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

[Misty Gray]

Conor Sullivan and George Sanderson​

Conor looked to his watch once again and decided it was past time he excused himself from the meeting the four men were having. "Lads, you know my take on this. We need to start attacking and making those attacks count. Deliver real damage to those pricks." The tall man got up from his seat and let out a groan. "Meanwhile, I must keep good on my assurances and go out to maintain our defensive actions..." he began. "I promised I'd show my face at The Mayfair tonight. I can't be sure it's the IWU, but some guys were causing trouble there last night and managed to put the wind up the staff there. Sounds like those nut-jobs, to be fair. If any of you would care to meet me there, it would be much appreciated. Not because I can't handle myself, but because it's one of those poncy bars Sinny would drag us to and I'll probably die of boredom in there on my own."

With that, Conor left the meeting, reassuring the others he was on board with what they'd discussed and hoping to finalise some kind of plan when they'd all had time to sleep on it. He then made his way back to his own apartment, packing a bag of fresh clothes to shove it into his car to bring back with him to the Porter house after his tedious evening at The Mayfair. He then drove further into the city and parked his car across the street from the bar he intended on entering. After concealing a firearm and knife on his person, he checked the coast was clear before swanning across the road to the entrance of the bar. "Evening, lads. Everything alright, so far?" he cheerfully greeted the bouncers. The beefy men confirmed all had been peaceful so far and stepped aside to allow their boss to enter the building.

George listened on as Finn told him about the comatose child, his face naturally showing sadness for the little girl's plight. It made his heart ache to hear such a young person was going through such a problem and even more so that there seemed to be nothing that the doctors could do for her. He was about to speak up but Finn suddenly mentioned the waitress and drew attention to their empty glasses. "No, I think I well and truly blew it, mate. We're going to suffer thirst before she comes back to our table," he joked.

"I can see how delicate a situation this all is for you," George softly began, the conversation having shifted back to the doctor's troubles. "How clear are the parents on the prognosis? I know you will have to approach it with great sensitivity, but all you can be is honest," George suggested, though he was sure his lack of experience in the field and his simplistic outlook likely didn't present Finn with the kind of answer he needed. George was about to reach his hand out to subtly touch the other man's, but the sight of a familiar man - albeit one he'd never personally met - approached them. George cleared his throat and looked Finn in the eyes. "We've got company," he warned him, retracting his hand and folding his arms on the table.

Conor approached the square table Finn and George were seated at, recognising there were enough sides for two more people to sit at and pushing aside any whiff of a hint that the two men wanted to talk in peace. Before he could greet them, he beckoned over the waitress from earlier before she had chance to pass him by. "Lock up your sons, it's Chelsea," he cheerfully greeted the waitress. "I'll have a scotch and get these two lads whatever they've been drinking," he requested, chuckling at the flirty woman as she walked away to fetch their order. He then brought his attention back to the two men as he casually brought a chair to one side of the table and sat himself at an unoccupied side of the table. "Finn mate, how's it going? I've barely seen you lately," he told his dear cousin. He then turned his head to George and shook the man's hand. "Conor Sullivan... Finn's favourite cousin," he introduced himself.

"I'm George Sanderson," the other man greeted Conor. He already knew who the man was but chose to let the introduction play out naturally. He couldn't help but feel a little awkward at the sudden additional presence. It wasn't that two men couldn't be out having drinks together, but because he knew they were actually together and couldn't be open about that fact.

"Hang on! You're the guy Pete was in the slammer with, right?" Conor said, a smile forming as the penny dropped. He then turned to Finn and pulled a curious face. "So how come you're out drinking with him? You both out on the pull or something?" he asked. It wasn't an accusation, more Conor being inquisitive.

Bellz (Finn)
Mentions: Enzyme (Jackson) Fletchawk (Ryan) Shireling (Rudy)

​

 

[Bellz]

Finn Sullivan​

Finn gave George a small smile as the man pointed out that he could see how delicate this situation was for him. When asked about how clear the parents were on the prognosis, Finn shrugged his shoulders lightly, ”I’ve been so honest that I worry I’m passing the point of being brutally so. I can’t imagine having to go through what they are currently going through…” Finn shook his head slowly and sighed once more. It was really taking a toll on his own mentality, giving him a negative outlook on life. The doctor noticed George’s hand reaching out subtly to touch his but then he cleared his throat and retracted his hand suddenly, stating that they had company. Finn curiously looked around until his eyes fell on his cousin making his way to the table, grabbing the attention of the waitress that was currently ignoring the two other men.

Conor helped himself then to sitting in an unoccupied spot at the table, which Finn normally wouldn’t mind, he loved his cousin very much. Tonight was different and the man couldn’t help but feel slightly irritated at Conor’s presence. It didn’t matter however, he couldn’t blow their cover, it wouldn’t be far to George. Knowing this, Finn smiled widely as Conor spoke about not seeing him anymore. ”The hospital’s been kicking my ass, mate. You know how it is.” He told Conor before he watched his cousin introduce himself to George. Rolling his eyes at the whole favorite cousin title, Finn made a teasing face, raising his eyebrows as he said, ”I don’t know about that.”

Finn watched as George introduced himself and then Conor seemed to put two and two together. Knowing that he would be questioned about why he was out with George, Finn was prepared with an answer. ”We met while I went with Sinny to visit Peter.” Chuckling at the irony more so over Conor’s words, Finn shook his head. ”The last thing I need is a one night stand, mate.” His eyes glanced to George and lingered on him for a few seconds longer than he meant to before his eyes looked away. Luckily, the waitress arrived with their drinks, saving him from having to say anymore.

Though he wasn’t as thirsty as before, Finn brought his glass immediately to his lips, taking a hearty sip before removing it and sighing. ”Glad you got the waitress back, I think we offended her when we didn’t pant at her breasts in our faces.”
with: Conor + Georgie Misty Gray

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

Syd followed Skye's gaze as she looked herself over and noticed the beads of blood beginning to surface on the skin of her elbow. She laughed it off and blamed her injury on the ground, but he couldn't laugh with her. Sure, it was only a small graze, but what if next time it was worse? The IWU's constant attacks were beginning to wear him down, and the ways in which it was affecting him were now beginning to spread to those around him. That was the last thing he wanted.

Danny's voice sounded from behind them then, asking if the two of them were alright. In that moment, Syd was too embarrassed to look the man in the eye, so he kept his head down. "Yeah, we're fine, Danny," he spoke up, hoping their guard hadn't seen what he had done. It crossed his mind that it might be wiser not to stay out after all, and to tell Danny that they were ready to go home. But the second the thought popped into his mind, a stubbornness rose up in him and he frowned - to go home now would be accepting defeat. When he had first awoken that day, he had been only excited to be going on a date with Skye. Then, at some point between waking up and actually leaving the house his overactive mind had taken him down a negative path, leading him to believe, almost with some element of superstition, that something bad would happen to spoil their date. Now it seemed that the only thing that might spoil their date was his inability to switch off his mind and just enjoy some time with his girlfriend.

A moment passed, and he took a deep breath, looking out onto the sea. "We're fine," he repeated quietly, this time partly to himself. His sense of vulnerability was beginning to die down now. "I won't let them ruin our day together," he slowly drew out, reaching for his cigarette case. His voice was reduced almost to a whisper as he focused on relaxing. "It's just, when I was growing up, we always seemed to be so on top of things, and now...I don't know, it doesn't feel so secure anymore. Obviously there are risks to his business: people die, get put in hospital - it's never easy, but it's an occupational hazard, right? 'Cept..." he paused for a second, twirling an unlit cigarette between his fingers. "It only seems to be happening on our side. Much as I don't want to be like them, if we're ever gonna turn things back around I think we'll need to get on their level. They've had enough victories - it's gotta be our turn soon. I just need to see us win for once."

