My first contribution to La Squadra week! I had to do the gothic prompt as that is 100% my aesthetic and I had such a good time doing this one.
My thought for this was a vampire/monster hunting AU akin to Dracula so it’s Victorian Gothic, of course. (And I am definitely doing a Team Bucciarati sequel to these when I get the chance.)
Vampire AU Masterpost
Risotto’s design was partly inspired by just rougher Victorian attire and also a little by Bloodborne. He’s your typical Van Helsing style vampire hunter, the head of his own crew. Prosciutto is a priest/exorcist who works with Risotto’s men.
Formaggio and Ghiaccio are the full fledged hunters that usually get sent out on missions solo (both have issues with overkill, but Prosciutto can usually keep them in check)
Pesci usually acts as bait on missions but the others always make sure to get him out of trouble (Don’t want to feel Prosciutto’s wrath). And when push comes to shove, he’s a formidable hunter as well. He also helps his older brother Prosciutto with exorcisms even though he’s secretly terrified.
Illuso is a vampire himself and typically helps the others with research and his knowledge of the vampire families. Melone is the crew’s R&D man, always experimenting with new weapons and potions to take out vampires. (Risotto constantly has to watch to make sure he doesn’t try any out on Illuso due to his inherent curiosity.)
Along with their rival gang (Bucciarati’s hunters) they are determined to take down the vampire king, Diavolo.
For La Squadra week 2021 day one I decided to go with fantasy insects. On tumblr a ton of people already do insects for them, so I decided to stick my head in the game. I tried to stick to insects that could actually be found in Italy.
Risotto Nero: Nine-spotted moth
Massive black wings with nine spots on each wing.
Large even compared to the females of his species.
Large enough, in fact, that he often gets confused for one.
Surprising more of an early bird than a night owl.
Formaggio: Hard tick
Very tiny and very agile.
While he threatens to give others Lyme disease, he doesn’t appreciate Illuso’s comments on him actually having it.
Has definitely used the other members as transportation, much to their chagrin.
Illuso: Damon blue butterfly
Very proud of his wings and considers himself the best flier among them.
Flashes the blue pattern as often as he can, especially in public.
Tries to make the others take care of him/pay for him. Massive freeloader.
Prosciutto: European hornet
Defensive towards members of his species, particularly females, believing they are trying to usurp Risotto's position.
Tries to hide how much of a sweet tooth he really has.
Prone to chewing on anything within his reach, leading to massive embarrassment and severe threats if it’s ever brought up.
Pesci: Water boatman
Very inoffensive and has a tendency to fade into the background.
Feels very unsafe and insecure on land compared to when he’s in the water.
Surprisingly flexible— enough to have his feet rub against his head. Can’t help but chirp adorably when he does this. Refuses to do it in public despite constant goading from Formaggio.
Melone: Cuckoo wasp
Depending on who he’s been on a mission with, his scent changes to match their species.
Most insects try to avoid Melone in public due to the reputation of his species. He does not help that reputation.
Surprising huge appetite; eats lots of eggs.
Prefers the heat massively and tries to avoid leaving the hideout during winter.
Ghiaccio: Killer bee
While prone to screaming fits and breaking things, has yet to actually attempt to sting anyone.
Ridiculously overprotective of Risotto in public due to his instincts, grumbles when this is pointed out.
Massive food hoarder, especially when sales start or when the seasons change.
Sorbet and Gelato: Millipede and centipede
Long boys that tangle around each other any chance they get.
Gelato teases Sorbet about his “rotten vegetable” diet compared to his more “challenging” one.
Gelato bites anyone who he thinks looks at Sorbet wrong.
Both are sick and tired of shoe jokes from everyone in La Squadra.
Haha, I actually drew something for this day. I didn't know what to write so have some headcanon content
Headcanon - Sorbet is blind. He was blinded in an accident when he was younger, but due to bad treatment when it happened, Sorbet’s eyes still bleed every now and then. It worries Gelato every time.
Day 3 and its time for some spaghetti western shenanigans.
Listen... I don’t like Westerns but I did have way too much fun writing this so do with it what you may.
Reader stays gender neutral in this house, no real warnings save for some guns and violence. Enjoy.
The dull ache in your right eye socket is really starting to get you. You’d figured you could sleep it off if not for the scratchy material of the tavern sheets under your skin.
Wait.
How did you get to the tavern again? Last time you checked Miles was a few days behind you and he had the money. The plan was to camp.
Camp... camp... oh right camp! You sat up to look for anyone else awake- someone should be on watch but there’s no dying campfire beside you. There was nothing beside you, not even a horse to say you’d been left behind. All that stretched around you was an infinite amount of desert sand painted pale blue by the full moon above you.
“Shit.” You hiss out between your teeth as you push yourself up on your feet. Not even so much as a sleeping mat was underneath you and god this stupid eye of yours was foggy. Must be some sand caught in your eye- wouldn’t it scratch though?
