Realistic or Modern A Family Affair: The Irish Mob - IC (Ended)

[Misty Gray]

Ciara Hennessy and James Porter​

Though she had seen the exterior of the Porter residence on a few occasions, she'd never needed to venture beyond the front door and into the large house. The place was perhaps too large and too beautiful for what she believed necessary, as she didn't have much love for the wealthy and mid-upper classes. Still, she didn't dislike the Porters for it and believed if someone had to live in luxury, they should have at least worked hard for it. Ciara knew enough about the family to know they'd struggled to get to their current position. She knew about James' own childhood and the struggles he'd faced in Chicago, so believed him to be a good and merciful man. He was a criminal, but she could say the same about herself. Right now, she respected the Porters and she hoped they would continue to work in line with the needs of the Irish Workers Union.

From her seat in the back of the car, Ciara listened as one of her colleagues addressed Elijah. Her vision remained focused in the direction of the window as she watched them pass the streets and buildings by. She frowned upon hearing Elijah's rather nonsensical response and she shot the man a glance, long enough to see his distant expression. The guard took care of the situation before she needed to mention Elijah's medication. She'd reminded Elijah about the birthday party and had been quite active in ensuring he attended. She thought it would be good for him to see his brother, but also good for herself with regards to maintaining a business relationship and ensuring the Porters were on side.

When the car stopped in the driveway, Ciara stepped out on her own accord, having by now made it clear to those she knew that she didn't need anyone to hold doors open for her. In her hand was a narrow gift bag, containing an expensive bottle of Russian vodka, having known from past meetings that the Porter couple preferred the strong stuff.

James hadn't been back inside long when he heard his brother announcing his surprise arrival. James turned around to see the bulky younger man approaching. He briefly smirked as Elijah complimented his home. Though there was no sign of emotion, James was certain he was glad to be visiting the house. One could argue the serious facial expressions ran in the Porter family, but James knew there were other reasons at play behind his brother's lack of emotion. "Well, thank you, Eli. Let's hope the kids don't wreck the place by the end of the night," he remarked.

James had visited Elijah in prison many more times than his brother would realise. The man had usually been on heavy medication so often didn't have much idea of what was going on, let alone that James was there visiting and talking to him. After Elijah's release, James hadn't seen much of him at all. He knew he was affiliated with the IWU and that Ciara had formed a friendship with him, so he was at the least reassured by that. "How are you doing, mate?" he asked his brother, looking him over to see he had certainly kept himself in good physical shape. He briefly looked beyond Elijah to see Ciara standing back a bit, her way of allowing the brothers to interact with each other first. "I must admit, I didn't expect to see you here, Eli," he said, looking back to his brother. "Regardless, I'm glad you could make it."

Enzyme (Elijah)

 

[neverbackdown]

Alexandra Romano ​

Alexandra was a little startled by the woman referring to her as the ex and raised a curious eyebrow as the woman looked her over. Alexandra had no idea what was going on but she had to guess by the almost hostile tension that this woman was either into Conor or had been with Conor, possibly was still with Conor. Conor hadn’t mentioned being with someone when they had met yesterday but maybe he didn’t want to say anything. She nodded as the woman went to find a drink, still keeping the smile on her face.
When the younger boy spoke to her Alex turned to face him “it’s a pleasure to meet you too Leo” she said before looking slightly in the direction of where his sister had gone “it’s okay, I understand” she said with a soft smile, if her assumption was right than she could hardly blame the girl for that reaction.

Mallory Porter ​

Mallory had finished her drink and poured herself another before looking around the room. Her aunt was talking to Kieran, Conor and Peter had gone off with the little girl and her mother was talking to the new woman , Ali and Leo. She looked at the others conversing and shrugged mostly to herself before choosing to walk over and join in on the conversation with this new woman, hoping to find out who she was. As Mal approached the small group, Ali walked off clearly frustrated with something and Mal watched as she disappeared into the crowd. She was too close to her mother now that she couldn’t just stop and so she walked up to the group, deciding to talk to Ali afterwards.

“Hi Mom, And Leo how are you keeping?”she said in greeting as she looked at each. She had met Leo before and so remembered him for that reason and because Ali had talked about him to her. With a smile still plastered on her face, Mal turned to face the new girl “Hi I’m Mallory” she greeted.

Alex looked at the blonde child that had walked over and had to take a second look after she called Lucy Mom, the girl had to have been in her late teens at least and this confused Alex for a mere second before she brushed it off, she had been unaware that James and Lucy had adopted, but this girl was exactly like a younger Lucy. “Hi Mallory it’s lovely to meet you, I’m Alex” she greeted to which Mallory smiled.

Bellz (Lucy)
Melanin-Gxdess (Leo and mentions Ali)

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Leo wasn't away that he was holding his breath, waiting for some type of reaction from Alex until she reassured him it was okay. He knew Ali's behavior wasn't okay, but then again that was just her personality. He was grateful when Mallory showed up, giving them a change of topic to discuss. He remembered Mallory, although a bit vaguely. She was Delilah's sister, he knew that much about her, but she was near the same age as he which was great. When he and Ali were walking through the house, he saw younger kids running around and was praying he wasn't the only young adult.

"Hey, Mallory. I'm great actually. In my final year of Uni, so that's great." He said, mentioning his academics. Being a smart kid like he was, you graduate everything early. "How about you? How's everything?" He was doing his best to make sure the topic of what had just happened wasn't brought up again. For now, he thought best to just leave it until a much later time. Like, when all the guests were gone or whenever they got a moment to speak privately. ​

 

[Bellz]

Peter Callahan

Peter watched as the girls got acquainted, laughing quietly to himself at Emmy's outgoing personality compared to her older sister. Savvy was always much more cautious about new people and new surroundings, whilst Emmy barreled through head first and introduced herself to anyone. Peter, at the request of Emmy, moved to sit beside the young girl, pulling her close and smiling lightly as she questioned whether or not Lucy would let the dogs come live with them. Looking over at the pups, he knew the chances of that were highly unlikely, as much as they loved the kids and wanted them to have everything, the dogs were like children to the Porters. "I'm not sure how well that would go with Lucy, Em." He told her honestly and smiled down at her. "But the pups are always around here for you to come and play with, only a short walk away." He reminded his daughter before looking to see Savvy conversing with Michelle.

