#luka dimopoulos

[sregnarkroywen]

vs Newcastle Northstars, 06.08.23

[nikodimopoulos]

where: dionysos who: @lukas-dimopoulos & niko dimopoulos

Niko was fully aware that today was the day that his older cousin was being released from prison, mostly because Tori and his mother (despite being overseas) had not been able to stop talking about it for weeks. That wasn't to say he wasn't looking forward to seeing Lukas -- he was, in his own subdued, placid, very Niko way -- but considering everything else that he was dealing with at the moment, his mind wasn't particularly occupied with the homecoming.

That being said, however, he could feel the air around the restaurant shift the moment the doors opened, causing Niko to look up from the inventory spreadsheet he was working through on his laptop. "You're late." The former capo remarked wryly, standing up from the unoccupied booth he was taking up and going to greet his cousin. A hand reached out to clasp Lukas on the shoulder, never having been very good at showing physical affection, giving him a once over. "Nice to finally see you in street clothes. You, uh, want a coffee? A drink?"

[evesyoung]

Eve cleared her throat, pushing strands of sopping wet hair behind her ear as if that would salvage her appearance. "Yeah, right. Nice to see you're still full of shit after all this time," she remarked wryly, unable to help the subtle eye roll that flickered across her features before attempting an explanation, "I'm, uh -- I'm trying to repair a leak. Forgot to turn off the water line." Over the years of being friends with Tori, she'd noticed that each member of the Dimopolous family had their own distinct flair, so to speak. Her roommate was the gabby one, Stefanos was the reserved one, Niko was the weird one -- and Lukas? Well, she remembered him as a bit of a headass, to put it lightly, someone who always marched to the beat of his own drum. Though she couldn't help but be struck by how suddenly timid he seemed, as if he was relearning how to interact with society for the first time. It stood in stark contrast how she remembered him. "Your Tori's family, ain't ya? I'd be surprised if there was a single one of your lot that ever managed to call ahead." That wasn't quite the Dimopoulos way, she'd come to learn.

A slight smile curled on the corner of her lips, watching as Betty immediately shot towards the male with enough glee present in that tail wag that it could send her into space. "Crazy how well they're able to remember us, huh?" She remarked fondly, the sheepish expression finally falling from her face as Lukas and the pit bull reunited. Eve had always had a major soft spot for animals, often times finding more comfort in them than she did in humans. "Oh -- don't worry about it. Kinda nice havin' a drool machine as an extra roommate. You got a place already lined up for the two of you?" Brow arched, she leaned against the doorframe. "Took her to the ranch a few times, too. Her and my horse liked to race -- no offense to Betty, but she needs to work on her speed a little bit. Maybe grow longer legs" Eve chuckled, glancing between Lukas and the dog. "Here, uh -- let me grab the rest of her things. This place is kind of a minefield right now, wouldn't want you steppin' on a nail or bumpin' into wet paint or something."

Of course, it wasn’t lost on him that Eve was soaking wet with…questionable water, but Lukas was trying not to draw too much attention to it with the soft smile that he raised her way, “Yeah, you look good,” he greeted, attempting to make casual conversation, but what the fuck was casual when he’d been away for so long? “A little wet, but…can’t win ‘em all,” he supplied– his feeble attempt at a follow-up. Naturally, it made him wonder what had left her in such a state, but if it was anything like the fixer upper he was headed home to, Luke could only guess that he’d be covered in far worse by the time all the renovations were over and done with. Brushing off her apology with a brief shake of his head and a crooked smile, Luke shrugged his shoulders, “It’s okay– I didn’t exactly come with a warning.” It was his way of softly apologizing for showing up unannounced. He tended to do that, even after four years behind bars. 

Stepping into their home, a soft smile playing on his lips, he glanced towards Eve with a nod, “I’ve missed my girl.” Though as soon as he uttered it, his mind wondered briefly to how close both Tori and Eve had likely grown to Betty over the last four years, and while the thought warmed him, a part of him felt bad for pulling all three of them away from the routine they’d no likely adapted to. “No worries, I’ll catch up with her later,” he mentioned when it came to Tori. Really, he was more anxious about seeing Betty again. Following Eve through the house, he dropped to his knees the moment he saw her, heart instantly warming as soon as Betty rushed over to him. While Luke had never been one to show much emotion, he couldn’t fight any of it back as the pitbull leaned into his embrace– almost as though no time had passed at all. “Hey, sweet girl,” he murmured into her shoulder as he hauled her in for a much overdo hug, “I missed you too.” Lukas held Betty there for a moment, solely because no amount of time would ever be enough to make up for the years he felt like he’d abandoned her. He was just glad his sister– and her roommate– had been willing to take her in. “Uh,” Luke cleared his throat, glancing up at Eve, “Thank you…y’know, for taking care of her while I was away. Tori’s already told me you guys spoiled the shit out of her, which is exactly what she deserves.”

