#⚜️ unsinkable ⚜️ v; main

[pagesofanewstory]

Closed Starter for @just-asimple-brunette

He’d been feeling out of sorts for the past week or so, but right now, Lorenzo’s paranoia was through the roof. Someone was following him. He had taken several odd turns on his way home to confirm it, and his stalker’s eerie presence had never left his periphery. Unfortunately, this now meant he was lost, as he’d been too focused on shaking his pursuer to pay attention to the rest of his surroundings. Ducking into another alley, his heart rate spiked when he realized he’d made a grave error.

Dead end.

Cursing under his breath, he finally stopped, left hand already going for the revolver concealed in his coat. He didn’t want to have to use it, but he absolutely would if necessary. “I don’t know you are, or what you want, but you picked the wrong mark, pal!” he called out, hoping to scare the stalker off. “I got nothin’ on me that you’re gonna want, trust me!”

[pagesofanewstory]

🍓 What is something you and the mun disagree on? 

Munday Shenanigans | @runyou-clever-boy

“She thinks I should have pressed charges against that detective after I got kicked out. Fucked up his life. Let his family see him for what he really was. I don’t think I could have done that to his kids. Plus, if The Family found out I was fuckin’ a spy, knowingly or not, they’d have offed me and him, and probably his family for good measure. The mun has a strong sense of justice, just like I do, but they’re too much of an idealist to see the bigger picture sometimes. Actions have consequences. I have no idea what consequences his actions eventually had or will have, and I honestly don’t want to know. Better to forget his ass.”

[pagesofanewstory]

V; Main - Takes place in New Orleans, present day. Lorenzo is a historian by trade and a blacksmith and actor combatant by hobby.

V; Royal - Takes place in a fantasy world of some sort. Lorenzo is the youngest prince of a rather ruthless empire. He knows his fate is to married off to some other kingdom as a means of forming a valuable alliance, but he dreams of either being swept off his feet by a dashing rogue or escaping of his own accord and seeking adventure. He values justice and liberty, yet is terrified of voicing such sentiments around his tyrant of a father, so he writes about them in hidden journals instead. His study of the blade, however, is nigh unparalleled, as fencing is his favorite art to study, with smithing being a close second.

V; Vampire - Instead of escaping the sinking boat with Tony, Lorenzo succumbed to his wounds earlier, blacking out. Tony tried to save him, but was also shot and nearly killed. Their saving grace came in the form of a mysterious figure who offered them immortality in exchange for cooperation. Desperate to save his friend, Tony accepted without hesitation. When Lorenzo awoke, he was in a crypt, sharing a tomb with Tony, and overwhelmed with a burning thirst. Both men had been transformed into vampires, their master soon explained; he was a handsome older gentleman by the name of Rafael, and spoke with a heavy Germanic accent. All he required as compensation was that they join his coven up in New England, traveling with his renaissance faire. They accepted, and have been with him ever since, though Lorenzo is already growing restless.

V; Wizard - Lorenzo’s life in America was cut short. Very. Very short. His father made a deal with the wrong man, see, and couldn’t follow through due to an unfortunate series of events. That man happened to be a dark wizard, an Englishman looking to open up a business in New York as a front for his black market magical artifact trading, and had naturally gravitated toward The Family for their discretion and wide network of contacts. Lorenzo’s father, however, had always been a tad too ambitious for his own good. He invested the wizard’s money in risky ventures, intending to triple it, but wound up losing almost all of it. Naturally, the wizard was furious. He set their mansion ablaze, intending to kill all of them and make an example of them to the rest of The Family; any other muggles who crossed him would meet the same fate.

Lorenzo had other ideas.

He’d always been a ‘gifted’ child, but on that night, his magic manifested in such a strong manner that it could no longer be ignored, especially with him being so young. The nine-year-old doused the flames with a scream loud enough to break all the windows, saving his family and unfortunately catching the wizard’s eye, both literally and figuratively. Vexx Salvatore knew raw talent when he saw it, and seeing as the boy had just cost him his left eye, punishment was in order. He ordered Lorenzo to come back to England with him, swearing to leave his family alone if he obeyed and threatening to kill them if he didn’t. Terrified, Lorenzo did as he was told. The two were quite literally in the wind before MACUSA could stop him, and given that Vexx had used an alias and alternate wand for the entirety of his time in America, there was no way to track them. They made it back to England unhindered, lying low in a small village near Bristol.