Syd slid his hand over hers and exhaled, feeling calmer with every breath he took. "Anyway, I'm sorry for hurting you. I was being stupid," he admitted, with a sheepish laugh. "I'll work on that. It's just you, me and the sea. No one's watching us...besides maybe Danny."

Interactions
Misty Gray Skye

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Aliana Cartwright

Ali couldn't help but shoot Blake a playful wink, followed by a laugh. It had been a while since she was able to actually laugh and it be genuine. She was happy that Blake was there to help her with it to begin with, finding her to be a fun companion to have. Her other friends both had children to take care of and while she loved that, she hated how limited they were. With Blake, well, they were both unmarried and didn't have children. They could do more and relate better and Aliana was loving every second of it. "Oh, I'm sure they would. I'm sure some part of them is thinking about during that meeting right now." She joked, getting her own things together.

"Of course, Blake. I really needed it." She told her, a small smile on her face. With everything that was going on, a distraction was nice. "So, thanks for this and you're also welcome." Putting her bags and everything away, she also started messing with her hair. She was unsure of what to do with it at this point, she so just but it up in a messy bun. Watching Blake gush about her hair made her laugh and for a moment her life was normal. Talking to a girl friend about hair ad going out. Only, this was rare that they got to go out and enjoy themselves. But, she wasn't going to think about the negatives at all. "I agree... I think I want to cut it or something. Leave it naturally wavy maybe?" She scrunched her face up as she made the suggestion.

Once they got to the diner and got settled, she picked up a menu. She hadn't yet decided what she wanted when Blake asked about her and Conor. Peeking over the top of her menu, she couldn't hide the smile that was growing on her face. Slowly putting the menu down and plafully looking away. "Me? And Conor? Welllll..." She took a dramatic pause before finally looking at her. "Things are great, in all honesty. I think... I've never really been in a situation like this before so it's still all new to me. But, it feels right and real." She wanted to say more, of course, but saying it out loud meant it really was real and she wasn't sure she was ready. "And the details of you and Jackson?"

Blake ( Bellz )​

 

[Misty Gray]

Sinead Callahan​

Sinead listened as Darius answered Peter's question, informing him that life outside was indifferent. By now it was obvious the man was someone who had been in prison with her husband, though she didn't know who he was or what their relationship behind bars had been. Hearing as the man explained how different it was to have more free will only made her think back to Peter. She'd been well aware of how little freedom of choice inmates had, which was why she'd tried not to suffocate Peter when he first came home and why she'd been so reluctant about how to approach him during their recent rough patch.

Hearing Darius speak of a prisoner who had been beaten up made her cringe on the inside, mostly due to the mental image of him covered in blood. To then hear that Darius was going to kill him if he wasn't released made Sinead feel a little uncomfortable. She'd been no stranger to murderers throughout her life, but the way this man presented his motive - or lack of - wasn't something she could understand. But knowing she hadn't experienced prison made her inclined to keep silent and as neutral as she could on the matter. The IWU were brought up and Sinead couldn't help but display a disapproving frown in response to hearing about those people. It seemed the man had at least one thing in common - that he didn't wish to bow down to those people either.

Sinead wasn't oblivious and had started to think of an excuse to leave Peter to talk with the man privately. She knew he would be holding back and unable to speak openly whilst she was present. Luckily, her husband acknowledged the fact first and asked her to go get drinks for them. "Of course, love," she said, smiling as he kissed her head. "I'll let you two boys talk..." she casually trailed off as she retrieved her handbag. She then made a slow walk towards the bar, giving the two men time to talk.


Bellz (Peter) Enzyme (Darius)

James Porter​

"Weeks..." James grumbled when Lucy told him that's how long until he'd be as good as new. Though he knew she was right, it still didn't make him feel any better about the situation. He knew even working out was going to cause him some struggles in the coming weeks, even if he was convinced he didn't have to skip any leg days! He managed a smile when she pointed out she and Thomas were there for him. "I know, love. I just also know that this isn't how the last couple of weeks were supposed to go. We were meant to be focusing on little Thomas - not on my injured arse."

James' attention was soon drawn back to Gwen as she spoke up to announce it was her time to leave. He observed as she handed Thomas back to Lucy. Hearing his wife point out how both of her boys were getting fussy, he couldn't help but blush a little. Still, Gwen pointed out hospitals had such an effect, causing him to nod his head. "See, Gwen gets it," he remarked. His features softened when Gwen thanked him for listening to her revelation. "Thank you for coming forward with the truth. Hopefully next time we see each other it will be in my own home and you can tell me more about yourself," he suggested, making it clear she was welcome to visit again. "You're right - flowers aren't exactly my thing. Food would be good. And whiskey. The doctors definitely said alcohol will help my recovery..." he joked. In all honesty, he was craving a few strong drinks.

Once Gwen had left, James turned back to Lucy, carefully reaching his hand to hold hers. He was feeling tired, but didn't want to waste too many moments sleeping when he could be awake with his wife and son. "Did that really just happen?" he asked the blonde, clearly still trying to process that he had a sister he'd never known about. He then cleared his throat. "How's everyone doing back home? Is everyone behaving themselves? I don't want Del and Mal taking advantage of our absence to sneak off out," he said. Lucy would know his words were aimed more at Mallory, seeing as Delilah hadn't managed to mourn for Leo before her dad was then hospitalised. "My Mum and Matteo... are they still settling in okay?" he curiously asked. "I was meant to be showing the kid the ropes. I hope he's not treating the house like a hotel..."


Bellz (Lucy, Gwen)

 

[Pyroclast]

Jason Costello

It had been 6 weeks since Jason had moved to Dublin by now, and his impression of the place was changing by the day. The bedsit where he lived was damp and lacked electricity, and his neighbours were hostile; he could make out every word of their frequent screaming matches through the thin walls as though they were standing right there in his own room, and sometimes when he crossed one of them in the hall they would try to drag him into an argument or a fight. In many ways, it wasn't much of an improvement from his life in prison. Suffice to say, Jason intended for it to be a temporary arrangement, as temporary as he could make it. But he wasn't done with Dublin yet. He had to remind himself of the reason he had come in the first place, which was to find an honest job as a performer. And something else, that he was struggling to let go of: the connection he had felt with Gwen. That they had left things on such sour terms wasn't sitting right with him at all. Since that night, Jason had tried to quash the guilt that he had brought on himself - after all, they barely knew each other. He had gone home with plenty of women before and never given them a second thought. So why couldn't he just forget about her?

With his living situation so dire, Jason spent as much time as he could exploring the city - especially at night, once his room became too dark to tell which bottle of alcohol was which. The area was still so new to him, and far denser than his hometown of Kilkenny, so he was eager to explore every corner of it. As for All That Jazz, Jason had so often almost stepped inside hoping to see Gwen again, but every time he had stopped himself and gone onto another bar. Unless it was just the alcohol amplifying her emotions, her reaction to his behaviour was so powerful in his memory that he was sure she hadn't forgotten about him, and doubted that she ever wanted to see him again.

Tonight, he had opted for a bar he had been into once or twice before. It was warm, with pleasant lighting and tended to be busy, which made it fairly easy to lift money from people without getting noticed. This time, however, he was simply there to drink. He had found a seat by the window and leaned against its wooden frame, whiskey in his hand, happily watching the people pass by him. When a woman with long red hair walked past the window, he nearly spat out his drink. It had been two weeks since the two of them had met and he had begun to believe, in this large city, that he might never bump into her again. Even though he had told himself she would never want to see him after what he did, the temptation to run after her was too strong; he leapt to his feet, downed his drink and headed for the exit. Before he could even get close, however, she walked right through the door and into the pub. Thinking perhaps she had noticed him, Jason froze and waited for her to approach him. Instead, she went straight to the bar.