It was comical to already see the resemblance of both sides, the children didn't know so yet, but they were playing with their cousin. Michelle was clearly Conor's child and it showed in the way she spoke and carried herself, even though Conor hadn't been around in her life. Looking to Conor, he hoped that the man would grow use to this...he was so good at being an uncle that he didn't see any problem with the man becoming a father. Peter would certainly be there for the man if needed and he knew that James would do the same. Peter listened in as Savvy explained that there were more dogs around the house, snickering softly at the explanation of Pistol. "That's because Pistol isn't a dog, he's a rat." Peter teased, knowing that it pissed Lucy off when he called the Yorkie that; he wondered if the girl's would mimic that. "Duke, Lady and Sammy would eat Pistol!" He commented.
______________________________________________________
With:Conor Misty Gray ; Michelle neverbackdown Savvy + Emmy Mentions: Doggos!



Lucy Porter

Lucy's nerves flared as she watched the interaction between Alex and Ali, the tension that hung in the air was enough to choke her out but she knew it wasn't coming from Alex's end. The change of expression in Ali's face had Lucy squeezing her hands into fists with anticipation. Her lips parted as Ali openly called Alex, the ex before she hummed in deep thought. For once, the blonde didn't know what to say, but Leo quickly scrambled in to ease the awkward cloud that just rained on their parade. "Oh yes Leo!" Lucy said as she clapped her hands together, smiling his way. "It's lovely to see you again, and thank you." She told him as she eyed Ali, who seemed to have slipped into some sort of internal battle with herself. She raised an eyebrow, "Al? Lucy said gently and reached out to touch her arm, but Ali snapped out of her trance before she had the chance to and before she knew it, Ali turned on her heels and left.

Lucy let out a small sigh and a shocked look held her expression. The shock soon faded and was soon replaced with a calm and collected face, not wanting to address the awkwardness at the moment and in no mood to reprimand Ali at the moment. Hearing footsteps, Lucy turned to see Mallory approaching and smiled lightly at her daughter. "Hello Love," Lucy said softly to her. The blonde caught the look Alex was giving Mallory, as if she was trying to figure out the math on how the hell Lucy and James had a 17 year old daughter. This made Lucy chuckle slightly and just as their pleasant introductions were done and Leo began speaking with Mallory, Lucy leaned in to speak quietly with Alex. "We have three; Delilah, Arlo and Mallory...all adopted." She explained to her, before leaning out and looking towards her daughter who resembled her greatly. "But I love them as much as I would my own, they are my children." A proud look settled on her face before Lucy looked to where her husband had walked off to, wondering if she should go check on him. Parties like this weren't necessarily his favorite, she appreciated him pulling this together for her. It was nice to have a big event inside the comfort of their home, as events that happen anywhere outside of it tend to be more misses than hits.

______________________________________________________
With: Alex + Mallory neverbackdown ; Leo Melanin-Gxdess Mentions: James Misty Gray ; Ali

 

[Misty Gray]

Conor Sullivan
Savannah and Emery Callahan​

Conor struggled to hide his smirk when Michelle repeated a swear word she'd likely heard from Alex. It wasn't until the moment had passed that he wondered if he was meant to tell her not to say the word "shit" but then he decided he'd just be a hypocrite to do so, given that it amused him and he's the primary source for his nieces & nephews picking up such words. It then crossed his mind that he would have to change that mindset if he were to be a positive role model and try not to swear around Michelle.

Savannah blushed a little when Michelle complimented her name. "Thank you. My mum gave me my name," she proudly explained. She looked to Michelle and shyly smiled as she spoke of her own nickname. "I think Shelly is a good name and it sounds a bit like Savvy so I don't think we need to think of a different one." Savvy's eyes opened wider when Michelle said she had a dog too and was about to comment on how cool that was when Emery spoke up.

Emery had listened to Peter explain about the dogs belonging to the Porters. "Yes, that's alright. I can come here to play with Lucy's doggies," she agreed. When she heard Michelle mention her dog, Emery practically bounced in the seat. "Wow, Rocco! You should have brought him," she excitedly told her. When Peter explained that Pistol was a rat, Emery started laughing out loud to herself. "He's not a rat, daddy! He's just a very tiny doggy."

"Yeah, Pete. Shall I call Lucy over and tell her you called her dog a rat?" Conor asked, a teasing smile on his face. "She'll evict your from her party!"

Savannah grinned at Peter's comment and then Conor's subsequent teasing. She was then snapped out of her amusement when Michelle asked if the dogs could do any tricks. "Yeah, they can do tricks. Uncle James gets them to do the cooler things, but they do some for me too. Savvy faced Samson and made sure she had his attention. "Samson. Hug," she commanded the dog, to which the dog sat up and then placed his front paws on each of the child's shoulders. "Snuggle," she added, to which he rubbed his face on the side of Savvy's. She let the Rottweiler sit back down so she could bring her attention to Lady. "Lady. Roll over," she commanded, and the German Shepherd rolled over on the ground. "Tickle!" Lady rolled onto her back so her belly was exposed to be tickled. "You can tickle her, Shelly," Savvy softly suggested.