Shockingly, the remainder of Lorenzo’s childhood wasn’t too bad. Vexx was wealthy beyond belief, so he never wanted for anything, and the man was also a half decent teacher. By the time Lorenzo received his Hogwarts letter in 1990, he already knew most of the basics, and had learned to somewhat control his magic without a wand. He was sorted into Ravenclaw, and quickly proved to be a prodigy, excelling in Charms and Muggle Studies, and eager to learn all aspects of the history surrounding the Wizarding World. His interest in Renaissance Era weaponry surfaced during his third year, followed swiftly by an interest in blacksmithing in his fourth year. By his sixth, he had done extensive enough research in his free time to become a veritable expert on both subjects, much to Vexx’s amusement. In fact, Vexx was the one who taught him to fence, having been taught himself in his noble youth. Lorenzo still resented him greatly, and was eager for any chance to cross blades with him when they weren’t dueling magically. Vexx also urged him to continue practicing dueling in secret when he heard that Umbridge had taken the DADA position at Hogwarts; dark days were ahead, and he did not want his protégé to face them unprepared.

Lorenzo joined Dumbledore’s Army as a result, having been deeply angered and frightened by Cedric Diggory’s death the year before. He became an even more formidable duelist, though he could not help but feel like he was missing a few valuable skills. If his guardian and the imposter Moody were right, and the foes he’d have to face in the coming years were willing and able to use Unforgivable Curses, then he would have to learn them in order to counter them, as well as other ways of dispatching dark wizards. He refocused on his talents with Charms, specifically studying any that would aid him in stealth and swiftness. Vexx was happy to train him in such things over the summer, though he was admittedly surprised that Lorenzo was turning himself into an assassin, given the boy’s naturally heroic demeanor. Nearly two years later, he finally understood. Rumors spread about a shadow that had flitted through the battlefield whilst Voldemort’s forces laid siege to Hogwarts, dispatching Death Eaters left and right. Some said he used an antique saber, others insisted he killed with flashes of sickly green light. Either way, he was never identified, and never seen again after the battle. Confronting Lorenzo led to a final climactic duel between the two, during which Vexx finally confessed how proud he was of his boy, and how raising Lorenzo had made him a better man. He also apologized for his abhorrent actions when they first met, for destroying his home, and for separating him from his family. When Lorenzo’s blade leveled victoriously at his throat, he did not beg for mercy; Lorenzo gave it anyway, sparing him and aparating away. They haven’t spoken since.

Lorenzo now runs a small blacksmith shop in Bristol, making replica swords and armor for collectors, as well as jewelry, accessories, and tools. Any straggler Death Eaters who enter the city end up dead under mysterious circumstances, with no witnesses claiming to see who ran them through.

More to be added~

[pagesofanewstory]

Name: Lorenzo Salazar (previously Serpico)

Aliases: Luca Serrano, Logan Sade, Lucius Segreti, Leighton Sherrill, Leiland Strange.

Age: 27

Gender: Male

Sexuality: Homosexual/Demiromantic

Personality: Loyal, withdrawn, intelligent, can be obsessive about certain subjects, struggles with self-confidence despite a cocky façade, gambler, reckless with his own life but not with the lives of others, cunning, flashy, dreams of being a hero someday to someone, like the swashbuckling rogues and musketeers he loves to read about. He’s a hopeless romantic deep down, even if his traumatic past has led him to bury that part of himself.

Education: PhD in History (focusing on European weaponry and armor from the Renaissance), PhD in Literature (wrote his dissertation on Alexadre Dumas and the themes present throughout the d'Artagnan Romances), SAFD certification (Enzo is a highly trained fencer and actor combatant, and is active in his local HEMA chapter, though not competitively)

Profession: Mafia Prince (former), Blacksmith (hobby and occasional trade), Historian (current), Renaissance Faire Performer (seasonal, he plays d’Artagnan at his local ren faire throughout the fall), Actor Combatant

Hobbies: Reading adventure novels, fencing, antiquing, blacksmithing, acting, watching movies just to roast the “historical accuracy” of the armor, weapons, and fighting techniques in video essays (kinda like Jill Bearup, Shadiversity, etc.), leather-working, costuming (he legit handmade the coat he wears as d’Artagnan), hiking, swimming, poker, blackjack, parkour.

Dislikes/Fears: Sharks, open ocean, drowning, guns, law enforcement, gang violence, drugs (including tobacco), manipulative/dishonest/abusive partners, big cities.

Appearance: Blond curly hair, hazel/brown eyes, a scar cutting through the right corner of his mouth, freckles, both ears pierced, as well as his left eyebrow and nostril, five or six round scars on his chest and back, several small scars on his hands and arms from various little accidents, 5’9, slim but athletic build.