A smile crept onto his face at the sight of her - all the happy memories he had of their night together returned to him vividly, bringing butterflies to his stomach. For a few seconds he simply watched her, savouring the moment before he would give in to temptation and receive the inevitable slap that she would no doubt give him. Of course, it wasn't long before he gave in, and wandered up to the bar, perching on a stool next to her. "Hey, you," he said, fighting back a smile. "Seems karma's come to get me, now. Go on, I know ye wanted to hit me last time - God's given you a second chance."

Interaction
Bellz Gwen

 

[Bellz]

Blake Walsh​

Blake saw the smile growing on Ali’s face and it was contagious. The woman looked away and Blake knew that her answer was going to satisfy her curiosity. When she spoke of things being great, the blonde was relieved and sat back in her bench seat a little further, the red leather sticking to parts of her bare legs. Shifting slightly, she looked down a the seat a moment, nodding her head along as Ali continued to speak up until she asked about Jackson and herself.

The blonde’s head snapped up quickly and she looked to Ali for a long moment. Her mind went back to the night at the carnival when Jackson and her were literally on top of the world, dreaming of the day when all they had to worry about was, as Jackson said, finding the perfect flat closest to the pubs. The pair was happy but the longing for a feeling of normalcy was something that couldn’t be denied.

”Oh you know, we just can’t seem to get enough of each other.” The woman winked before laughing lightly. ”It all just feels so natural with Jackson, so easy. We just click.” Her blue eyes looked out towards the sea, the pinks, oranges and reds beginning to fade away as night was taking over. ”I love him very much…” She trailed off before pausing, her eyes searching into the night before turning to look at Ali, amusement in them now. ”Oh god, listen to me... Before she could say more, the waitress came over to take their order. Blake ordered a #4 which was a double cheeseburger with fries and a shake, taking her appetite very seriously. Once Ali’s order was taken and the waitress was gone, Blake looked back to Ali. ”I have hope that our boys will get through this whole situation and that the meeting went well. I worry about all of them really…things are getting more tense than I’ve ever seen.” Thinking back to the days when she had been working for Ciara...it all felt like child's play now. And Jared, though intimidating enough didn't seem to stand a chance against Gideon and the connections he had formed within the IWU. The woman thanked her lucky stars that she was able to make it out of there alive without being hunted down like a wild animal, and though she had some connections herself within the Union...it was nearly impossible to predict what they would do next.
with: Ali Melanin-Gxdess

Lucy Porter​

Lucy took James’ hand as soon as he reached over to grab hers, holding it tightly in her grasp as she looked him over. He appeared to be very tired and she was about to suggest he try and rest when he spoke. A smile formed on her lips as Lucy nodded her head slowly, the woman was still trying to wrap her head around the whole situation herself but there was no denying what had just happened. ”Looks like you’ve got yourself a redheaded little sister too.” She said in a teasing tone, her eyes glancing down to Thomas as the baby let out a big yawn, causing Lucy to smile even wider. She continued to look down at him as James asked about those at home, wanting to know ever last detail.

She rocked Thomas back and forth before looking up at her husband, his words clearly aimed at their daughter, Mallory who was more on the adventurous side. ”Everyone is behaving themselves because if you didn’t already know, I rule with an iron fist.” She said with a small chuckle, giving him a wink. ”Mal and Del are hanging with Shannon so they are under a very watchful eye, as you know.” When speaking about Rayna and Matteo, Lucy sighed gently, her attention being caught once again by the suddenly squirming baby in her arms. He grunted softly and Lucy was quick to soothe him, holding the baby closer to her chest as she caressed his head gently. Once she was sure he wouldn’t fuss, she looked back up to James.

”Your mother is beyond worried about you. She’s been a massive help with Thomas and the rest of the children. And as for Matteo, I’ve made it clear that I’m not the maid. For now I’ve got him doing his part along with the rest of the children, I felt that should be enough for now unless you would like to give me any orders to relay onto him?” Before he could answer, Lucy gave his hand a squeeze, ”You can show him the ropes when you are well again…its incredible really, you taking the kid on like that…You never cease to amaze me, James Porter.”
with: James Misty Gray

 

[Bellz]

Gwen Sheehan​

One of Gwen’s favorite things about the city of Dublin was the night life, everything just seemed to come alive, the people, the environment…everyone’s energy mixing. The woman shrugged out of her light coat and placed it in her lap before turning her attention back to her drink, sipping on it lightly as her mind wandered. The visit with James had given her a lot to think about. She hadn’t been too sure how the whole thing was going to go, so when it turned out surprisingly well…she was in a bit of shock. It was a good kind of shock, a warm fuzzy feeling filled her to know that she finally had people that she could possibly rely on. It had been a lonely couple of months, and she hadn’t been ready to lose her mother yet, though she was sure no one would truly be ready for that. Her thoughts wandered back to the words James had said, about Erick getting what was coming to him.

The man seemed like one of action, he was head of the mob after all. There was a protectiveness that came from him that Gwen hadn’t expected. She would never ask her brother to fight her battles for her but if he offered…she wouldn’t push it away. Another thought came to mind, thinking of Eli, another sibling of hers that she’d just been informed about. The redhead was concerned for the man she didn’t even know, wanting to be able to do more for him already, wishing that she’d known about him sooner. She was so wrapped up in her own thinking that she hadn’t noticed the familiar man who had sat in the stool next to her until he spoke.

The woman jolted slightly before turning in her stool to look at the man beside her. The shock on her face was clear, as she thought she would never see the man again in such a large city like Dublin. That shock instantly wore off as he spoke of karma coming to get him this time around and was replaced with a look of annoyance. The redhead turned her head to stare ahead at the bottles on the shelves as he openly gave her a chance to hit him, or as he put it, God was giving her a chance.

Silence fell between them for a moment as Gwen lifted her glass to lips, assessing the situation silently. Currently, she was in a pleasant mood and right now, hitting Jason was the last thing she instinctually wanted to do. Not looking his way, a smirk formed on the redheads lips, ”God should know better than to waste chances on someone like me.” She said before setting her glass down. ”But apparently he sees something in you, given the chance he’s giving you now.” After another long moment, she turned in her stool to look at Jason. ”You’ve managed to survive the big city. Congrats.” She murmured, lifting her glass towards him lightly.

As hard as she was trying to ignore it, the attraction she felt towards Jason was inevitable. A part of her felt guilty, she’d just met with her brother, who was the notorious leader of the Irish Mob willing to accept his crimes…but she couldn’t do the same with the man before her. It was different, she tried to rationalize. Family was family, she couldn’t choose family. But her brother proved to her just a little bit ago that not all criminals were bad people, and from what she’s seen of Jason so far…he wasn’t either. It was too early to tell, but maybe if she'd just give him the chance.
with:Jason Pyroclast

 

[Pyroclast]

Jason Costello

It wasn't too late to back away and leave her in peace, but Jason had already made his presence known and even if their second meeting didn't go the way he was hoping it to, he at least would have taken the chance. The look on her face quickly turned from one of shock to one of annoyance, and she turned away from him almost instantly. He kept his eyes on her, however - he had tried to keep the image of her in his mind during their time apart, but now that he was finally in her company again, he found that she was even more stunning than he had remembered.

