fuck Bash - did you see his Halloween costume?Marry Marissa - sweet, gorgeous, nice. The only decision that makes senseKill Leland - I’m not going to do either of the other two

[pinotromeo]

Kendall, Rory, Ash

Fuck Rory - he looks like a walking Pornhub thumbnailMarry Kendall - she probably wouldn’t blow me upKill Ash - he’d blow me up for a Twinkie

[pinotromeo]

groundctrlaltdelete‌:

“That’s aliens, you fucking casual.” Rory scoffed, pouring another drink for himself. “But yeah,” He looked up at Romeo with a lopsided grin, tapping the side of his plastic cup against the other’s. “We’ll call it a bug in my code.” 

He tipped his head back and downed the contents of his drink, having learned that chugging helped to avoid savoring the taste. “I didn’t have to do anything, I volunteered.” He glanced over his shoulder as he heard the door open, his eyes lighting up when he saw Bash and Atreus entering like a pair of underpaid strippers. 

“I put up the posters, mocking Leonidas over there.” He stepped closer to Romeo, throwing his arm around the other’s shoulders so he could point out the main players in the evening’s entertainment. “See, Bash doesn’t have a sense of humor.” He made a face as Bash and Atreus kissed, this interfering with the kind of fireworks he’d been hoping for. “I don’t know what’s going on with that. I kind of assumed that new guy was like a Touched By An Angel type thing, a compassionate entity sent from above to free Bailey of his virginity, but now I guess Bash is trying to lose his first. Always so competitive.” He shook his head, looking around for Wyatt in the hopes that they could get to the main event sooner rather than later. 

He glanced sidelong at Romeo after a moment, his gaze dropping to the classically suffocating button-up that did little to disguise the Superman logo underneath. “You got a full suit on under there?” He asked curiously, leaning into the other’s side with a teasing smirk. “Or is that just one of those t-shirts you find in the dad section of Target…” 

Romeo laughed at the retort and obligingly lifted the cup to his lips, taking the other's lead and gulping down the rest of his drink with the desperation of someone who was too sober for his environment. He followed Rory’s gesture to catch sight of Bash and another student, shuddering as the booze went down like floor cleaner. He’d probably be more invested in Belmont gossip had he known who any of those people were, but at least he got an eyeful out of it.

“Their confidence is impressive,” Romeo mused, “Especially with how cold it is.” Unless the two were already sloshed, which was a definite possibility with the type of swill they were serving here. At Rory’s remark, his attention diverted down to his own chest before flashing a sheepish grin. “The second. I do have a replica of the suit, but it’s in a glass case at home.” That second part was probably too nerdy to be confessed but it was too late now. “I didn’t pack any costumes.”

[pinotromeo]

groundctrlaltdelete‌:

Rory grinned from inside the mask, delighted that Romeo even had to ask if it was him. 

“Laugh it up, handsome. Your robot overlords have arrived, and we’re not looking to make friendship bracelets.” He assured Romeo, placing a drink in the other’s hand. “Don’t worry, though. I already called dibs on you.” 

Romeo accepted the drink suspiciously and eyed its greenish contents with a healthy degree of trepidation. He could've sworn that the last thing Rory had given him to drink was some sort of toxic cleaner. He took a wary sip and his expression pinched, but at least it went down with minimal pain. It didn't taste that much better than whatever he had last time, but at least there was enough sugar in it to mask the bitterness (poorly).

“Is this the part where you tell me you're going to probe me?” Romeo asked, lips quirking. He took another cautious sip before lowering it with a shake of his head. “So what did you have to do to get into the party?” Despite being on staff, he was well aware of the stipulation Wyatt had given (mostly because he'd received one too).

[groundctrlaltdelete]

Rory didn’t possess a lot of self-consciousness, and after a couple of Belmont’s homebrew he had zero. He was feeling great, and it was nice to forget everything else for an evening. At least, until the staff discovered what they were up to and where they were up to it. 

He caught sight of someone standing by themselves near a wall, gesturing for them to come over. “Come on, it’s a party.” He insisted, stepping closer to and coax them away from their post. “Drinks on me.” He teased with a grin.

[pinotromeo]

Romeo adjusted his reading glasses and tried not to squint at whoever was motioning at him through the dim lighting. Despite its necessary exclusion for the purposes of his costume, he was starting to regret his decision to leave his contacts at home. His prescription was solely intended to correct his farsightedness, so now he was left making suspicious faces at anyone further than five feet away from him. 

“Rory?” Romeo asked, glancing down to read the letters sharpied across the box in front of him. “Awesome-o. Clever,” he snorted. Shooting a brief glance around them, he stepped out of the shadows tentatively as if expecting to be tackled. In hindsight, he should’ve chosen a costume that hid his face or rendered him unrecognizable; he was easily the least popular attendee at the party (aside from that female guard harassing people).