You didn’t have much time to consider pondering as a shadow- that’s the best you could describe it- pushed its shoulder through you and continued a sluggish walk ahead of you to fuck knows where.
“Where are you going?” You found yourself asking with a voice much too hoarse to be your own. Not only was it hoarse but it brought awareness to just how dry and cracked your mouth and throat were. If you’d been out here since sundown or ever before that your throat was probably bleeding. Might explain the taste.
Without feeling like you had much choice you started walking after the shadow. The longer you walked the worse every annoying itch turned into an ache- the scratchiness in your throat only seemed to get worse the more you huffed a breath to continue walking. If you were following death, honestly you’d just laugh.
After what felt like hours you were no longer alone- a few other figures much like the one you were following seemed to join you in blindly walking after the leader. You couldn’t see much of them either, not that they were close enough to look at anyway. The town’s dull yellow lights seemed to brighten every step you took but it wasn’t enough to convince your body to cooperate. The closer you got, the heavier your limbs, the harder the steps until your knees gave out under you and your face acquainted itself with the dirt.
All you could remember after that was the feeling of hands clasping themselves under your arms and your feet dragging behind you.
“That’s the only memory I have of that night. I had no idea I even spoke to you.” You admitted to the man whose saddle you were slung over. “So unless you plan on selling yourselves out for a little bounty money I don’t see why this is fucking necessary.”
When you’d woken up from that night you found yourself more coddled than you’d ever been in your life- swaddled in soft sheets and even softer pajamas, wrapped up in bandages like you were a porcelain doll.
Didn’t last long and now you owed this gang money for your stay and a doctors visit. You promised you’d pay them back but you didn’t have a fucking penny on you. Their solution? Tying your hands in front of you and slinging you over the saddle of the one with the weird eyes.
“You admitted to being from the McRoys gang- that’s loyalty bonded by blood.” The gruff voice above you commented, not doing anything to qualm the painful pounding your stomach was getting from the horse’s steps.
“My sister married a McRoy for fuck’s sake, those fucks don’t mean shit to me!”
“Swear that on ya daddy’s grave?” Came the question after some audible hooves clambering to get closer to your head.
“I’ll do ya one better- I’ll put ‘em in his grave and THEN swear they ain’t mean shit to me.”
Their boss slowed down to a stop and you’ve never wanted to slide headfirst into the sand more than you did in that moment. “This the place?”
You were hauled off of the horse and onto shakey legs. True as hell you stood at the sign for the McRoy ranch and to even a bigger surprise your goddamn horse stood at the troth drinking water with your saddle on and all.
“Why you fucking- untie me right now.” You held your bound wrists at the giant man that had lifted you off.
He only gave an amused huff of air from his nose as he cut you free so you could stomp through the hot sand on bare feet.
“And you leave me? After hauling you out of your fucking mother all those years ago, I topple off you once and you fucking high-tail it?” You angrily grab the knapsack from its back to rummage through for some clothes- wasting no time to slip over your head and over your ass to replace the pajamas.
“Are you sure you were riding alone?” The brunette with the ponytails asked.
“Yeah. I don’t even remember why I toppled, let alone where or how..” You peered at the team once more. “My boots?”
They all seemed to share a laugh as the blonde coughed it up and you humiliatingly stepped straight in them.
“Right. So now that we’re all on equal footing... what do you really want from me?”
Being an outcast in any group was difficult, LaSquadra was no different. You’d have to risk your skin more than once to finally be able to earn even a bit of trust from their boss specifically and what you’d deem your cut was quickly snatched up by Formaggio for drinks until one day Risotto handed you your cut of coin and instead of quietly handing over the money, pulled a gun at Formaggio’s head- the first right move you’d pulled in weeks.
You’d soon learn each of them held a bounty over their heads- deciding to stick together instead of trying to haul each other’s asses to the nearest sheriff. And with your handiwork all over the McRoy ranch heist (clean as you’d tried to keep it), you’d find yourself with a bounty almost comparable to Risotto’s.
It was only when your place among them was solidified that you found yourself suggesting more and more outlandish schemes for a bigger cash grab.
“But we gotta start thinking logically about this- if we burn down every sheriff’s office there’d be no evidence to incriminate us.” You had jabbed at Illuso as you two ducked under an overturned table. One moment you were offering a stand off in the town square, the next thing you knew the bar was being blown sky high by some awfully desperate lawmen.
Risotto’s bullwhip slid across the shattered glass from the neighboring table and that what all signal you needed. “And all of this because ONE wanted poster showed you having a mole on your upper lip.”
“Did you not see the size of that thing??”
Risotto kicked the overturned table to slide into the crowd- leaving you enough of a gap to between the bullets to crack the whip into a couple hands- those viper venom soaked bone shards woven into the end was doing enough damage to the holder’s hand to knock ‘em out of the game for the count.
You got enough of them down to give Ghiaccio the chance to fire a few shots and Melone to bust open the window where Pesci awaited with your way out.