"Ah, now...I'm sure you're wrong about that," he said, when she told him she didn't deserve second chances from God. Her comment about him having potential in God's eyes put a smirk on his face - he was no angel by any means, and with the life he had been dealt, he had never felt like he had any divine entity on his side. Of course, he wasn't about to give her the slightest clue as to what his life had entailed. The possibility of getting a third chance with this woman didn't seem likely - he didn't want to throw this one away too. "You're right, though, that it's not you who needs the second chance here," he went on, his face turning serious for a moment. "I'm the one who blew it. I'm sorry for the way I acted that night, Gwen. I've regretted it every day since, so I have...Truth is, I haven't stopped thinking about you."

The woman eventually turned in her seat and looked him in the eyes. It seemed that she was making fun of him when she congratulated him for surviving the big city. He raised his eyebrows and let out a soft chuckle, to humble himself and show her that he was willing to make fun of himself for her. "Surviving...sure, that's one way to put it," he replied, deep down wishing she wasn't so close to the truth. Though she appeared to be joking, he was in fact only just surviving. He hadn't missed her raising her glass towards him, and no sooner had he realised that he no longer had a drink in his own hand than the bartender approached him, carrying a bottle of the same whiskey he had been drinking before. Jason winked at the man, who didn't hesitate to pour him another glass. Turning back to Gwen, he continued. "But Gwen, that's not the point of big cities, 'least not in my experience. I didn't come here to survive, I came here to live. That night that we met, hearing you sing, dancing wit' ye - that was livin'. That's what I wanted out of this city."

He accepted the glass from the bartender and thanked him, keeping his eyes on Gwen all the while. Finally he raised it to her. "So, uh...here's to you. To chance encounters, and livin' it up in the big city."

Interactions
Bellz Gwen

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

The two women sharing their relationships with each other was a great way to bond. As Blake told her about herself and Jackson, she put her arms on the table and leaned in, as if she were hearing a secret. She liked hearing about this and she could definitely tell how infatuated she was with him. To be honest, seeing it gave her some kind of hope that she could achieve the same kind of feeling. When Blake stopped, she blinked at her a few times. Her mind was lost in paying attention that she hadn't expected her to stop. She was going to let her go on and on for however long she wanted. Before she could recover, a waitress came by to take their order. Because of her poor eating during her initial grieving period, Ali hadn't had that much of an appetite. Therefore, an order of fries and a vanilla milkshake was going to be enough to satisfy her. After the waitress looked her over, raised her eyebrows and asked if she were sure, she left the two women to themselves.

Things turned a little more serious when she mentioned worrying about their boyfriends. She nodded her head in agreement, having thought the same thing. "Me too. I just need them to be careful... Conor more than anyone else, given his temper." Ali tapped her temple at the mention of his temple, in complete understanding of it. Afterall, she was trying her best at the moment to surpress her own. Maybe it was the day or the beautiful withering sunset outside, but she was feeling more calm and cool than she had in the past few weeks. She crossed her arms and looked out the window watching the sun disappear, her mind now distracted. The IWU had taken a lot from her; a lover, a brother, and now possibly her peace of mind in just a short time span. She knew none of it was personal to her, but she couldn't help but think this was karma from her past life in America. While she wasn't the cause of any deaths, she did play a part. "I have no doubt in my mind that the IWU will be taken care of. Our boys will take care of it, of course but," she paused and looked at Blake, a seriousness in her face and voice. "We have to help the best we can. I can't lose anyone else, Blake." She started biting gently on her nail and spoke almost in a whisper.

"I can't lose Conor or I'll lose myself."

​

Blake ( Bellz )

 

[Bellz]

Blake Walsh​

Blake nodded her head in understanding as Ali said that Conor needed to be careful more than anyone else, the man definitely had quite the temper. Ali crossed her arms then before looking out the window, a silence falling between the two of them for a moment as it seemed that she got lost in her own thoughts. Blake couldn’t blame her, she would have a lot on her if what happened to Ali happened to her. The blonde looked down at the empty table before her and lifted a hand to trace shapes against the texture with her fingernail lightly, waiting until Ali was ready to speak again.

She didn’t have to wait very long, for the woman spoke up, saying that she had no doubts that the IWU would be taken care of. Nodding her head along, Blake couldn’t agree more. Ali’s paused again, her face turning serious before speaking again. Helping was something that Blake planned to do all along, whether Jackson liked it or not. Her brows furrowed together as Ali spoke, her words hitting home with the blonde as she shook her head. The once strong voice that Ali used was now almost a whisper as she continued to speak, saying that she couldn’t lose Conor or herself.

Blake was determined to make sure that Ali didn’t feel anymore pain. The pair had grown closer and closer to one another and Blake was as loyal as a dog when it came to her good friends. Conor and Ali were her good friends, Jackson’s good friends and neither herself or Jackson would let this shit continue.

Reaching a hand forward, Blake touched Ali’s lightly as she tilted her head to the side, a frown revealing itself on her face. ”Oh Al, its going to be okay.” She murmured softly. ”We are going to help them the best we can, like you said. No one else is going to die at the hands of those bastards.”
with: Ali Melanin-Gxdess

Gwen Sheehan​

Gwen wasn’t expecting the man to reveal to her that he hadn’t stopped thinking about her. She didn’t know what to think as her heart thumped harshly in her chest. She listened with interest as he spoke of surviving in the city. There was something about the way he spoke that was…off? She worried that she may have offended him as she held her glass in the air towards him, almost ready to set the glass down and excuse herself it he was in fact offended.

Relief set on her features as he turned towards the bartender to grab a drink before he turned back to her as he continued to speak. His words once again surprised her, mentioning that living was hearing her sing and dancing with her. The redheads cheeks turned a soft pink color as she tilted her head downward, her hair falling over one of her eyes softly unable to keep the smile from her face.

Once the man had a drink in had, Gwen raised her eyes back up to meet Jason’s biting her lip lightly as he raised his glass to her. She raised a brow as he toasted to her but smile nonetheless at the rest of the toast. ”Here here.” She said before tapping her glass against his. She then moved it towards her lips where she proceeded to take a well deserved gulp. Once she was finished, she set the glass down and propped her elbow against the bar, leaning against it lightly as she looked Jason’s way.

”I uh…accept your apology by the way…” She murmured softly. ”I realize that I may have judged you too quickly and that simply isn’t fair.” The good mood she was in helped ease the anger she may have felt towards Jason, also the slight guilt she was feeling. Looking at the man, she couldn’t help but once again notice how easy it was to speak with him, how interesting of a character he was. The redhead took a moment to look around them, the different people chatting and drinking away as music played faintly in the background, it was all so light and charming.

”I haven’t seen you around the jazz club, I really scared you off huh?” An amused smile formed on her face. ”I don’t bite that hard…and from what I’ve learned in the past, men seem to enjoy it.” The flirtatious tone she had used with him before was slowly returning to the surface as she fell back into familiar territory with him.

with: Jason Pyroclast

 

[Pyroclast]

Jason Costello

Jason was glad to see the smile on Gwen's face. After the way they had left things, he wasn't expecting her to be pleased to see him and if he was being honest with himself, he had missed the way she had looked at him that night. So far, their second encounter was going surprisingly smoothly, and Jason dared to hope that all was not lost between them.

Sure enough, she accepted his apology. Deep down, he was relying on her ability to look past his flaws - if he was ever going to admit to her the kind of man he was, or to the crimes that had put him in prison, he would really need her to not to judge him. Rather than thank her, however, he looked down into his drink, shaking his head. "Ah...I was asking for it," he shrugged, catching her eye again to show his sincerity. "Teach me to be a better date, won't it?"