"Yayyy!" Emery cheered and clapped her hands together as she watched from her spot on the bench. "Hey, M'Shelly," she addressed Michelle. "Where's your mummy and daddy? Are they here?!" she curiously asked, never one to shy away from being nosy. "Will they bring Rocco next time?"

Conor shifted awkwardly in his seat at Emery's question and looked to Peter to see if it was that obvious. He wondered if Alex would come out to join them, perhaps help him to address this situation. It was in this moment that he wished he could just tell Michelle the truth, but he wasn't sure this was an appropriate place and Alex wasn't there if the girl got upset. And Savvy and Emery would likely be quite confused or over-excited by it and risk overwhelming Michelle. "You ask a lot of questions, Emmy," Conor said, playfully ruffling his niece's hair.

"That's because I'm a kid and I'm learning. I can ask whatever I want!" Emery replied, sticking out her tongue and poking Conor in the arm.


neverbackdown (Michelle, Alex) Bellz (Peter, Emery)

 

[neverbackdown]

Mallory Porter ​

Mallory smiled at Leo as he started talking to her and turned slightly to face him so that she was giving him her full attention. She could see what Delilah found in him, he was quite the looker and he seemed to be a genuinely nice person.
“Final year, wow that’s impressive, I’m only going to be starting UNI, I still don’t know what I want to do and the deadline is so close” she said as she bit her lip. Mallory really didn’t have a clue what she wanted to do in college, she loved English and had considered that for a while but she also had a flare for psychology , she really needed to figure that out soon but tonight really wasn’t the time for that so she brushed the thought to the back of her mind to think about at a later more appropriate time.

“What were you doing again?” She asked him genuinely interested “and are you happy about finishing?, I say final year is tough” she added in afterthought. Mallory took a sip of her drink before suddenly realizing that Leo had obviously just arrived. “Do you want a drink?” She asked him

Melanin-Gxdess

 

[Shireling]

Kieran Joyce

​

After his chat with Sinead, Kieran bid her ado for the time being and walked off to other regions of the party. Four glasses in, Kieran knew his limit and was left with a warm buzz that put him in a gracious, happy, and spontaneous mood. Even if he was drunk, he had a reputation for being a happy drunk anyways. He rounded up the old band again, as it were, and asked the thin man what other songs he knew.

"Well," said the tall Welsher ponderously, "I know 'The Flowers O' Edin-borough' and 'The Wark o' the Weavers'." He supplied. Kieran shook his head. "All Scottish, don't you have anything Eire in your repertoire? Maybe something American, that's the neutral party here."

The Welsher thought. American music... "Well, what about 'Sweet Adeline'?" He asked.

"Too 80's for my taste," Kieran responded. "Something more recent maybe."

"Elvis?"

"No," Kieran said, waving that suggestion away physically with his hand, "that troubadour can stay in Tennessee for all I care. Maybe Cole Porter?"

"'Begin the Beguine'?"

Kieran sighed, then perked up a bit. "I think that would work just fine." He smiled and tapped the piano cover with a small decorative piece of wood that was sitting on top of the instrument, like a maestro preparing the band. They warmed up a few times while waiting for the current record to play its way through on the phonograph, then they started in to fill the silence. Kieran sang the lead tenor and the plump Irish guard was an acceptable bass.

Spoiler: Lyrics if you really wanna know

When they begin the beguine
It brings back the sound of music so tender
It brings back a night of tropical splendor,
It brings back a memory ever green.

I'm with you once more under the stars,
And down by the shore an orchestra's playing
And even the palms seem to be swaying
When they begin the beguine.

To live it again is past all endeavor,
Except when that tune clutches my heart,
And there we are, swearing to love forever,
And promising never, never to part.

What moments divine, what rapture serene,
Till clouds came along to disperse the joys we had tasted,
And now when I hear people curse the chance that was wasted,
I know but too well what they mean;

So don't let them begin the beguine
Let the love that was once a fire remain an ember;
Let it sleep like the dead desire I only remember
When they begin the beguine.

Oh yes, let them begin the beguine, make them play
Till the stars that were there before return above you,
Till you whisper to me once more,
Darling, I love you!
And we suddenly know What heaven we're in,
When they begin the beguine

 

[nymphadora.]

.

delilah porter

☆ where:
home

☆ with:
mallory / leo

☆ tags:
neverbackdown Melanin-Gxdess

delilah woke up earlier to help her father with his special surprise, running around the town with her hands full of items. as the day flew by and quickly turned into night, delilah started to get ready for her mother's birthday. she dressed her petite body in a black dress with the skirt puffing outwards and decorated in black spots to match the pure black top. she tied her long hair into a bun before leaving her room to join the others. delilah plastered a smile on her lips as her eyes flickered towards mallory, noticing her talking with leo.

leo and delilah's relationship was not well known in the porter family; delilah deciding it was best that her siblings knew first and then tell her parents at the right time. delilah stopped next to leo as they spoke about university. "hey, sorry i'm late." delilah apologised and blushed, giving leo a small peck on his cheek. "you look amazing, both of you." she nodded to both of them.

witchery™

​

 

[neverbackdown]

Alexandra and Michelle Romano ​

Alexandra watched as the two young teen talked, she couldn’t help but notice the similarities between Lucy and Mallory. When Lucy spoke to her, Alex slowly nodded her head glad to now understand the relationship. “She’s the image of you Lucy” Alex commented giving Lucy a smile “but I am delighted for you , I look forward to meet the other two” she added before following Lucy’s gaze towards where her husband has gone. “I better go make sure Michelle is behaving herself, go find James and I will talk to you later” she told her before making her exit towards when Conor, Peter and Michelle left earlier.


