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It was a good night in terms of weather. But..tumultuous in terms of dinner plans. Daphne had invited Marlo over for a simple get together. She'd invited a friend and Elzo was more than happy at the facts she was going out again, getting bits of her life back. Marlo was naturally apathetic to the whole thing.

While Elzo got the table set and picked up around the apartment, Marlo was in the kitchen with Daphne, 'helping'. Helping, as Elzo would define as Marlo being a back seat chef. He loved Daphne's cooking. Marlo had his skills sure, but so did she. He was their guest. But the younger brothers ability and desire to pester his sister-in-law was boundless. Oh he'd back off and never cross the unspoken line but he certainly tip toed along it.
"To much pepper. Add Garlic. It's overcooked." He had brought a salad of all things, while Daphne was making pasta sauce from scratch.

"Marlo stop being a d**k and just get your a** out here, sit the ******** down and watch TV." Marlo ignored Elzo, going to the fridge for water.
"I'll sit down when I like- You're going to burn it on that heat setting turn it down."

Back seat chef.

Marlo's eyes crossed at the ladle. She wouldn't dare. Actually, Marlo was fairly confident she would hit him at any given moment if Elzo wasn't around. The elder siblings was often needing to play peace keeper for the two other Xanis members, which was difficult when one was your sibling the other your wife. Both of whom could be notoriously stubborn. Still Marlo would back down, but not before pouting and being verbally dragged out of what he had considered for a very long time, his domain. "That is because Daphne, you are his wife and to him anything you make is therefore better. But I still say you need to add garlic." He turned into the living room before she could throw anything at him.

Elzo saw the look on his brother's face and sighed. His brother could cook, clean, was refined, dressed sharp, and looked damn great. But...his personality sucked and no doubt that was why he would never have to worry about Marlo and anyone. Simply because his brother would drive anyone away. "Your face will stick like that." Marlo's pout deepened. Elzo rolled his eyes going back into the kitchen.

"Hey Daphne." Coming up behind her he gave her a kiss to the cheek. "I know he can be a d**k but-" A shrug. "It's Marlo." The smell of the sauce combined with the fact he was hungry and Daphne was was cooking? Honestly this was a dinner fit for a god. "So when is your guest set to arrive? It's not every night we get company over."

When Marlo heard the knock he figured it was his job to answer it, as in all likelihood he assumed Elzo was busy swapping spit with Daphne. He was usually right about the assumption so, whatever. Little idea about just what the guest looked like aside from 'Daphne's Friend'. What he didn't expect to see was a very lovely young woman outside the door. Oh..the annoyance and possible lovely side effects he could induce.

Opening the door he wore his best 'smile'. That was, a Xanis 'now don't you look pretty how about I buy you a drink' smile. "Buon giorno." Ladies loved the Italian voice. Part of him was..interested. She was pretty. But more then that? Marlo bet that if he could get her to like him it would drive Daphne insane.

That was the best part.

"Please come in. Daphne and Elzo are in the Kitchen. I'm Marlo, Marlo Xanis." He offered her his hand, the smile not yet fading. His inner a*****e enamored with the idea of going on a date with Daphne's friend...just to piss Daphne off. "I take it you're my sister in law's friend?"

Oh you have GOT to be shitting me.

Ok, truth. Helen was all one for attention. Loved it, in fact she would sometimes go out of her WAY to get attention. Sometimes she would wear a little shorter skirt. Maybe he a little more vocal, dance with a little someone else... wrong kind of attention maybe, but if they even so tried as to pull anything she did not like she would made it known with her tongue... or her fist.

She wasn't one to put up with bullshit.

As such, she could not entirely blame Marlo for looking, she knew she was attractive. The thought that Helen knew, and he did not, that they came from the same mans loins... now that part made her stomach churn in a 'EW' kind of way. She was not in to that and good lord she was not about to have her brother rubbing all up on her, no matter if he was attractive.

Talking a step in, she gave a cheshire sort of grin, taking the hand and letting herself be pulled another step. "Helen-" Xanis? "...Sophronia. Pleasure to meet you Marlo... but." Blue eyes flicked up to match his own similar shade. Free hand rising up, almost as if to smack him, instead she patted him on the side of his face. "Your barking up the wrong tree darlin, turn off the charm-o-meter before it gets awkward." Helen would let him draw his own conclusions with that one.

Side stepping she let go of Marlos hand and grinned awkwardly as Daphne joined them, making a point to step in to the girl and give her a hug. She barely knew Daphne, but hell if she could not play actor at times. She wouldn't admit she was finding a soft spot for her sister in law already. Laughing along, she shook her head. "I think you have a bit of a bias in that department, not that i blame you." Though she was glad to see that love was in her eyes, a bit jealous of her half sibling at the moment. Not because of Daphne, Helen was straighter than a door nail, but because of the adoration in her eyes. "I am so jealous of that dress it is lovely on you!" Best part? She actually was jealous, the bluenette looked GOOD in it.