Almost instantly, he realised that his choice of words could be misconstrued. He was supposed to be watching what he said, to avoid offending her again. But it was too late now, so he had no choice but to play it cool. It had just felt so much like a date to him - far more memorable than most encounters he had with women. The dance had broken physical boundaries faster than usual, prompting her to hold his hand in the street as though they were a genuine couple. Little details of the night like that, he had been unable to forget.

An amused smile played upon her face as she teased him about not coming back to the club. Just as he was about to justify himself, she teased him with an unexpectedly sexual comment about biting. He was about to take a sip of his drink but ended up laughing too much to dare raising his glass any higher. She was doing a good job of charming him - he found himself blushing, despite already feeling at ease in her presence like before. "Kinda went back on my word, didn't I?" he said, remembering how certain he had been to frequent the jazz bar where they had first met. "I wanted to come, Gwen. I just thought you wouldn't wanna see me - I didn't wanna harass you, since you work there and all. But God knows I had to try hard to stay away." He met her gaze with a flirtatious look of his own then. All the feelings were coming back to him, the ones he had blamed on the atmosphere and the romantic jazz tunes that had been playing at the bar that night. Now, they were harder to deny. He couldn't help but imagine what it might feel like to kiss her. "Aye, you couldn't keep me away anymore, Gwen," he admitted, voice almost reaching a whisper as he began to lose himself in her deep brown eyes. He let go of his glass and placed his hand down on the counter, suggestively brushing his fingers against hers. "I won't disappear again if you don't want me to."

Interactions
Bellz Gwen

 

[Misty Gray]

Conor Sullivan and George Sanderson​

Conor's grin remained as Finn explained he'd been tied up with his work at the hospital. "Ah, I don't doubt that for one minute," he replied. He then nudged Finn's arm as he displayed an expression that gave clear warning some form of teasing was on the horizon. "Nothing to do with the good looking nurses working in that place, right? There's one who's been tending to Jimbo when I've visited him. I'm dying to set you up on a date with her. She's a lovely lass!" Hearing Finn cast doubt on his comment about being his favourite cousin, Conor feigned offence and turned to George as if hoping the man would stick up for him. "Nah, I get it," he said, turning back to Finn. "Tinkerbell's your favourite, right?"

Conor turned more serious as he listened to how Finn and George came to being in each others' company, learning they'd met during Sinead's visits to Peter. He then nodded in agreement at his cousin's mention of not needing a one-night stand. "I know, mate. You've got a good heart and you'll find someone deserving of your love," he said, briefly squeezing Finn's shoulder in encouragement. His words were genuine, believing Finn deserved happiness more than most others he knew.

George couldn't help the smile that remained planted on his face as Conor sang Finn's praises. He agreed with the man's words and knew first hand how beautiful a person Finn was, he just couldn't vocalise it as openly as he wished to, given Conor's presence and his complete obliviousness to their relationship.

Conor accepted his drink from the waitress and took a sip of his alcohol, setting the glass down on the table as Finn spoke about offending the waitress. He looked back over his shoulder to briefly watch the waitress who had walked plenty of distance away from them. He then turned back to Finn and George before quickly nodding his head. "What's wrong with you both? She's got a lovely figure on her. You guys blind or something?" he playfully remarked. His expression soon changed neutral and he addressed the matter more seriously. "Honestly, though. She does make it hard to miss 'em, right? The lass is a worry, but you try telling her to tone it down and she'll not take too kindly to being "oppressed". Still, the fellas on the door look out for her." He shrugged his shoulders before lightening the tone again. "Come on, then. What the hell are you both doing in here, anyway? Don't you find it a bit poncey?"

Bellz (Finn)

 

[Misty Gray]

Skye McKendrick​

When Syd assured Danny they were fine, Skye looked up to the man and sent him a reassuring smile to back up her boyfriend's words. The guard nodded his head and slowly walked away, regaining some distance from the couple so he didn't have to hear their conversation with each other.

When Syd told her he wouldn't let the IWU ruin their date, Skye quickly nodded. "And they're not going to. They're not here and we can relax," she told him. When he went on to explain how things had been simpler when he was growing up, that the Porters had been completely in charge, she understood where he was coming from. She hadn't been with the family for a great deal of time, but up until last winter, she had seen how in charge Syd's family were. The city and their lives were relatively peaceful. "Your family will fight back, Syd. I'm sure of it. Your dad doesn't seem like a person who would give up, especially not now. They've pushed too hard and hurt too many people. The only answer is to fight harder and perhaps even dirtier. Your family has some of the most generous and kind people I have known, but they're also feared by many. I guess the only way this war can be won is by showing why people should be afraid, even if it doesn't seem like the most moral or fair thing to do." She let out a sigh. "I know you all have hearts and consciences... but if turning to darkness will prevent you all from losing more people you care about, then it's a no-brainer. Repent later..."

Skye shrugged her shoulders when Syd apologised for hurting her. "Don't worry about it, Syd. I mean, if it will make you feel better, I'll sneak a punch in next time we're both training," she joked. Skye moved closer to Syd, standing alongside him, and resting her head on his shoulder. "Just us and the sea... perfect," she echoed his words. She wasn't concerned about Danny's presence, having picked up on the fact he was doing his best not to listen in or intrude.


Pyroclast (Syd)

 

[Bellz]

Finn Sullivan​

Finn’s cheeks turned rosy pink color as Conor showered him with compliments. He truly felt he didn’t deserve such love from everyone around him, first George, then Conor…sometimes it was all too much for the Doctor. Thankfully, drinks had arrived quickly and Finn could easily distract himself with the cool liquid in front of him. Grabbing the glass, he busied himself with taking a long sip just as Conor asked what was wrong with both George and Finn. This nearly made the Doctor spit out his drink as his cousin eyed the waitresses figure.

Chuckling as he reached for a napkin to wipe at his mouth, Finn shook his head lightly. ”Now now Conor, some of us have this thing called, standards. Sometimes the woman has to have both a lovely figure and a lovely personality to match. You know how picky I can be.” He nodded his head at Conor, knowing just how well the man knew him. But in the back of his mind, he couldn’t help but notice how little his family really knew about him…

He wondered if this was how it was suppose to be forever. He loved his relationship with George, his eyes glanced over to the man for a moment as a smile formed on his lips. ”She certainly wanted a piece of Georgie here.” He commented. George must have been stronger than Finn, the guilt of lying to his cousin was beginning to set in but so was the fear of him finding out. The Doctor internally felt lost, at a cross roads on how to act, how to think…how to do anything at that point and it showed as he got quiet.

Conor’s question on what they were doing at the bar rang in his ears and Finn realized he didn’t really know how to approach the question, ”We…uh?” He glanced to George again, his eyes widening only slightly as he silently pleaded for his help. With years of experience under his belt, he was sure George knew better on how to dodge such questions. ”You know me Con, I’ve always been a bit more classy than you.” He suddenly said, deciding to give another jab at Conor to distract him from actually answering the question.
with: George + Conor Misty Gray

 

[Bellz]

Gwen Sheehan​

Gwen was impressed with Jason’s words, stating that he had been asking for it that night, his eyes holding a sincerity to them that she couldn’t deny. One thing he’d done from the beginning after she’d caught him was apologize, stating that he was wrong. That had to make him somewhat honest right? Gwen swore after her mothers death that she wouldn’t let what happened to her poor mother happen to her. Erick was a dirty cheater, liar and abuser. When she looked at Jason, she didn’t see that…but then again, her mother hadn’t seen it either. Actions spoke louder than words, at least in Gwen’s book, but she couldn’t push him away…

A smile formed on her face as Jason mentioned him being her date that night. The silence fell between them for a moment as his words rang in her ears. She hadn’t thought of that night as a date but there was an intimacy between them that she hadn’t had with any other man before, the way she held his waist as they rode through the bright lights in the city, he held her hand tightly as if they’d been together for years.