Michelle grinned when Savvy said she liked Shelly, even going as far as to compare the two names “thank you, I’ll keep it so” she said with a little giggle. After mentioning Rocco she saw the excitement on Savvy’s face but It was Emery who spoke up first, Michelle turned to face Emery with a soft smile “I’ll bring him next time” she promised, Michelle hoped that there would be a next time and now she could use Rocco as an excuse to see the girls again.

Michelle directed her attention back to Savvy and the dogs when she began to do tricks with them “wow that’s so cool” she said excitedly as she watched the dogs respond the Savannah’s words “you have to help me teach Rocco when I bring him here” she told her an air of seriousness in her tone. When Savannah told her that she could tickle the German Shepard, Michelle grinned and excitedly took up the offer.

When Emery spoke up again, Michelle turned to face her but was taken slightly a-back by her question “eh my mams inside” she said as she tried to come up with a response for where her father was, she knew Emery would not understand that Michelle didn’t know. She frowned as sadness showed on her expression for a few seconds before she quickly wiped it off and replaced the frown with a smile as Conor seemed to come to her rescue and distract the young girl but Michelle knew that it was only a matter of time before the question was asked again. Looking back towards Conor, Emery and Peter , Michelle suddenly saw a familiar face and grinned as she waved excitedly “Mam! Mam! They have dogs” she cheered and Alex smiled as she approached them.

“Aw they’re lovely dogs” Alex said with a smile as she came to a stop beside Conor . She looked at the other two children present “you must be Savannah?” She asked looking at the older child with a soft smile “and you must be Emery?” She added smiling at the cute little girl sitting beside Peter. “I’m Alex, I’m Michelle’s mammy and a friend of Conor’s” she introduced herself to the two kids, Alex had a voice that she used when talking to children, a friendly, soft and inviting tone would be heard in her voice .

Alex then turned to Conor “you ok?” She asked him quietly before speaking a little louder so that Michelle would hear “and is she behaving herself?”.

Michelle smirked when her mother asked was she behaving and crossed her arms over her chest “I always behave” she said pretending to be insulted by her mother’s question. Alex shook her head, holding in a laugh “I was just making sure” she added

Misty Gray
Bellz

 

[Misty Gray]

Sinead Callahan​

Sinead had felt a little disheartened when Kieran didn't answer her about their shared grandparents, but she decided that perhaps it was for the best. If they didn't like Shannon, then why would they care much for her children? When her cousin got up to go sing some songs, Sinead remained in her seat as she finished her drink. It was only now she was alone and not in a social situation to distract her that she had time to think. It was when her family got together for this kind of celebration that she thought of the bad memories she retained from her past. Usually, it was her father's death that surfaced to the front of her mind. It was almost 11 years since her father was gunned down at his own birthday party and that night remained fresh in her mind, as though it had been just yesterday.

As she stared into her empty glass, Sinead was taken by surprise as Braden suddenly spoke up. She looked ahead to see her son standing in front of her. "Hey, Brady. Are you enjoying yourself?" she asked, putting on a smile for the boy.

"Yeah. I wanted to play with Arlo, but I can't find him." Brady sucked his fizzy drink through the straw as he pondered his next words. "Does Uncle Conor have a daughter? I heard him talking to dad and I think that's what I heard."

Sinead could help but laugh when she heard Braden's question. "No, little man. Conor doesn't have a child. I think we'd all know about it by now if he did," she assured him. She sat forward and smoothed out her son's hair. "You must have misunderstood, which is why you should never listen in on other people's conversations. Remember that, okay?" she firmly told him. She stroked Braden's cheek before pulling him close for a cuddle. "Now, you go and play."

"Alright, mum. I'm going to look for Arlo again," he told her, before rushing off in search of his cousin.

Sinead stood up and took her empty glass so she could get a refill. She was looking forward to giving Lucy her present and to seeing what James' surprise for Lucy was. As she made her way to the drinks table, Sinead saw Aliana approaching. "Hey, Ali!" she brightly greeted her friend. She then pulled her in for a hug. As she stepped back from the embrace, she looked her friend in the eyes. "Ali, are you okay? You look a little troubled," she asked, her own face reflecting her concern.

Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana)

 

[Enzyme]

Eli Porter

​

Eli nodded his head lightly, running his gaze around the elegant scenery. "Ol' tough James livin' in a castle now..." His eyes fell on Lucy, before returning back to James. "He's got a beautiful wife, and men to wipe his own arse for him." Eli was glad to see that James was doing well for himself, but he couldn't ignore the fear of losing his older brother to the filthy wealth of the upperclass. He spent the better part of his day slicing rich people throats and running their pockets for pounds, people who lived like James, like royalty. "I haven't seen you in fifteen years, you haven't gone soft, have ya'." In reality, it had only been two years since they had last talked, but that medication was simply Anti-Tremor and Antipsychotics, not magic that would suddenly cure his disabilities.

It was obvious how uncomfortable he was infront of all James' wealthy friends. They wore jewels around their necks and fitted themselves with expensive tuxes, watches that probably cost more than Eli's rent. While he stuck out like a sore thumb, wearing a cheap, 30 pound suit that Ciara had forced him to wear in the first place. Despite his face usually voided of emotion, a slight frown curled on the bottom of his lips. The slight tap of a shoulder caterer as he moved ignited the flames in Eli's retinas. "Oi, watch it wanker," Eli gritted through his teeth, hoping the caterer would stand up for himself. Instead the man kept casually strolling as if he didn't hear him, which pissed Eli off even more. If he weren't in the presence of his older brother, he would cut the blokes tongue out.

Misty Gray (James)

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Leo turned his attention to Mallory before scratching his head. "Uh, just a bunch of math stuff. Accounting, stats, things of that nature. I like numbers so it seemed a good match." He stopped himself before he could start rambling. He could feel it coming on, as it usually did when he spoke about his chosen major. When she brought up him finishing, he could only smile and shrug. "Oh I'm ecstatic. I'll finally be able to get a full 8 hours of sleep instead of a quick power nap." He joked. That's how his years at Uni had given him. Sleep deprivation and the skill to nap anywhere at anytime and wake up to be functional. He shook his head and declined her offer. "No thanks, I'm good."

