let the bad times roll (invite)

Ruggiero should have been feeling good about meeting with Mackenzie, but his mind was occupied with the latest backstabbing: his football buddy dating his sister. He wasn't sure what was currently going on between them, if they were just at the talking phase or if they were actually dating, but from the sounds of things Duvall definitely wanted to make some kind of move there. It made him sick. There was a code that bros usually followed, and getting fresh with Luciana definitely broke that code.

He was stood in town, glaring at everyone, hands in the pockets of his jacket. He'd asked Mackenzie to meet him there, and hopefully she would find her way with some assistance. She'd made friends pretty fast, after all.

@Mackenzie Riddle

After hours of trying to decide on what to wear, Mackenzie decided on a simple light pink blouse and a black skirt. She made her way to the spot she was told to meet Ruggerio at after getting lost a few times. When she saw him, she smiled and approached him, "Hello Ruggerio." She pushed her hair back from her face, "I hope you haven't been here long. I got lost a few times."

@Ruggiero Fedele

After snapping at a few innocent passer's by for 'looking at him funny', Ruggiero was nearing breaking point. Either he was going to smash someone's face in, or he'd stew in this sour mood for the entirety of the date.

That's what he thought, anyway, until she showed up.

He looked at her and felt his muscles relax a little. She looked sweet, pretty, and very much herself: none of that strappy stringy sister-stolen stuff. He liked that she did that. She looked comfortable, like she hadn't overthought anything. Maybe this date was enough to completely distract him for a few hours.

"Hey," he said, smiling lopsidedly, "Yeah... sorry about that. I shoulda met ya at school. Wasn' thinkin' straight."

He looked her over.

"Want to get a coffee before hittin' the restaurant?"

@Mackenzie Riddle

Mackenzie found herself adoring his smile. It was lopsided and cute, "It's alright. It was kind of nice figuring it out on my own." She blushed a bit as he looked her over. She wasn't in Matilda's clothes for once. He told her to be more herself, so she was trying, "Coffee sounds great. I could use a nice latte." She felt a cold chill go by them and shivered a bit, "I should have brought a jacket. I'm still not used to the weather here."

@Ruggiero Fedele

"Then let's get ya one," he said, putting his arm around her shoulder and smiling down at her. "Just keep close. Lemme know if ya get too cold, uh. I'll give ya my jacket."

There was a café that Ilvermorny students usually took their dates, unless it was the food court of the galleria. Food court dates was more like third-fourth year level dates though: older girls had different expectations. He guided her there, opened the door for her, and waited until she walked inside before following.

After glaring down some kids sat in a window seat, then scarpered quickly and Ruggiero shoved their cups onto another table.

"So what's good to do in England?" he asked her, sitting down at the table.

@Mackenzie Riddle

Mackenzie smiled when he put his arm around her, he smelled good, that was for sure, "That's very sweet. But it was my own idiocy that had me leave my jacket. I don't want you to be cold too." He lead her to a little cafe and stepped inside when he held the door for her, "Such a gentleman." She frowned a bit when he all but bullied the students to another table, but she didn't say anything about it. Him asking about home was a bit of a shock. Not many others cared to ask, "Well there's Hogsmeade. It's a little village near Hogwarts. I usually go for butter beer and sweets from honeydukes."

@Ruggiero Fedele

"Butter beer? Is that like light beer or somethin'?"

He picked up the menu and looked over the drinks, deciding he'd probably just get a shake or something. Pushing it aside, he looked across at her again.

"You seriously need to try our candy. There's these things called Oyster Pearls, they're pretty much pellets of pure sugar with all these different flavours. I'll get ya a big box, y'can take 'em home, share 'em with the girls."

He smiled at her.

"I guess the biggest sport over there's Quidditch. My Pops went over there a lot, used to bring me back some candy and stuff. I ain't been there myself though."

@Mackenzie Riddle

"It's like liquid butterscotch with a bit of alcohol in it. It's really good." She looked over the menu with him and decided she would get a vanilla iced latte. "oyster candy?" Then he explained what it was, "That actually sounds really good." When he mentioned quidditch, her eyes lit up, "Yeah it's huge there. I played for my house team. I'm a beater."

@Ruggiero Fedele

"Yeah?"

He liked the way her face seemed to light up. It was cute. She was completely gorgeous, he had no idea why she wanted to date him and not one of the better looking guys on the sports team.

"You'd get on with my Pops then, he used to play," he explained, not liking to brag about his fame status. "I dun know... tried to get into Quidditch, but Quodpot is where it's at. I know you ain't got it over there, it's like Quidditch 'cept there's no Seeker position and you gots to treat the ball like a bomb. 'Cause it pretty much is. I'm a beater too, but for Quodpot."

He nodded as the waitress came over and took their orders.

"Maybe I'll show ya sometime. Or you can watch the match next month if ya still around. How long ya stayin' for?"