FC: Jedidiah Goodacre

Background: Lorenzo Serpico was born into one of America’s many mafia families, the middle child out of seven. His father taught him how to conduct himself from a young age, how to handle a gun, who not to mess with, how to follow orders while keeping a low profile, etc. Loyal as he was to his family and The Family, however, the boy never really had much of an interest in the business side of things. He would have much preferred to focus on his studies, graduate high school with honors, and go to a prestigious university. Fate and his father had other plans. His older brothers had all been trained as enforcers, and he was being forced down that path, as well, much to his dismay.

Throughout his teenage years, Lorenzo rebelled, staying out late with his friends to avoid going home, sneaking into underground casinos to win poker games, experimenting with his sexuality, and becoming obsessed with adventure novels. The Three Musketeers was his favorite, with the dashing d’Artagnan quickly becoming his idol. His interest in renaissance era weaponry and fencing techniques was sparked as a result, which would eventually lead him down a decade-long series of rabbit holes and into an extensive academic career.

At eighteen, his life changed forever. He’d been saving up his winnings for years in hopes of paying his own way through college, and was set to start his first year at Harvard in the fall following his high school graduation, a fact which he kept from his father. A whirlwind summer romance, however, threw a wrench in the works, leaving him reluctant to leave his hometown and lover. The man was older than him, far more experienced, handsome, charming, and every bit the daring rogue Lorenzo had dreamed of falling in love with. He was a great listener, too, allowing the boy to open up about all the stress his family’s business was putting him under and providing much needed comfort. He was deliriously happy. Until, of course, everything hit the fan. Lorenzo’s paramour had snuck into his room via the window one night, as had become their routine, and the two were fooling around, trying to keep quiet. Despite their efforts, they were caught in the act by one of his older brothers, who immediately ran to alert their father. Terrified, Enzo scrambled to get dressed, dug up the briefcase containing his college fund from the back of his closet, and managed to usher his lover out of his window with it just as his livid father broke down his door. His punishment that night was beyond severe, ultimately culminating in a brutal beating and disowning.

Battered, bruised, and now homeless, Lorenzo made his way back to his lover’s apartment, hoping to stay with him until he could get back on his feet. To his shock and horror, he found the man in the middle of packing up to skip town. Hurt and exhausted, he demanded an explanation, only to be met with the worst thing he could possibly have imagined. His boyfriend was an undercover detective, married with two children, and had been using him to gain enough information to build a case against his family. Nothing between them had been real. And now that his investigation had been compromised, he was leaving town as quickly as possible to avoid getting killed. He was kind enough to give Lorenzo his money back, but that was nothing compared to his shredded heart.

The next few months were a blur. A close friend and mentor took him in with the stipulation that he worked hard, like the good little enforcer-in-training he was supposed to be. After all, his family could cast him aside, but nobody got out of The Family unless it was in a body bag. Lorenzo resigned himself to it, and was recruited to be a bodyguard for the only son of one of the other dons, along with his friend and a few others. That branch of the family was based down in North Carolina, in the bustling city of Charlotte, so at least he got a change of scenery. It was a simple job. The prince was a college athlete, not much older than Lorenzo himself, and going to school in an area heavy in gang violence; his father worried that he might be a target due to many different factors. It got boring. Very quickly. Which was honestly probably a good thing. Tony was a nice enough guy, and since Lorenzo had been allowed to enroll in classes alongside him in order to keep an eye on him without arousing suspicion, the two had a habit of studying together. Where Tony struggled, Lorenzo excelled, and was thus able to keep him afloat and help him understand. Thus, a friendship was forged.

The peace didn’t last.

Near the end of their first semester, Tony’s father’s fears came true. Local gangsters didn’t like how quickly the talented young outsider had managed to make a name for himself in their town, and decided to teach him a lesson. It started small, with anti-Italian sentiments spray painted on his locker and discovered after practice, death threats finding their way into his bag, and occasionally open mockery. When they lit his thankfully unoccupied car on fire, Tony went to the dean, who immediately called an assembly to declare that the culprits would be found and arrested, as would anyone aiding them, and that such wanton hate and destruction would not be tolerated. Naturally, the gangsters didn’t take too kindly to that. They stalked Tony and Lorenzo for days on end, waiting for the perfect opportunity to get the drop on them. It didn’t come easily, as the two were always heavily guarded, but eventually it presented itself. A school dance, held on a yacht and meant to celebrate the harvest season before everyone went on Thanksgiving break. Tony had asked Lorenzo to go with him, having developed a crush on the blond. He was eager to have some fun for once! Reluctant as he was to let anyone in again, Lorenzo couldn’t really blame him, and agreed.