Since Leo's arrival at the Porter residence, he wondered where Delilah had been. After all, he wanted to see his girlfriend after 8 long months away. Letters and calls hadn't been enough to tide him over, but he had hidden it exceptionally well. When she walked over and kissed his cheek, he gave her a curious look before placing his arm around her. Since she's displaying affection, he thought, so can I...? He was still nervous and tried to keep his cool as he returned her kiss on her head. "And you're looking radiant, Del."

Sinead's hug was needed, but unexpected to say the least. When she hugged her, Ali stood ridged until she figured out what was going on. 'Sinead is hugging you,' she thought to herself before hugging the woman back. Ali was truly out of it today and she didn't know what was the cause. Picking up a glass, she filled it close to the rim and looked around for any children before she drowned the whole glass. "Couldn't let the kiddos see, huh?" She told Sinead before answering her question. "Am I okay?" She echoed before giving her a soft smile. "Of course I am, why wouldn't I be?" She asked, shaking her head and filling her cup back up again, same as the first. "I am having a great time, I'm sure Leo is having a great time, you! You look like you're having a great time." The way she said great sounded like it was forced as she downed the glass again. She was drinking faster than she meant to at the moment, clearly troubled by Alex's appearance.

What irritated her the most was the fact that she didn't even know why it was all bothering her so much. So what, your sex buddy is a dad and has a kid. Big whoop. But, it may have been because of the change that it brought in her own life. She used Conor as a way to run from her problems, as well as alcohol. Only difference, one was better for her health wise and the other was damaging her liver. She was going to have to find a new partner, perhaps. But like I said; Ali was not fond of change.
​

 

[Misty Gray]

James Porter​

James shrugged his shoulders when Elijah mentioned him living in a castle. "What's wrong with your big brother living in a castle? I know I'd rather see guys like us sitting here than the politicians and the snooty rich folks. Don't you agree?" Both James and Elijah had lived in muck as children and both ended up spending time imprisoned. James would rather guys like him and his family had this luxury than most others who already did. He smiled at mention his Lucy being beautiful, but simply smirked and shook his head with regards to having men to wipe his arse for him. "Hey, I'll have you know I set this party up today and I only got in a couple of guys to serve us tonight. I figured if I had some help with the party more of us can get pissed."

"Of course I haven't gone bloody soft. Don't you worry about me, lad," he assured him. He paused as he thought of how long Elijah thought it had been since he last saw him. He hated that his brother had ended up the way he was, but he knew it wasn't Elijah's fault. He also knew he would never be magically cured, so the best he could be was patient and understanding. "I'm pretty sure it hasn't been that long, but fuck it. You're here now, right? My brother-in-law, Conor, has a couple of cameras so we'll make sure to get some good photographs of you with the family tonight. There's plenty of people to meet."

James could see how uncomfortable Elijah was at the party and he again thought it was something they had in common. Before he could reassure his brother, the caterer touched Elijah's shoulder slightly as he passed him. James could see in his brother's eyes that he wanted to react violently to the poor caterer's innocent mistake. It seemed like this evening was going to be even more stressful than James had been expecting. "Elijah, mate. There's no need for that, it was an accident. I'm not going to lie, there are some wankers here tonight, but I need this party to stay peaceful, alright? Lucy and the kids need this party to go well." James bit his lip as he looked around. "If anyone does anything at all to piss you off, don't lash out at them. Just come to me and I'll sort the bastard out."

James thought back to the woman who had entered the house with Elijah. "What about Ciara, huh? Are you on a date or something?" he asked, taking on a lighter tone.

Enzyme (Elijah)

 

[Misty Gray]

Sinead Callahan​

Sinead watched on as Ali filled a glass and then down the entire contents. She made a comment about not letting the children see, causing Sinead to raise a suspicious eyebrow. Clearly, there was something wrong with her friend. Ali then went on to say she was okay and having a great time. "I'm sure Leo is having a great time, but I wasn't asking him," she softly told her. She then watched Ali knock back another drink and let out a sigh as she folded her arms. "You are so not okay, Ali. People might think everything goes over my head, but it doesn't. There's obviously something wrong. What is it?"

Sinead knew Ali and Conor spent a lot of time together, suspecting it was more that just drinks and cosy chats. The fact that her brother wasn't around was curious to her. "What did my brother do this time?" she asked, rolling her eyes. "I keep telling him to stop getting so drunk and thinking he can just crash in people's houses whenever he sees fit to. Do I need to slap that pesky brother of mine?" Sinead didn't know Alex was back and she didn't have a clue about Michelle. Nobody had thought to warn her of what was going on.



Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana)

Conor Sullivan
Savannah and Emery Callahan​

Savannah quickly nodded her head when Michelle suggested she teach Rocco some tricks when she brought him to the house. "Yes, I'll do my best. If not, I'm sure my uncle James will help. He's so bossy, so I'm sure he can boss Rocco around too," she assured her.

Savannah quickly turned her head and shot a glare at Emery as she asked Michelle about her parents. She then turned back to Michelle as it seemed like everyone was okay with her little sister's questions. She smiled as Michelle said her mum was inside - excited to meet another adult. But then she caught the sad frown on her new friend's face as she avoided mentioning her dad. Savannah looked to Emery again and shook her head. "Emmy, you shouldn't just ask people questions like that. Shelly's dad might be dead!" she berated her.