Another smile fell on her lips as he laughed at her dirty comment, getting what she wanted from him, to hear that laugh…she realized that she’d missed it more than she was letting on. His cheeks turned pink and Gwen grabbed her glass, a satisfied smirk on her face as she took a long drink. The glass was empty, so she tapped on the bar to grab the bartenders attention watching as he was quick to fill it up again. When Jason spoke of going back on his word, the redhead bobbed her head up and down, thanked the bartender before completely turning back to the man.

Hearing that he wanted to come to the club touched her heart. Understanding not wanting to harass her at work, Gwen nodded once. Kev wouldn’t have been too pleased with her flirting constantly on the job, she was sure that Jason would have proved to be a major distraction for her, as he was now. All the noise in the bar was fading away again and Gwen had to do a double take, glance around the room to make sure people were actually there. It was unique how the man before her seemed to capture her attention so easily, leaving her wanting to hear more from him. The flirtatious look that he was giving her couldn’t be missed and she knew that this wouldn’t be the last time she would be seeing him, at least she secretly hoped.

His voice lowered to almost a whisper, admitting that she couldn’t keep him away anymore. The slight sensation of fingertips against her hand, made her eyes glance down, seeing his hand on hers. Her heart rate picked up at the suggestive nature of the movement. 2 weeks ago, she had been firm with her decision but now Jason was breaking her. Biting her lip lightly, Gwen looked up at Jason through her eyelashes. ”As long as you still have that bike?” She murmured, a daring smile forming on her lips, ”Cuz without the bike…I’m not so sure.” Her tone was clearly teasing as she moved to grab her glass with her free hand.

”But if I’m going to keep you around, I guess i should get to know a little more about you eh?” She asked, ”So tell me something, unless you want to uphold this whole mysterious bad boy facade.”
with: Jason Pyroclast

 

[Pyroclast]

Jason Costello

Jason laughed again when Gwen implied she wouldn't go with him unless he still had his bike. "I'm just some thrill ride to you, am I?" he chuckled. Leaning against the bar, he then propped his head up on one fist, a look of intrigue in his eyes as he gazed at her. "That's one of the things I like about you, Gwen - your adventurous spirit. You've got a lust for life that a lot of people don't." The chemistry between them seemed to be intensifying by the second, and Jason felt like a fool to have thought he could give up on her. "Well anyway, we'll see...maybe tonight's the night I'll get to give ye a ride home."

Jason pulled away for a moment to reach for his glass of whiskey. Her question made him a little nervous; he didn't like telling people details about himself at the best of times, but her impression mattered to him more than anyone at that moment. Apparently he gave off a "mysterious bad boy" aura, which drew another laugh from him - yet, as much as he wanted to use that comment as an excuse to uphold his sense of mystery, he knew she was in fact expecting something from him. He took a long drink as he searched his mind for something he could tell her, then turned back to face Gwen, positioning his hand close to hers again.

"Ye wanna know about me? Okay, let's see..." he began, tapping his fingertips against the counter lightly as he thought. He didn't want to lie to her, but equally there was so much truth that he didn't feel ready to share. "Well, I grew up just over in Kilkenny. I'm an actor, and a dancer, as I guess ye already know. My Ma taught me to dance as soon as I could walk, took me and my sisters out of school to perform with her when the war was on. We were dead cute. She's a jazz singer, like you - well, 'cept there's no one that can sing quite like you, Gwen." Jason kept his head down when he spoke about his family. Why was it so often the first thing people think to tell someone about themselves, when it's such a delicate subject? After draining his glass, he looked back up to meet her eyes and sent her a smile. "Anyway, I amn't tethered to them anymore - we haven't spoken in years. I became my Nana's full-time carer, then when she passed, I came to the capital to try my luck. I wasn't expecting to get this lucky, though." He winked at her as he said this, before turning to the bartender and tapping against the side of his empty glass. It seemed he had managed to tell her enough without going into the gritty details, which he was glad of - he just hoped that much would satisfy her for now.

Turning back to her with a fresh glass of whiskey in hand, he raised it to her again and then took a sip. "Right, come on then, it's your turn now," he pressed, resting his head against his hand again. "You've gotta have been singing your whole life, too, right? You've heard my story, now let's hear yours. It's probably far more interesting."

Interactions
Bellz Gwen

 

[Bellz]

Gwen Sheehan​

At his observation of her, Gwen couldn’t help but blush and smile. She was very adventurous, which her mother use to say was almost to the point of recklessness. It got her in trouble a lot during her years in school, and certainly in her home where her stepfather took pride in ruling her life, easily angered and annoyed by her curiosities. The fact that Jason actually liked this about her was something she never expected to hear from someone, much less an almost complete stranger. He spoke of the possibility of giving her a ride home and the redhead had to admit the chance was pretty hide. Life was just full of chances tonight and so far, she’d taken everyone offered to her.

He laughed at her calling him a bad boy and she watched as he took a long drink, which caused her to raise her eyebrow only slightly, wondering what was going through his mind in that moment. When he finally spoke again, his fingers tapped against the counter, sorting through his thoughts. Gwen leaned forward with interest as he finally began to tell something about himself her right arm up on the counter she leaned her weight against it, getting comfortable. Hearing that he’d grew up Kilkenny wasn’t surprising, as she already knew that he was a newcomer to Dublin. She also knew what he did for a profession, which she really enjoyed…someone who was fond of the performing arts like herself. Jason spoke of his family for the first time, his mother and sister specifically. A large smile formed on her face, picturing a little Jason performing with his family. ”I believe it!” She giggled to his comment about them being dead cute, raising her glass to take a drink. Gwen nodded her head slightly as Jason said his mother was a jazz singer like herself, but the compliment he gave her caused the redhead to blush from head to toe, setting the glass down as she bashfully looked down at her lap. When she looked up, Jason was looking down at his own lap. Her head tilted in concern but the man downed his glass before meeting her eyes and smiling her way.

Jason went on to say that he hadn’t spoken with his family in years and a part of her was curious to know why…but that wasn’t a question for a first date…second date? Was this a date? She really hoped so. Gwen leaned against the bar again, listening as Jason told of how he came to Dublin. Again, his comment had her blushing and she turned her head away with a giggle. The man’s attention turned to the bartender and Gwen once again reached for her glass, taking a large sip as she tried to calm her racing heart. This man was doing things to her and all they were doing was having a discussion. It wasn’t like her to just have one night stands and although she hadn’t know him for long, it felt like he could be the type of man to do just that. After the past couple months, Gwen wasn’t sure if she could be hurt any longer, she wasn’t looking to get her heart broken.

She set her glass down again, her eyes looking at the smooth and shiny light wood as her thoughts consumed her. Maybe she was just being paranoid…she deserved this after what happened to her, it had been a long time since she’d been with a man, almost too long too remember. Gwen’s attention returned to Jason as he spoke, a smirk forming on her face as he rested his head against his hand. At his question, she nodded her head gently, letting him finish before cracking a small smile. ”I don’t know if interesting is the word I would use.” She simply remarked.