[nikodimopoulos]

where: the elevator of the bellagio hotel, las vegas who: @heyymikki & niko dimopoulos

When you have as many cousins as Niko, large celebrations are practically a regular occurrence, and it usually means that he's roped into participating, whether he's up for it or not. This time, it was his cousin Lukas' bachelor party, and, predictably, Lukas wanted to do things the 'American way' and jet off to Vegas. Unfortunately for Niko, his protests usually had some effect within Los Santos, but within his own family, it was a different story. The first part of the night followed the expected script, with Niko keeping a low profile and tagging along with the rest of the guys. However, after a few hours and a steady flow of drinks, Niko found himself starting to relax, engaging in lively conversations and sporting a smile more frequently than usual. Perhaps he wasn't hitting the dance floor or making a drunken fool of himself, but still, he seemed happy-ish for once, which was a stark contrast to his usual demeanor.

By the time the clock struck two in the morning, Niko was more than ready to head back to his room, much to the disappointment of his ten cousins. "Hey, hey, we're meeting in the lobby at ten AM," Niko hollered above the cacophony of his male relatives as the elevator doors slid open. He was determined to make himself heard over their overlapping conversations. "The plane won't wait around, and neither will I. Got it? Καληνύχτα." With a small wave, he stepped into the elevator, noticing an unfamiliar blonde woman standing in the corner. Niko paid her no mind, pressed the button for his floor, and stepped back. He breathed a sigh of relief as the elevator doors finally closed, the quiet that followed a warm welcome. "Jesus," the male muttered under his breath, leaning back against the wall.

[rafmorata]

Someone getting a knock on the head was (almost) always not much to worry about, so when his usual partner got held up on another job and the call came through, Raf took it and waved off the jokes of his own experience with a small 'knock on the head' that he had a little while back at the festival. "Yeah I said the same thing a few weeks back when I was whacked in the head with a pole." With blood running down the man's face, it was difficult to discern his features.

Turning to the person, he presumed, phoned in the ambulance, he gave the woman a smile. "You did the right thing, thank you. Could I trouble you for a glass of water?" He asked, and waited for her to disappear before going up to the injured man. When the man said his name, Raf stifled a deep sigh and took time to look at the man properly. With the blood wiped from his face, he shared the unmistakable Dimopoulos family resemblance. Tonopah Valley was a small place and everyone knew that Lukas was now back in town.

"Ah yes you must be there elusive other Dimopoulos. Didn't realise it was because you were locked up." He said as he started to examine Lukas. It was a pretty bad cut that would definitely need stitches which he could do right there and avoid an expensive trip to the hospital. "Apologies for my cousins or uncles or both - they're like cartoon characters." Raf often spoke to his incarcerated family and it was safe to say prison was the home of some of his more animated relatives.

Raf smiled a little as he thought of them and gestured for Lukas to stand up before taking a few steps back. "Nice distraction technique though - I'm still checking you over. I'm gonna need you to walk towards me - slowly. After that tell me your first name and spell it backwards."

WHERE: Outside Luke's Home WITH: @rafmorata

“Damnit, Martha,” he sighed, rubbing a hand against his temple, “I don’t need medical attention, alright? It’s just a scratch.” Dabbing his fingertips at the area over his brow, he frowned a bit at the blood return, “A bloody one, but a scratch.” Despite living in his fixer upper for only a matter of weeks, Lukas was already becoming well acquainted with his neighbors, and mostly against his will– especially when it came to Martha, the elderly woman across the street. She'd been on her way over with a plate of food when a wooden panel above the porch had fallen from above, striking Luke on the head. He insisted he was fine once he scrambled to his feet, but Martha had insisted he'd lost consciousness– Luke didn't remember that part, which only added fuel to her argument for calling EMS. Cringing as the ambulance slowed to a stop on their street, he eyed the older woman once the paramedic approached. “It’s fine, really,” Luke started, descending down the porch steps. “Damn plank came loose and fell down, hit me,” he explained, gesturing to the gash over his left eye, “but I'm good.” Pausing, he squinted down at the medic's name tag. “Morata…” he read aloud, a sense of familiarity quickly rushing over him. “Holy shit– you’re Rafa, aren’t you?” What little he knew had been said in passing; he'd always known the man's cousins far better. “Got pretty tight with your cousins over the last few years,” Lukas explained, his subtle way of letting the medic know he’d been in prison with them, and wouldn’t be taking further questions regarding that at this time.

[nikodimopoulos]

He assessed the other male as they slid into opposing sides of the booth, noting the slight fish out of water demeanor that plagued his movements, his words. His older cousin had always exuded confidence, a lone-wolf mentality that stood in stark contrast to his own, and in a sense he had both admired and admonished him for it. Four years was a long time, however, and Niko just hoped that the male had learned his lessons from the crimes that had gotten him in there in the first place.  Armed robbery, he wanted to roll his eyes even now at the thought, at the reckless nature of those charges. Of course, Niko never got the details on what actually had happened, just that Lukas had claimed innocent, and as a man who proclaimed knowledge and logic as law, that put a dent in things for him.

