Log || Thread || Satin Chic || Byakuran & Dino || Closed

[srslyevilbzns]

WHO: Byakuran (srslyevilbzns), Dino (aesthetic_ally)
WHAT: What's a little corporate wrist-slapping between friends?
WHERE: A small restaurant
WHEN: Thursday, early afternoon
RATING: G
WARNING: Byakuran

Comments

[aesthetic_ally]

"The same can be said for you." Dino says smoothly; also in Italian, looking over at him. Byakuran's an old classmate, and while they hadn't been friends, they had co-existed without incident.

Thus far.

While Dino can sometimes be looked upon as a goofy older brother in a fair amount of things, there are times when he sheds that side of him in favor of another more serious demeanor. Not to say that the former is a lie or a facade; it is just how Dino Cavallone is.

Work is work, and it is clear that Dino has no intention of waving this particular fiasco off.

He is polite, still, nonetheless. "I wonder how far you would have let them pry, had I not caught them in time."

[srslyevilbzns]

He dumps a few generous spoonfuls of sugar into his coffee, stirring it lazily. Yes, gone was lack of direction in the other's eyes. When Byakuran thought it back, it was truly a pity he hadn't taken the other on sooner. The layout of things in the industry might have been quite a bit different, but he also wouldn't have been able to handle the merger with the Giglio Nero half as well as he had been. He stirs the mess of additives with the small spoon that had come with the cup, eyes never leaving the other's.

"Ah?" he hums, softly, a slight curve of his lips, "Surely you don't think I wouldn't have called them off if I weren't aware, hmmm?"

[aesthetic_ally]

Dino notices, observes because he has been trained to do so. He can name the exact brand of the teaspoon, the make of the coffee cup, but now is not the time to do it.

There had been rumors, of course, about the Millefiore family, and Dino, to date, had found no reason to pry. If only the same courtesy had been afforded to them on the Millefiore's end.

He leans back in his seat; it is just a glass of water for him, and he sizes up the white-haired man opposite him briefly. Ever since the appearance of the Millefiore, Dino had known that Byakuran is a force to be reckoned with. But he had never been a direct threat, given their different areas of specialization.

But now... how despicable, he wants to say. But how very much like most other business acquisitions and market research tactics. It is simply that Byakuran had probably taken it a step too far.

"Of course not. After all, you're best at covering your tracks." And Dino doesn't just mean the fiasco with the fashion magazines. After all, the Millefiore do have a reputation.

[srslyevilbzns]

Ah, so Dino was in no mood to skirt the issue. How troublesome to see that he'd graduated into such a fine boss. How troublesome and yet it was rare to see anything on this front that had truly provided problems for him. Rare enough that Byakuran was willing to indulge this sort of thing rather than cover it up with a simple rearrangement of staff.

He taps his spoon neatly on the rim of his cup, shaking off a few stray droplets as he rests his chin in the palm of his hand. He sets it aside as he takes a long sip.

No need to rush, even if Dino was hardly the sort to be put on edge by such silences as many others under his command were.

"How unkind," he muses, "Is that the sort of talk you always offer to business associates?"

[aesthetic_ally]

Dino's rejoinder is calm, succinct. He's hardly ruffled - Byakuran has a rare reputation for subtle intimidation, in the way he carries himself, the way he speaks.

A smooth, shrewd businessman of remarkable brilliance, it is no wonder that the Millefiore had risen in the industry as quickly as they did. But then again, talent and ethics are two very different things, aren't they?

He doesn't take his eyes off him, bold enough not to break contact when anyone else would have glanced away. Byakuran of the Millefiore is a very dangerous man, he knows, and one does not cross him easily.

But Dino Cavallone - Dino is not a man to be trifled with as well. "Should I extend that simple courtesy, when your manners to business associates leave much to be desired?"

[srslyevilbzns]

And, oh, how the young Cavallone had grown. Byakuran is anything but unimpressed by the calm gaze that matches his own. It's a challenge and he wants nothing more than to see this man across from him fall now.