”Well, I was born in Chicago to my mother and a man I never met.” Gwen made a quick decision that it was not the time to tell Jason about the deceased man she called her father, or the fact that she had two brothers, one of who she just met today…oh yea and the fact that he was head of the Irish mob. The redhead felt like all that would scare away anyone, especially a man she’d just met again. ”My mother took me back to Dublin as soon as she could and I had the pleasure of growing up in such a gorgeous city. Before I could talk, I could sing…in my own little way of course, my mother sang to me and i would try to match her. Rumors are I was pretty cute up until I could learn how to walk.” She let out a small chuckle, her eyes down for a moment as if embarrassed to reveal this part of her life.

”Given my hair I’m sure you could guess, but I was quite the little troublemaker…not on purpose of course, but I was adventurous…like you said.” Gwen shrugged her shoulders, ”Anyway, my mom married another man who was head of three different law firms, “ She paused, clearing her throat as it was hard for her to talk about the man who ruined her life, ”he had the money to take care of us…but we didn’t get along.” Once again, she spared the man before her the bloody (literally) details and moved on. ”My mom died a few months ago and that’s when I moved out of the house, taking the only things that I could carry or fit in my car. I started working at the jazz club and was able to move into a small apartment on the west side.”

”And that’s me.” Gwen concluded, ”Not as interesting as you hoped I’m afraid.”

With: Jason Pyroclast

 

[Pyroclast]

Jason Costello

Jason settled down to listen to Gwen - it sounded like she was trying to soft-pedal her story by denying that it was interesting, but whatever she meant by it, it only left him more interested. It actually surprised him to hear that she was born in Chicago, for that was one of the places his mother had spoken so often of moving to due to its rich blues and jazz culture. Perhaps she had ended up there - he had never found out. Maybe if Gwen hadn't moved to Dublin, she would have found herself on the same stage as his mother...now there was a strange thought. But he kept it to himself, taking a sip of his whiskey while he listened to her recount her past. A smile formed on his face when she looked down, seemingly embarrassed at having told him about how her passion for singing started, and he tilted his head towards her to try and catch her eye, stifling a giggle of his own.

Jason nodded his head as she went on to tell him of her troublesome personality as a child, trying to spot parallels between the two of them. Being a troublemaker...well, he had only turned to crime because he had had no choice. Before that, he had been an angel. They did have their passions in common, however, and the thought of her singing before she could even talk made him like the woman before him even more. Jason admired anyone who could harness their love for a particular skill to the point of mastering it, and having already had the pleasure of hearing Gwen perform, he knew that she must have spent her whole life singing. Seeing that passion in others was what drove him to be the best that he could be at doing what he loved.

It was clear that it was taking Gwen some courage to talk about her step-father and how she hadn't got along with him, so he appreciated her openness. He decided not to pry, since she thankfully hadn't pried into the details of his life. She continued to open up to him as she went on to mention the recent death of her mother. Jason's face fell solemn and he sent her a look of mild concern, sliding his hand over hers and giving it a light squeeze. Although he didn't know much about her relationship with her mother, he knew firsthand how hard it could be to lose a parental figure, regardless of the quality of the relationship. It was something he had been through more than twice, and it saddened him to imagine this girl going through the same hardship.

It wasn't like him to care this much about someone he barely knew. He was a natural actor, a conman; he was used to feigning sympathy to gain people's trust. After many years of manipulating and conning strangers, he had earned a knack for it, so it wasn't unusual for people to be so open with him about their personal lives. Yet, this time, it wasn't an act - he found that he genuinely cared about Gwen, which he found somewhat disheartening. He was so used to flying solo, with no one to disclose his troubles to. If he followed through with his current feelings for her and they turned out to be real, then he could end up dragging her into a real mess. Inevitably, she would become just another person to lose.

Nevertheless, he wasn't ready to give up on her. Second chances didn't come often, so he wasn't going to throw it away if he could help it. "That's you, is it? Well, I don't buy it," he smirked, as he took another sip of his drink. "First of all, you're still cute. Second, you're still a troublemaker, and you're still adventurous - and ye will be even when your hair turns grey, so don't be usin' that as an excuse." Jason winked at her. "And last...you are interesting, Gwen. I reckon the most interesting person I've spoken to for a long time. Hearin' about you has only left me wantin' to get to know ye even more." He ran his hand up her arm affectionately and leaned in a little closer, a seductive smile playing on his lips. "Maybe in more ways than one."

Interactions
Bellz Gwen

 

[Misty Gray]

Conor Sullivan and George Sanderson​

George couldn't help but blush along with the smile that grew on his lips when Finn spoke about having standards and being picky. All the while in the back of his mind, he knew Finn had picked him and it filled him with a warmth he'd longed for during the longest of times. "There's nothing wrong with being picky. That's how you find the keepers," George casually reassured the doctor.

"Ah, you know I'm just pulling ya leg, Finn," Conor told him. He then followed his cousin's glance to George. Not only had he picked up on the smile on Finn's lips, but he noticed the reddened cheeks and fond smile on George's face too. "Ah, is that right, George?" he asked, in response to hear the waitress had been all over the man. He'd noticed how little attention George gave to the woman, though it could be purely as they'd mentioned; that pickiness and high standards were involved. Chelsea wasn't exactly a lady one would rush to bring home to meet the parents.

Conor picked up on the way Finn stumbled as to why they were drinking at the fancy bar and his cousin seemed to send George another glance that seemed a little suspicious. What were the two men hiding? He masked his suspicion with an exaggerated, dry laugh when Finn pointed out he was a classier man. "Ohh, is that so?" he remarked, continuing to share his eye-contact with each of the other two men. "I can do classy. In fact, I'm going to bring Ali here on a date and prove it. This looks like a good place to go for dates, don't you think?" he asked, now allowing his tone to sound playfully suspicious. Something was niggling him at the back of his mind and he couldn't quite work it out. It wasn't quite that the two men were displaying shifty body language, but there was certainly something to be taken from the way Finn and George kept glancing to each other. He folded his arms and leaned back in his seat, flashing a curious smirk. "Alright! Come on, lads. You're both acting a little cagey... Are you expecting company and big old Conor is in one of their seats?"

Bellz (Finn)

 

[Bellz]

Gwen Sheehan​

Grabbing her glass quickly, Gwen felt strange about the information she had just shared with Jason, the same information she had shared with James not too long ago…she felt wrong for revealing so much. As adventurous as Gwen was, when it came to matters of her own heart and soul she was cautious. Jason was pulling her further and further in without even knowing it, she knew that if she wasn’t careful, if she didn’t play this the right way, he could leave in an instant. She had no idea what his intentions really were and she couldn’t get a read on him like she could with others, even thought this was the second time they were seeing each other.

Regardless of her racing thoughts, she smiled as she took the glass away from her lips, setting it down against the counter gently before looking at it a moment. Jason spoke and she laughed lightly, still not looking his way. He went on to tell her that she was still cute, which had her looking up at him quickly with a surprised look on her face. But as soon as he said she was still a trouble maker, the woman’s nose scrunched up, a smile still on her face though her heart fluttering at the words that he spoke so affectionately to her. Doubts she had once again practically flung themselves out the window as she stared into those deep sea colored eyes.

Her cheeks reddened as Jason once again called her interesting, going as far to say she was the most interesting person he had spoken to in a long time. The energy between them was causing Gwen to lose her senses. She wasn’t the one to just sleep around with anyone but as Jason so affectionally ran his hand up her arm, she shivered and she knew that any sort of will she had to resist was now gone, just like that. A nervous giggle bubbled past the woman’s lips and she eyed the seductive smile on Jason’s face.