@Mackenzie Riddle

Mackenzie nodded happily, "I love it. Dad always comes to my games and cheers me on. I feel like it's some of the only times I have his full attention." When he said his father used to play it clicked in her head, "Bloody hell. Fedele. You mean like the Fedele? Giani Fedele?" She realized she was fan girling and leaned back a bit, "That's pretty cool. I'll definitely be at the game. I was thinking of asking my dad if I could maybe stay past the exchange program. I really like it here."

@Ruggiero Fedele

"Bluddy hewel," he teased her by trying to mimic her accent. It was adorable. "Yeah, that's my old man. People always say we look a lot alike."

He was surprised to hear that she was considering staying, but when he pieced it all together... it started to make sense. A Dad that didn't always give her his full attention, sisters that she was always trying to compete with: perhaps being somewhere else without them around made her feel as though she could come into her own.

"Hey - well. I wouldn' mind seein' ya around for longer. No complaints here."

The corner of his mouth curled up.

"So - ya Pops. Ya Dad. What's he like?"

@Mackenzie Riddle

Mackenzie blushed a bit as he mimicked her accent and tried her best American one, "People say we look alike." But it still sounded extremely British, "I do see it though." She said in her normal voice. Mackenzie smiled a bit and reached out to place her hand on his arm, "I definitely wouldn't mind being around longer." When he asked about her father, she leaned back, "He's the deputy headmasters at Hogwarts. So he's always very busy with work. I know he loves us all. But it's just hard to feel that way sometimes when he's never there." She bit at the inside of her cheek trying not to get upset.

@Ruggiero Fedele

Luciana was glad that her plan had worked well and that her brother had agreed to ask Mackenzie out so that she could go out with Colton without him catching them. She wasn’t 100% sure where things were going with Colton at this point but she was really looking forward to seeing where things went today. She had heard from Mack that Rudi was taking her out for Italian food so she thought it was safe that they went to get coffee before dinner. ”Come on, I could use a cappuccino!” she said as she took Colton’s hand and pulled him towards the familiar cafe, stepping inside into the warm interior as the bell over the door jingled.

@Colton Duvall @Ruggiero Fedele @Mackenzie Riddle

"I get it. My Pops is always here, there and everywhere too. 'Course he loves ya though, who wouldn'? Ya're adorable."

He smiled across at her and their drinks were delivered. A tall frosted glass for him, and a hot steaming mug for her.

"If he's ya teach at the school ya go to, that's gotta be a lot of pressure."

He took up his straw and began mixing around the thick, sugar-loaded shake so the cream got twisted around inside. As he did that, the bell tinkled. He looked up in a fairly disinterested way at first: the sound had just caught his attention. He was expecting it to be a quick glance and a return to Mackenzie's attention, but the pair that came in had him freeze mid-mix.

Whatever smile he was wearing dropped right off his face. His teeth gritted. His face turned steadily redder as the anger surged within him. "Hey!" he bellowed, and the murmur of conversation grew quiet. Heads turned in his direction. "The fuck ya think ya doin'?!"

@Colton Duvall @Luciana Fedele @Mackenzie Riddle

Mackenna smiled when he called her adorable, "I try my best. It isn't easy being this cute " she was about to say something else when he was suddenly shouting. She flinched a bit at the abrupt noise and looked towards the door. She was went pale when she saw his sister with Colton. Fuck fuck fuck. She went wide eyed and tried to grab hold of Ruggerios arm, "Rudi, this isn't necessary."

@Ruggiero Fedele

Colt was glad Luciana finally decided to let him take her out. She was so beautiful. The only downside was her brother. He didn't want to deal with Ruggerios crazy every day. But maybe she would be worth it. As he lead her to the cafe, he took her hand in his hand smiled. He held the door open to her and before they could even really look around, he heard Rudis bellowing voice, "You've got to be kidding me." He looked over and saw him with Mackenzie and frowned, "The same thing you are. On a date."
@Ruggiero Fedele
@Luciana Fedele

Luciana was really looking forward to this date. She wasn’t usually the dating type, more the type that hooked up behind locked doors where no one would be the wiser and then moved on. Maybe it was partly because she didn’t want to incur her brother’s wrath for whatever guy she went out with. But Colt had assured her that he could handle it. What she wasn’t expecting was for things to hit the fan so quickly. They had only just made it inside the cafe, her hand in Colton’s when a familiar voice boomed through the cafe. Everyone quieted and looked between the two of them and her brother who was still at the table with Mackenzie. Damn it! How was she supposed to know he would bring her here?!? ”stop your yelling, you’re causing a scene.” she said to her brother with her best firm look. ”And that’s right, we’re on a date just like you are.” she said, lifting her chin stubbornly as she still held Colton’s hand.

@Ruggiero Fedele @Colton Duvall @Mackenzie Riddle