But not yet, no. There's a time for everything and at the moment, he's starting out this altercation at the slightest of disadvantages. No matter, though. There's still plenty of time in the game to correct that disadvantage.

He drags his thumb along the delicate china handle of the cup, not breaking the clear lavender gaze that matches Cavallone's challenging one.

"Am I to feel guilt over things I had no knowledge of?"

[aesthetic_ally]

"To plead ignorance on such a matter would reflect rather badly on you, wouldn't it?"

Byakuran is a hard man to catch in the act, slippery and sly and ever so charmingly poisonous, and Dino harbors no illusions that he wouldn't be able to weasel his way out of this one.

But it did not mean that he could stop trying, or that he should be intimidated by that kind of track record. He refuses to be distracted by the little movements Byakuran makes, as he takes a slow drag of his iced water.

"It makes one wonder if many employees in your company are able to take action on their own without needing your consent."

[srslyevilbzns]

Byakuran savors his coffee, dragging out another long sip. My, Dino did like to accuse. He sets the cup down with a soft click against the saucer. The taste is thick and sweet in his mouth, good enough because he's not quite in the mood to indulge this sort of meeting over food. It's a true rarity when he does that outside of the Millefiore.

"Are you suggesting I control my employees' every thought?" he returns, leaning back into his seat to study the other with a coolly pleasant smile, giving nothing and taking nothing just yet, "They were tasked with finding the best people for the jobs I needed."

He gives a soft laugh, "How was I to know that they would find someone best suited for the task within your ranks?"

[aesthetic_ally]

Dino's own expression reveals nothing of what he's thinking - he's carefully neutral, taking in the other's expression and the way he sidesteps the words, the blunt insinuations.

This man is a professional, all right.

"And yet you somehow neglected to realize that they were on the Cavallone payroll."

[srslyevilbzns]

All too professional. At least, when it came to the core wrapped beneath candy-sweet layers of idle chatter and feigned innocence. He never needed to show this to anyone. At least, unless there was something he particularly wanted that wouldn't fall into place with the most gentle of tappings and proddings.

But now, no, Byakuran was all lazy smiles and casual sips of his sugar-laden concoction.

"Were. I don't like to look too into one's reasons for leaving a company. It seems all too private, don't you think?"

[aesthetic_ally]

"Of course." Dino refuses to budge. "Especially so when they are still in the company."

He orders a light dessert. To show weakness, to be angered by this man is to admit defeat, and Dino fully intends to not yield. To beat him at his own game.

"At any rate," this time, he smiles - as if there is a secret that Byakuran doesn't yet know. " - what's done is done, isn't it?"

[srslyevilbzns]

But, Byakuran isn't exactly young to this field either, no. He matches Dino's smile with one of his own. It's casual, non-threatening, but that's probably why more than anything, it is, because nothing about the man is. He nods to the waiter, a request for more of the same.

"I'm quite glad to see you feel that way, Dino-kun. I'd hate to think that our companies would feel any sort of animosity or distrust towards each other, mmm?" He rests his palm on his cheek, "Not when we can simply agree to be the best at what we do."

[aesthetic_ally]

"Of course. I'm glad you know what you should already do." He has a lot of work to do after this - cleaning the mess up, making it better than before; and he foresees one hell of a lot more work.

"However, if you should attempt something like that again, or engage in something similarly underhanded, we will do the same." Dino's smile is still pleasant, because right now, in that industry, they still had the monopoly and the advantage.

The Cavallone brand and prestige does not crumble with just the loss of one editor.

[srslyevilbzns]

Ah, impressive and Byakuran can't help but laugh after a soft pause. My, Cavallone had grown more than he'd imagined. He was almost looking forward to seeing how this match would play out for both of them, especially now that the challenge has been set and he has no intentions in stopping his acquisition. The Fashionista's former editor had more than a few contacts he was interested in as well.

The Cavallone brand might be able to stand the loss of one valuable employee, but an entire staff? Well, it would at least cause a dent in the other's business structure, mmm?

"Of course, of course," Byakuran agrees, leaning back in his seat as their plates come, "I'm glad we could come to such an understanding, Dino-kun."