"Yeah, uh -- well, my mom insisted." He answered with a low scoff. "She said the leather would make the place look more upscale, I told her it would make it look like a damn diner. We compromised." Meaning that Helen got her way, like she usually did, but he had to admit that it had grown on him. Plus, it was easier to clean than regular fabric upholstery. "How's it feel? Being out." Niko asked after a moment, more out of curiosity than empathy -- he struggled with the latter. Catching the eye of one of the waiters floating around, he gestured for her to bring the coffee pot she was holding over. "Started hirin' out a few weeks ago." Niko clarified, considering the waitress wasn't one of their cousins. Dionysos had always been a primarily family operation, but considering the mass migration that had occurred only months prior back to Greece, he had to start looking elsewhere for help. Plus, college kids were always willing to work for less. Once two mugs on the table were filled, he continued. "So for this parole board shit, what do you need from me? They even gonna let you handle the liquor?"

Striding into Dionysos as an absolutely free man really hit different, and Lukas felt it as the very air around him seemed to shift as he moved deeper into the restaurant. It was liberating, even if he hated the way eyes tended to peer his way. Still, it was a price he’d pay if it meant being free, and he was– mostly. He was on parole for the foreseeable, meaning he couldn’t fuck up even if he wanted to, but even this bridled bit of freedom was better than the last four years, and so he strode through the restaurant with his chin up, his usual swagger heavy in his steps as he approached his cousin.  Snorting at Niko’s greeting, Luke shrugged his shoulders, “Been a little busy,” he chuckled, having not expected a hug, but fully leaning into the brief clap to his shoulder. “Yeah, no shit,” he agreed, having never been a fan of the orange jumpsuit, even if the color did compliment him in so many ways. Regardless, he wasn’t ever going to wear orange again– he’d throw out whatever orange shit he had, even his boxers at this rate. “Uh, coffee’s good,” he nodded, moving to slide into the booth Niko had set up shop in. Silently, he couldn’t help but marvel at just how nice sitting in a booth in a public place felt, and he felt quite sure it showed on his face despite how he tried to conceal it as he settled in. “This is nice, yeah? You redo the upholstery here or no?”

[evesyoung]

"God dammit!" Eve shrieked as the pipes below her sink suddenly burst, the dirty sink water spraying all over her head and torso as she scrambled to get the water valve shut. As far as home improvements went the brunette had a very evenly match record of hits and misses, typically either going above and beyond and impressing even herself or having the project she was working on end in disaster. This time, it appeared that the latter was true. A huff escaping her lips, Eve was about to go in once more to try and repair the leak that'd been omnipresent for the better part of two weeks (this time with the water properly shut off) when she heard a knock at a the door. "Prob'ly forgot her purse or somethin'." The brunette mumbled to herself, referencing her somewhat forgetful roommate. Standing up, she took a quick glimpse of her disheveled, sopping wet appearance -- knowing that Tori had seen her in states far worse -- before heading towards the front entrance.

However, when she opened the door she was greeted by someone that was definitely not Tori, a flicker of recognition crossing her features as he spoke. "Uh --" She couldn't help the way her face flushed, both out of surprise and, frankly, embarrassment. The Dimopoulos male looked pretty much the same since she'd last seen him four years ago except, well, perhaps a bit bigger. "Yeah, long...long time." Obviously, she knew that Lukas was home considering the million and one updates her roommate had texted her on the day she went to pick him up, but seeing him in the flesh while she looked like that -- and he looked like that -- was throwing her for a loop. "Sorry, I -- I just wasn't expecting guests." Eve pressed her lips into a tight line, forcing herself to shut the fuck up, and stepped to the side to allow him room to enter. "Right. You're taking Betty, of course you are. Uh, come on in, I'll bring you to her." Shutting the door behind them, Eve raked her fingers through sopping wet hair and began to lead Lukas through the house. "You just missed her, actually -- I think Niko called her in to work. But, uh, I know where all Betty's things are, I could help you gather them."

WHERE: Tori & Eve's Place WITH: @evesyoung

Slowing to a stop outside of Tori’s place, Lukas cut the engine and started up to the doorway. Knocking thrice, he stepped back, his heart pounding in his chest. He’d missed Betty. He’d missed her so much over the last four years that it physically hurt him to think or talk about her…because Betty was a lot like him– she was a misfit, she was good enough despite the people around her believing that she wasn’t. She needed saving, just like he had, and so? They’d become quite the pair. Having to leave her to serve out his sentence had nearly killed Luke, even though he knew Tori would care for her probably better than he could. But still, it felt like abandonment, and now that he was free? He couldn’t wait to reunite with his favorite girl. Luke knocked on the door, impatiently waiting for his sister to answer. But when the door opened and Eve stood on the other side of it, Lukas shifted his weight between his feet, somehow having forgotten that the two of them lived together now. Sure, Tori had yapped about it enough, but Luke had been so concerned with his own survival while he was inside that so many details tended to slip his mind. “Eve– hey,” he started, the corner of his mouth twitching into a brief smile, “Long time, no see.” That rang true for everyone though. Four years had a way of feeling like a fucking eternity. “Just here to get my girl.” He was clearly talking about Betty, the gray pitbull who’d become his entire world before he’d gone inside. He’d missed his entire family over the last four years, but Lukas would argue that he’d missed Betty the most. “Tori around?”