Things…escalated. They were making out belowdecks when they heard a loud pop, followed by the sound of rushing water. The two men didn’t hesitate to warn everyone, desperate to help as many people evacuate the sinking ship as possible. It was practically instinctive for Lorenzo. All he had to do was imitate all the heroes from his books, and he did so with great success, running mostly on adrenaline. Unfortunately, his luck ran out. It was just him, Tony, a few mafia goons, and several gangsters engaged in a shootout, fighting to escape but finding their options dwindling. Lorenzo rashly decided to make one last stand, grabbing Tony and making a run for it, taking out any gangsters who got in his way. He succeeded, but at a great cost. Turned out that making himself Tony’s shield had its consequences. He was shot several times finally succumbing to his wounds on the dock, Tony’s horrified screams blending in with the sirens.

As far as The Family knew, Lorenzo Serpico died tragically and heroically that night, forever etched into their memories and records as a martyred prince.

He woke up in the hospital a week later to a newspaper with the headline lying on the bedside table, and Tony dozing off in the chair beside his bed. Evidently, the man had sought to express his eternal gratitude by granting Lorenzo an escape. Money for college. Forged records to support a new identity or five. A story so gut wrenching that The Family had no choice but to believe it, especially with Tony himself to back it up. He stayed with Lorenzo a while longer, just to finish out the semester and ensure that the younger man fully recovered, then left him with the command to go out and live his life as he saw fit, but to use that big brain of his.

Another year saw Lorenzo enrolling and flourishing at Harvard, breezing through his literature degree faster than any of his professors had anticipated. He had long awaited the opportunity to prove his genius, and wasn’t about to waste it. So furious he was in his passion that he began taking online courses for a second degree midway through his first bachelor’s, this time in history. With hard work and dedication, he earned PhDs in both literature and history, going on to write several highly acclaimed essays and journals under various pseudonyms, and eventually moving down to New Orleans for a change of pace. He applied for and received a position as a researcher and consultant for the University of New Orleans history department, and has been working there for the past few years. When he isn’t working, he is thoroughly engrossed in his hobbies, fencing with the local HEMA chapter and performing at a renaissance festival on weekends during the fall as an actor combatant. He does his best to keep himself busy because he doesn’t want to be alone with his thoughts and memories for too long, especially not the fear of his past catching up with him. He lives in the moment.

[pagesofanewstory]

The familiar voice that had so often been a comfort to him in his youth now made the blond’s blood run cold, especially with the mention of The Family. Whatever confidence he might have had dealing with his stalker evaporated instantly, leaving terror and desperation in its wake. He didn’t draw, knowing now that he would probably lose a shootout with his ex-colleague, but instead slowly turned to face the older man.

“James,” he breathed, indeed recognizing his pursuer now as the sun’s setting rays broke through the clouds overhead and illuminated him. How ironic. “How did you…how’d you even find me?! No. Y’know what? Doesn’t matter,” Lorenzo declared, shaking his head as he weighed his chances of escaping the alley. “I’m not goin’ back.” Shaky as it may have been, his voice held a steely resolve, as did his eyes when he finally met James’s gaze. “I’ve made a good life for myself here. No bombs, no gun-toting goons, no one to kick my ass for not livin’ up to their expectations. I’m free to do and be whatever I want! No one in their right mind would ever willingly give that up!”

Lorenzo hated being cornered. Most people did, of course, but this? This felt like his whole world was on the verge of collapsing around him. How pretty and picturesque it looked, too, with him half ensnared by the shadows of the surrounding buildings, and his would-be captor bathed in holy light from the fiery heavens! Gritting his teeth, the blond prepared himself to make a break for it, but not before delivering one last defiant line. “You tell The Family that the only way they’re gettin’ me back is in a body bag!” As soon as James made a move, he would bolt; there were probably other enforcers lurking nearby to either catch or kill him, but it was worth a shot.

Closed Starter for @just-asimple-brunette

He’d been feeling out of sorts for the past week or so, but right now, Lorenzo’s paranoia was through the roof. Someone was following him. He had taken several odd turns on his way home to confirm it, and his stalker’s eerie presence had never left his periphery. Unfortunately, this now meant he was lost, as he’d been too focused on shaking his pursuer to pay attention to the rest of his surroundings. Ducking into another alley, his heart rate spiked when he realized he’d made a grave error.

Dead end.

Cursing under his breath, he finally stopped, left hand already going for the revolver concealed in his coat. He didn’t want to have to use it, but he absolutely would if necessary. “I don’t know you are, or what you want, but you picked the wrong mark, pal!” he called out, hoping to scare the stalker off. “I got nothin’ on me that you’re gonna want, trust me!”