"Woah, Savvy-" Conor began, placing his hand on Emery's shoulder to reassure her. He was interrupted from reassuring his daughter and his niece as Michelle called out to her mum, leading him to look to the side to see Alex. He automatically shuffled along in his seat, to make space for her to sit next to him if she wished.

"Yes, I'm Savvy," the girl replied to Alex, looking up with a smile on her face. "Hi Alex... Shelly said you'll bring Rocco to see us next time. Please can you bring him? I want to teach him to give hugs!" Emery had looked to Alex and quickly nodded her head when the lady spoke to her, but soon enough buried her head into Peter's arm as she was still dwelling on Savannah telling her off. Also, the thought of dead dad's wasn't something she liked much at all.

Conor smiled at Alex and nodded his head. "I'm good, how about you? I hope James wasn't giving you any grief back there, though it would give me a breather from it," he half-joked. He glanced back to Michelle with a fond smile. "Ah, she's been as good as gold. Certainly doesn't take after you," he quietly teased Alex.


neverbackdown (Michelle, Alex) Bellz (Peter, Emery)

 

[Shireling]

Kieran Joyce

​

"Fantastic, boys. Alright, now let's let someone else have a turn," Kieran said as they finished and got a short applause from those nearby. The three men chatted a good deal for a few minutes, empty but friendly promises to start a band and tour Europe. Then Kieran took his leave of them and them of him. He decided to retreat to the wall of the lounge and light a cigarette as he scanned all of the guests. He had noticed that another pair had come in, some woman and another who looked similar to James, perhaps his brother. He had heard that James had a brother who had been put away somewhere for a while. He couldn't guess his companion though, and the way that the man talked to James and the look on his face made him seem dangerous. He would leave him be. But, having greeted everyone else, he approached Eli's date and lifted his wide-brim hat in a salute.

"Kieran Joyce," he introduced himself, "I'm a cousin of Lucy's, from America. Are you a cousin as well?" He asked, stopping to light a hand-rolled cigarette from a silver cigarette holder and blowing smoke in the opposite direction.

Misty Gray (Ciara)

 

[Misty Gray]

Ciara Hennessy​

Ciara had continued to keep her distance whilst she observed Elijah interacting with James. She'd placed her gift for the Porters' on one of the cabinets so she wasn't awkwardly holding the bag in her hand. She took a sudden step forward as she overheard her friend calling the caterer a wanker, but luckily the situation rapidly diffused itself and there was no need to step in to minimise any further aggression. She didn't want Elijah to alienate himself from the Porters and she wanted to be able to stay at the house long enough to step into the party itself.

Ciara was broken from her gaze as she heard an unfamiliar male voice. He introduced himself as Lucy's cousin from America, which was enough explanation as to why she'd never set eyes on him before. "I'm Ciara Hennessy," she informed him. Her Irish accent was heavy enough to reflect the fact she'd never ventured beyond her home country for long enough to break her dialect. "No, Mr Joyce, I'm not related to any of the family. I'm a friend of Elijah's and I suppose you could say an associate of the Porters."

She leaned against the cabinet as she observed some of the guests in the distance. She then looked back to Kieran, managing a courteous smile. "So, tell me, how long have you been over from America?" she asked him. "And what do you happen to do for a living?"

Shireling (Kieran)

 

[Shireling]

Kieran Joyce

​

He settled his hat down on top of his head and held his cigarette between his thumb and forefinger, flicking ash into a nearby standup ash tray. "I just got in on a late flight yesterday from New York," he supplied, "and as for a living, I don't know that you could say I'm making one. I'm pre-ordinate for the priesthood. In a year and a half my diocese will give me a deaconate position and I'll hold that for a while until my ordination." He supplied, then held up his hands like he was being stuck up with a gun and smiled disarmingly, "I know, I'm a little young for such a stodgy life, but you know, this family needs a chaplain anyhow."

He grinned a small grin and thumbed in the party's general direction.

Misty Gray

 

[ReverseTex]

Tagging:

Mentions: - Anyone
OOC:

M O N T A G

Montag had always been a night owl, spending his nights reading the countless hours away, before falling sleep. Typically he'd wake up fairly early the next morning, and repeat the cycle. But, last night was different. He hadn't experienced murder before... And that, had thrown off his routine... Waking up near to noon, he enjoyed his coffee and daily newspaper, reading of his well-done job. So far, the police were handling it as domestic violence, but he knew James would know the details. The rest of the day had been low profile, getting ready for Lucy's party, as well as purchasing her present...


But, he had lost track of time, an oddity for the man who never forgot things. Sleeping in however threw off his compass, a excuse he could use validly... Montag dipped his head to the greeter, handing the man the precisely wrapped box, and made his way inside...

 

[Bellz]

Peter Callahan

Peter smiled happily at Emery when she easily agreed that it would be better for her to just come over to see the dogs, as the Porters only lived a very short walk away.This action was quickly followed by an eye roll as everyone told him that Lucy would kick his butt for calling Pistol a rat. "I call it how I see it mate!" Peter told Conor with a hearty laugh of his own, shaking his head as he did so. It was nothing against the little dog, he just didn't see the point of having one so small. The poor thing was bound to get stepped on at some point, dropped even with Emery being so young still. She knew that she wasn't allowed to pick up Pistol, but that also takes all the fun out of having a dog that small. Peter sighed lightly and carried on his point. "Fine fine fine, maybe not a rat, but definitely an accessory! All that dog is good for is biting ankles and sitting in Lucy's bag." He teased the little Yorkie even further, knowing that his daughters would definitely have something to say about that. Unfortunately, his children could not keep any secrets, just like most children, so he would have to be extra careful around the birthday girl. He knew that sooner or later word about what he said about the little dog will come around and he will be ready to either laugh hysterically or run away if need be.