Risotto slid in behind your table and handed the loaded pistol for your round of shots. Not that you missed half as much as the men your travelled with.
Your right eye never did stop being foggy- Melone suspected cataracts but you saw targets much too easy with your foggy eye to cover it up completely. Maybe you were taking “deadeye” too literally though.
After 5 out of 6 rounds now lodged firmly in some lawmen’s thighs you hopped out the window last and took off after the rest of your team.
“If we have to pay for one more bar’s repairs I swear to god I’ll turn myself in for a hanging.” Formaggio huffed as he dropped onto the dusty floor beside you- fingers outstretched for the bottle of moonshine you were only passing around- that shit was vile.
“They’ve been hot on our trail for a while now- you think the townspeople are sick of us?”
“Somehow I doubt they’re willing to take their chances with Ciocolatta’s cronies, must be something else.” Prosciutto lowered himself to your other side, offering a cigarette which you did accept. “You don’t think it’s the new governor?”
“That little blonde pipsqueak? No, there’s no way- he probably got that job from his daddy and doesn’t know what the hell he’s doing, let alone getting lawmen to run us down this consistently. Illuso, you’re the one making people squeal when we stay in town, no rumors that could have sparked this?”
“Carne’s allegedly dead but he’s not big enough for the people to let their guards down now.”
“Well we might be finding out soon.” All your heads spun to Risotto as he walked back into camp from the first watch. “There’s someone coming this way.”
“I’m guessing you think we can take them?”
“Sick of running. Anyone who’d come this far after us at least deserves an audience.”
You’d packed everything up except the fire in the camp- if it was going to be a shootout, at least you’d be ready to leave. You were about to mount your horse when Risotto stopped you. “I’m gonna let you stand up front-“ he handed you his bullwhip and two more casings of ammo. “If anything goes south, you’re our best shot.”
So you nodded and led your horse to the front, the others waiting behind you as the group- matching your own in numbers- came to a stop.
“You calling the shots?” The one with long white hair cascading under the brim of his hat asked.
“Nah- just the front line. What you come out all this way for? The moonshine’s shit unfortunately.”
“Precaution. We’re not here for any arrests, though.” Mr Black Bob came to his partner’s defense- the rest only seemed to wait.
“No arrests? You say that with a lawman right next to you?” You gave a nod to Mr Moonhair.
The click of a pistol had the hairs on the back of your head stand up. You didn’t know from which side it came from but it was like a cascade of 13 other pistols pulling back their hammers.
“Perhaps we should talk before we jump to conclusions. Name’s Bucciarati.”
“Well Bucciarati it sounded like that pistol cock came from your side first. I don’t know if I can trust a bunch of snakes that lie to my face.”
It was surprisingly not Mr Moonhair that removed his revolver from its holster. It was the one with the bandana over his head.
Another cascade of metal slipping from leather as they all pointed at one another, save for you and Bucciarati. “Got some trigger-happy subordinates there, Bucci. Who do you work for?”
“The governor.” All charm had left his voice and now you were left to the stiff formalities of a man serving.
“Ah. So you ARE lawmen.”
“We have no idea what sinister grip you have over the townspeople but it will not continue like this. We’re here for an ultimatum. Disappear from your business and all bounties will drop- no lawman will arrest you and the warrant for your hangings will be dropped.”
“Mhm and if we’re caught doing our usual business?”
“Then all charges are doubled.”
You couldn’t help but give an earnest laugh as you broke the stare off between you and Bucciarati. You leisurely turned around and mounted your horse. Risotto gave you a knowing look as you did, stealing yourself to look into Bucciarati’s ocean blue eyes.
“Do yourselves a favor- go visit Reaverbrooke. Ask some questions... shit if anyone is still there... and get a feel for the service we provide. Make sure you report all of that to the little blonde boy’s boot you’re lickin’ and maybe then we can talk on ultimatums.”
The barrels lowered as you spoke, watching Bucciarati keep up his attempt at a death stare.
“But since you’re lucky, you’re dealing with the bleeding heart of this gang- we’ll lay low until you come back to us. Same time next week?”
Bucciarati wasn’t given much time to answer as you led your squad out of the camp. Once enough distance was put between you, Risotto came up beside you.
“You’re leading us to their base? What are you mad?”
“Someone’s gotta put that pipsqueak back into his place. Who better than us?”
Another pic for @lasquadraweek2021 . I could not resist doing the Noir prompt because...I just love doing noir. Black and white/greyscale pieces are some of my favorite to do and have I mentioned before how much I love suits???
Anyway, have a noir Risotto and Prosciutto in a kind of movie poster. Riz has a pair of scissors in his pocket. I thought that maybe that’s his calling card in this AU
This is my last piece for @lasquadraweek2021 for the mythology prompt. I just thought it would be really fun to draw Risotto as Hades so...here he is!
This one is done in India ink, which I haven’t used for a while and forgot how much I enjoyed.