Turning to look, she peered into the house once more before steping further inside. "Pleasure to meet you, Elzo!"

Nerves were starting to wind their way through Daphne at seeing all three Xanis offspring in the same room. It was a wonder that Marlo hadn't noticed that her hair was only shades richer than Elzo's and they all had the same color eyes! But sandy hair and blue eyes wasn't really an unusual combo. Fingers tangled in her curls and her smile was just a bit too wide as Daphne responded to Helen's compliment, ignoring her husband's entirely.

"Thanks! I can probably remember where I picked it up at. I decided about a month ago that everything I had was a bit...young for me. So I had to replace it all. I didn't own a single pair of shorts I could wear outside without showing everything!" Of course Marlo and Elzo were sniping at each other. Not that she minded overly, she sniped right back most times but they had a guest. A very important guest. "Well whether she's eligible or not for your nefarious womanizing," eyes shot amused but pointy little needles at both boys, "it'll give Marlo something to do. Why don't you guys just chill for a few minutes while I get everything finished up?"

With that, Daphne ducked under her husband's arm and back into the kitchen. Pasta was doled into a large serving dish and the sauce was placed in a smaller pot to be placed on the table where the salad already rested. In a manner of truce that, after a while, always was served to Marlo, she smiled. "I added a bit of garlic to the sauce. Hope you're not a vampire, Helen." That would be a first, wouldn't it?

Both brothers were at a loss. Helen was more or less an enigma and really, while Elzo knew how to hang out, Marlo was stiff already. His fun taken from him. Can't torment Daphne, can't flirt, and Elzo had already poked at him.
And dinner hadn't even started yet.
Yes, so far Marlo was down right pestered with the latest developments....Though he wouldn't admit it, the fact Daphne did add the garlic made him a little less miffed. She was his sister-in-law as much as it may annoy him, she made Elzo happy and by some extent, Marlo couldn't completely dislike her. Just get bored with their constant honeymoon attitudes. So much cuddling and kissing and ugh. Too much PDA.

Elzo hardly minded being dragged about, and was fine with the hosting, even if one of his guests was looking like he'd eaten a lemon. "I go part time for international business classes, and I think we've been here what-"
"Two years." Marlo leaned back, disinterested. "Yup, two years. We got transferred to Hillworth at out parents request. I graduated last year and Marlo-"
"I dropped out, got my G.E.D and got handed the family business. Manage the hotel here, and several others here on the east coast." A shrug while Elzo chuckled. "Own the family business technically, but Marlo does some-" "A majority." "A great majority of the work. Soon he'll own it all and It'll be me running the hotel. It's kind of complicated."

It was.
"Our father gave it to me but..I really suck at it. Marlo's the one who has a business sense. I just look pretty." Elzo sniffed the. "Daphne, dinner ready yet?"

For a moment she listened to them speak, listening more than anything. Hell hell, the brothers owned a hotel? a CHAIN even. That was a surprise to her, how wealthy was their p***k of a father? He was seedy(literally) enough as it was, if he was out making babies with other women. Not that the blond much cared, she just was fascinated to learn anything about her random brothers.

Only here for two years, though? Huh that was weird, her mother made it seem that they had always been here.... maybe thats why it took her so long to find ANY trace.

"I doubt his arm would be very tasty, but if you insist..." Reaching out with a nod to Daphne, she did take a plate of the food. Helen liked to eat, she would not deny that. She did not poke around and nibble at things.. so she did grab a nice spoon of it. "Thank you, it smells great." Helen eyed the salad warily.... ew, green. Green meant evil. Green meant eating grass... Helen might be a lot of things, rude.. crude.. self centered... but she was someone whom gave everyone a chance. Or everything, in this matter. So? She did grab some of the salad, though not as much as the spaghetti. Damn she wanted to take a bite...instead she waited. Manners, how they sucked at times. "Which hotel do you own and run?" A pause.... Wait." ....How old are you? No offense, you just both seem a bit...well. Young to already own and run a business chain. Barely out of your diapers!" A look towards Daphne that almost said 'or are they?' with a devious look in her eyes. Stereotypes... gotta love them.

Daphne looked at Marlo quizzically for a moment before smiling almost a bit oddly. "I keep forgetting that you're younger than me. You always seem like the older one but nope. He is." A finger poked Elzo in the side just as he made the comment about long division, making the bluenette's mouth drop open in shock and then slightly playful anger. "Long division? Seriously? I mean maybe lambda calculus would be a real treat but...auuuugh." Her rant dissolved into helpless laughter, a world of patient suffering in her voice.

"It's okay. I know math is evil for everyone but me. Plus, what would you do if Helen was in one of my math classes huh?" Eyebrows were raised in mock challenge at Elzo as she started to tuck away salad and pasta with a fervor that was belied by her petite body.

Daphne never had quite been able to put on weight.