Peter stayed silent as the girls got acquainted, only stepping in if he needed to. Looking over at Conor, he could tell how awkward he was with the situation. It seemed he was having a hard time distinguishing whether or not to parent Michelle. His thoughts went back to the pleasant little curse word that he heard slip past Michelle's lips earlier, she definitely didn't get it from Conor. Peter was curious to converse with Alex a bit more. Peter focused in back on the conversation and let out a small gasp as Emery asked some very personal questions, with Savannah chiming in that it was rude to ask because Michelle, and that her father might be dead. Seeing the look on Michelle's face caused Peter to chime in now. That's enough girls, how about playing with the dogs some more hmmm?" He asked, his tone stern and deeper than it had previously been. Peter looked over at Conor and wondered if he picked up on the change in Peter's demeanor when addressing the children sternly. The parenting lesson was put on hold however as Alex appeared. Peter smiled as Savannah confirmed who she was, but little Emery huddled into his arm so quickly that it pushed him back a bit. "Hey peanut, whats the matter? He asked softly, scooping her up into his lap and holding her close.


Tucking a curly lock of hair behind her ear, he smiled softly at her explaining what happened and what she may have done wrong. "Its alright Emmy, its okay to be curious...but you and Michelle should get to know other things about each other before diving into the personal questions. You aren't in trouble and no one is made, your sister is just making sure that Michelle doesn't feel awkward around us." He kissed his daughter's forehead before pinching her cheek. "Where is my smiley Emmy?" He asked softly as he poked her cheek this time, hoping it would make her smile.


______________________________________________________
With:Conor, Savvy + Emmy Misty Gray ; Michelle + Alex neverbackdown Mentions: Doggos!



Lucy Porter

Lucy nodded her head softly as Alex said she'd speak with her later, blonde curls bobbing as she watched the brunette head in the direction Conor and Michelle had gone. Lucy decided to take a quick break from all the formal socializing, sneaking off quickly to grab herself a drink before anyone could get her caught up in another conversation. Lucy sighed softly as she grabbed a drink from the bar, nursing the glass of bourbon in her had like it was her last drink on earth, she let her nerves take over for a short moment. That moment back there had been uncomfortably awkward and even those situations made Lucy nervous at parties like this. Taking a few deep breaths, the blonde had to remind herself of where she was and that her husband had continued to keep them safe for years. Still something along the lines of trouble tickled the back of Lucy's subconscious, something told her to keep on edge. Refusing to follow her instincts tonight, she shook her head and chuckled to herself. She was being ridiculous, that was for sure. Biting her lip, she made her way back to where most people were, this time however, something shocking and saddening caught her attention. Delilah was with a boy...not just any boy, but Leo. Leo was a sweet and brilliant kid, and Lucy would encourage the relationship he may have with her daughter. But she couldn't wrap her head around the fact that her daughter was hiding this from her. Lucy stared, perhaps a little too openly at the couple for another long moment. James had been right, their children needed to be reeled back in.

Sure, the Porter's had a very powerful reputation around Ireland, but just like her family learned all those years ago in Chicago...it could be taken away in an instant. She wanted her children to be open with herself and James. They had always reassured them that there was nothing to be afraid of and that if they were to be honest with them, there wouldn't be as many consequences for their actions (if they happened to be bad). Lucy wouldn't admit it to anyone, but it stung seeing her daughter so happily involved with someone and Lucy was finding out this way. She expected her daughter to be able to come to her, to be able to tell her things. Now she felt like they were hiding far too much. Bringing her glass to her lips, all that met them was ice, she hardly noticed she downed her drink like medicine as she was deep in her thoughts.

Pulling her gaze from her daughter and Leo, she quickly moved to the bar for another drink before moving to find James, feeling her anxieties peaking already, he was one of the few who could talk her out of her own head. Wandering around her own home a bit aimlessly, she had found him close by to where she had been before oddly enough, and with a new arrival. "James? Elijah? How wonderful to see you! What a surprise!" Her anxieties were put on the back burner as Lucy chirped hello to James' younger brother.
______________________________________________________
With: James Misty Gray ; Elijah Enzyme Mentions: Ali + Leo Melanin-Gxdess ; Alex neverbackdown ; Delilah nymphadora.

 

[nymphadora.]

.

delilah porter

☆ where:
home

☆ with:
mallory / leo

☆ tags:
neverbackdown Melanin-Gxdess

delilah felt her cheeks get hotter by second as leo returned her kiss. her heart fluttered every time she saw him just like the first day they met. "dad is wrapped up in his own little, thing," delilah murmured, pausing just before the end of her sentence with a tiny smile, "mom is busy with guest and mallory already knows." she said with a nod towards her sister.

her eyes kept glancing towards the other guests as she kept a secret eye on her parents, noting where they were and such. delilah adored leo and she didn't want anything bad happening to him, or have her parents separate them.

witchery™

​

 

[neverbackdown]

Alexandra and Michelle Romano ​

Alex chuckled when Savannah asked if they could bring Rocco next time so she could teach him tricks “he’s an old stubborn dog” she mused but a grin was on her face “but I think the three of you girls could teach him tricks” she added with a smile as she looked at the three girls in turn. “I will bring him next time with us” she agreed with Savannah.

When Conor moved over on the bench, Alex sat down beside him and watched as Michelle turned her attention back to the dogs. “Ah James wasn’t too bad, he was a walk in the park compared to what my father was like” she laughed before hearing the next bit of his sentence. “Ah now Conor, I’m not the only one with an act for finding trouble” she laughed along with his teasing. “You seem a lot calmer today, and it looks like the girls are getting on” she said , the last statement aimed at Peter and Conor together.

Michelle watched as the adults conversed before a smile took over her features “do you want to play chase or football or something?” She asked Savvy as she looked around the massive garden, it was definitely a good garden to play games in. “Emery?” She called as she turned around to face the child still nestled in her father’s arms. “Do you want to play too?” She asked her with a smile

Misty Gray
Bellz

 

[Misty Gray]

Ciara Hennessy​

Ciara's first impression of Kieran was that he was a nice young man. Therefore, it was a shame when the appreciation was lost when he answered her question about his profession. Her jaw tightened as she attempted to fight off any distaste from showing on her features. She was always very vocal in her beliefs but at the same time the younger man appeared decent, at face value. "I would hate to hazard any guesses as to what your family needs," she told him. "Unfortunately, I'm afraid you and I are more than likely to disagree when it comes to theological matters." Her father had not introduced religion into her life in a good way at all. It had always been used to try embed fear and guilt into her family's heads.

Ciara's attention was briefly brought to Montag as he arrived at the party. Though they'd barely exchanged words, she knew who the man was. Between religious figures and lawyers, the only thing that could rile Ciara up further was if cops started showing up at the party. Conway was dead, so she was at least comforted to know that slime ball wouldn't be making an appearance. As far as she was concerned, his cards had already been marked by the IWU, so someone had saved them the effort.

She turned her attention back to Kieran and offered him a smile. "I'm not sure how exactly things currently stand in America, but are you aware of the Magdalene Asylums active in this country? I'm curious as to how you feel about young women being enslaved and punished by nuns for doing no worse than what men freely do." Ciara wasn't meaning to be offensive, though controversy often escaped her lips. She just wished to know how Kieran viewed this injustice around them, especially when his own cousin, Sinead, had a child out of wedlock.


Interaction: Shireling (Kieran)
Mention: ReverseTex (Montag)

 

[Shireling]

Kieran Joyce

​

Kieran's jaw tightened. "As I recall they were an Anglican invention," he said nonchalantly, grabbing another glass of wine from a passing caterer. It was one more than he actually cared to have.

"It is a pitiable thing that some folks, even in God's church, take that old adage about an ounce of prevention as seriously as the Marxists." He said, assuming her to be one of those revolutionary left wing types.

"It is pitiable, however," he said as he swigged wine. "But there is no such thing as perfect people or a perfect church, only a perfect God."

To be speak truly, he actually enjoyed a bit of adversarial conversation, but he hadn't expected it at his cousin's birthday party.

Misty Gray

 

[neverbackdown]

Mallory Porter ​

Mallory watched as her sister walked over towards them, a smile on her face as she watched the greeting between Delilah and Leo. They sure were a cute couple and it was a shame that the two had to keep it hidden. “Thank you, and you look amazing Delilah” she said as she looked her sister over with a grin.

“I’ll let you’s get acquainted again after so long apart and I will find you’s later” she said with smile, deciding that they deserved at least a moment alone and also knowing that her sister would greatly appreciate this “but on a side note” she added as she leaned forward to talk to Delilah quietly “I think you should tell mam and dad, they’ll approve and at least you won’t have to worry about them finding out” she smiled at Leo once more before making her departure from the couple

(Open to interactions )

nymphadora.
Melanin-Gxdess

 

[Misty Gray]

Conor Sullivan
Savannah and Emery Callahan​

Savannah giggled as Peter continued on about Pistol. "He's good for picking up too. I think he'd even fit into my doll's pram," she said, trying to defend the dog. Though she was more than likely going to call him a rat at some point... and she'd totally tell Lucy it was Peter's idea.

Emery sniffled as her dad lifted her up onto his lap and hugged her. When he explained she wasn't in trouble, she quickly nodded her head and sighed. "I just wanted to ask," she mumbled. Peter than playfully pinched and poked her cheek, asking where her smile was. She tried to be stubborn and stay upset, but she soon let out a brief laugh. "I'm here, daddy," she said, looking up to him with a bright smile.

Savannah looked to Alex and listened carefully as she spoke about Rocco. "Oh, I think the three of us can teach him. Dogs can't be more stubborn than us. We'll totally make him do stuff," she firmly assured her. "Yes, please bring him... Shelly, make sure your mum remembers to bring him next time," she suggested. Adults were good at getting distracted and forgetting to do what kids ask them to. Either that, or they just didn't want to do it in the first place. Savannah had learned that by now.

Conor looked to Alex and smirked as she told him James wasn't too bad. When she mentioned her father, he had to actively stop himself from commenting on how much of a dick her late father was, but he figured there was no use in dragging up old wounds. "Well, I don't know who else you think finds themselves in trouble. Peter and I are model citizens, so it can't possibly be either of us," he playfully told her.

Savannah looked back to Michelle as she asked if they wanted to play a game. "Ohhh, can we play chase? I'm good at running but not good at kicking balls," she enthused. Emery also nodded her head, kissing Peter's cheek before hopping down onto the floor. "You two have to catch me!" Savannah announced and suddenly set off running to get a head start on them.

"I'm playing too!" Emery shouted out. "Don't forget my legs are the most littlest! Because I'm smaller!" she informed them, before comically running after her sister.

With the kids out of earshot, Conor felt he could be more open with Alex and Peter. "I am calmer today, but pretty nervous, I have to admit," he told her. "Last night, I got a lot of grief from everyone about my general life. Lucy, James, and even my friend Jackson had a go. Then I told Lucy about you and Michelle... she was really happy and excited with the news. I suppose it gave me more confidence, y'know?" He looked to Peter and smiled. "The girls are doing great. It helps that Pete's a top dad," he said, patting his brother-in-law on the shoulder. "Savvy and Emmy will make sure Michelle feels welcome," he assured Alex. He then sat forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he spoke to both Alex and Peter. "I think not telling Michelle the truth is harder than I thought. When Emmy asked that question about her dad, I just wanted to speak up..."

neverbackdown (Michelle, Alex) Bellz (Peter, Emery)