It was strange to be on the receiving end of such advances, normally Gwen was the one to push men’s buttons like this, leaving them interested and wanting to work for more, it was how she weeded out the ones who only wanted something quick and easy…the trash. The redhead was normally so bold, so confident and curious but this man was turning her into mush. Realizing she hadn’t spoken in a minute and that Jason was expecting a reason, Gwen stammered out, ”I-is that so?” Cringing internally at how weak her voice sounded, she reached for her drink quickly…downing it without a second thought, the warmth burning into a slow fire in her chest as she looked to Jason once more. The whiskey had done what she wanted. ”I mean, I’m a bit of a mystery myself…and I would like to keep it that way…unless you can change my mind?” A seductive smile of her own crept on her face.


”Wanna give me a ride home?” She was sure she had a handle on the situation now. A smirk formed on her lips, ”But just a ride home, Mister.” Gwen stated firmly but inside, she wasn’t so sure if she would be able to stick to that herself.
with: Jason Pyroclast

 

[Bellz]

Finn Sullivan​

Finn was trying not to sweat bullets as he watched Conor, it was agonizing lying to his cousin and the man gripped his own knee underneath the table tightly, nails digging in deep to keep himself from uttering anything more as Conor turned his attention to George. This was horrible. He felt like he was going to burst as he sat, stuck in between a rock in a hard place. He secretly envied George, who had far more practice at this whole situation than he. The man looked so calm and Finn hoped he looked the same.

Finn met Conor’s eyes as he dryly laughed, gripping his knee harder so much that he was sure he was bleeding at this point. His lip twitched with a longing desire to just tell the truth. Finn wasn’t a liar, not a good one anyway. If anyone was going to blow the cover of his relationship it would be Finn. His tone sounded suspicious as Conor commented that the place they were in looked like a good place for dates. Finn nodded his head but shrugged his shoulders, forcing himself to speak, ”Whatever you want to call two men having a drink, sure.” A smile forming on his face as he exhaled through his nose softly. He could do this, he had to do this for George. Finn leaned back in his own seat at the same time Conor crossed his arms, which caused Finn’s heart to pick up in pace, wondering what he was going to say now.

Finn’s immediate response to Conor’s question was laughter, which he often did when he was nervous, he just hoped Conor wouldn’t notice it as he continued to laugh hoping to distract the man some, ”Jesus Con, yes if you must know we are expecting a third guest. She’s a friend of mine from the hospital, I was nervous to go out on a date alone with her because she’s way way way out of my league and Old Georgie here offered to be my wingman since you were in a meeting tonight.” Finn finished off his lie, looking away as if embarrassed by what he just revealed. ”Now it just sounds stupid, doesn’t it. I should have just manned up and came on the date alone.”

”She’s just so…perfect.” Finn said, finally looking back to Conor. His mind was thinking of George as he spoke, his shifty body language now still and firm as he said his peace, ”I haven’t felt this way about anyone in a long time…not even Eleanor. She’s so far out of my league that I can’t even believe she agreed to come out with me.”
with: Conor and George Misty Gray

 

[Misty Gray]

Conor Sullivan and George Sanderson​

Conor listened as Finn spoke up to explain himself. As he talked about his date from the hospital and how George was his wing-man, Conor couldn't help but smile brightly upon hearing his cousin was out dating again. Knowing how much the break-up with Eleanor had affected Finn, he was glad to see the guy finally moving on. "You underestimate yourself, mate. You need to start giving yourself more credit. Obviously, you're not as good looking as I am, but you're close," he teased. He grinned upon hearing the woman described as "perfect" and slowly shook his head. "I wish you all the luck. Not that you need it, at all. I look forward to meeting the lucky lady when you eventually bring her home," he said, with a cheeky wink.

Conor finished off the rest of his drink before placing the glass down on the table and standing up. "Well, I'm going to leave you two to prepare for this lovely lady who'll be joining you. I need to check in with the manager here anyway and make sure those union pricks aren't lingering around again." He patted Finn on the shoulder. "Just be yourself," he encouraged him. He then looked to George and sent the man a respectful nod. "Pleasure meeting you, George. Thanks for not being a jerk to Pete during his time in the slammer."

"It's not trouble. Peter's a good guy," George replied to Conor. "Great to meet you too," he politely added. Once Conor had walked away from the table, George turned back to Finn and sent him a soft smile. "Your cousin seems nice, even if a little too inquisitive for our liking," he pointed out. "He's right, though. You really should give yourself more credit." He gazed at Finn's face as he replayed the man's words about never feeling the way he did about anyone until now. He liked to believe those words were really directed at him. "Do you think you'll be able to tell your family about us, in time? The ones I've met so far seem like an open-minded bunch... certainly more so than my family."


Bellz (Finn)

 

[Bellz]

Finn Sullivan​

Finn celebrated internally as Conor went on to say that he underestimated himself, the guilt he was feeling soon disappeared as he felt accomplished with what he had done. The man rolled his eyes as Conor compared looks teasingly before he smiled bashfully at the mention of bringing the lucky lady home. He didn’t dare look to George, as much as he wanted to, his thoughts going to him immediately. Oh, how he wished he could bring him home to meet the family. Of course, he had already been over to the house but he hadn’t been able to meet everyone…and Finn wanted to introduce him as his.

Relief warmed his chest as Conor announced he was leaving but Finn frowned quickly to put the final touch on his performance as his cousin patted his shoulder, encouraging him to be himself. The doctor nodded his head gently and looked to George finally as Conor addressed him. When Conor walked away, Finn exhaled heavily his eyes looking to George as he smiled softly at him, despite his heart racing, Finn couldn’t help but do the same. His cheeks reddened as George said that Conor had been right about giving himself more credit…when was he ever going to listen? Maybe someday…

George’s question surprised him and his observation was understandable, but he knew his family, obviously a lot more than George did…”Its…” Finn began, pausing as he tried to form the right word to sum up what the situation really was. In reality, his family was wonderful it was was true, but he knew that if he were to tell his family, they wouldn’t understand him. He dreaded what they would say to him. ”Maybe…in time.” Finn couldn’t tell George that he might not ever be able to tell his family…he couldn’t break this spell that they were both under, not yet.

with: George Misty Gray

 

[Misty Gray]

Chapter 18: Reach Boiling Point
Saturday 23rd July 1960
...4 weeks later...
Evening - Dark, Warm, Clear Skies, Dry
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Porter House
​

James Porter

It had been over three weeks since James had been discharged from the hospital and permitted to return home. The first week, on both medical advice and Lucy's orders, he'd spent much of the time still resting in bed. Gradually, he'd surfaced downstairs, spending time catching up with calls and paperwork from his office, as well as spending more time with the family. He'd slowly introduced exercise back into his daily schedule, figuring his legs hadn't been injured so there was no excuse for not walking the dogs and focusing his workouts on his healthy limbs. The discomfort in his ribs was by now gone and so he'd been able to increase his speed without worrying about getting out of breath and causing any tightness in his chest. The main hindrance to him was still his left arm. Though the cast had been removed some time ago and was now reduced to simply support dressing, he'd been heavily advised against putting weight on the limb yet otherwise he could risk slowing the recovery and causing further damage. It was frustrating not being able to get back into the full swing of things, to be able to get into his full body workouts and catch up with the weeks of missing exercise. For now, he knew the best course of action was for him to keep on top of things from his office and leave Jackson and the others to keep managing things outside of the office.

After a long shower, James returned to his office. The sun was almost finished setting and so he switched on the lights to give the room some illumination. He knew his family would be growing concerned for the amount of time he was spending alone in his office - he was aware of it too - but he knew his frustrated mood was best kept to himself. His family were both his strength and his weakness. Without them, he believed he'd have maintained the belief he had nothing to lose and would have been killed a long time ago. At the same time, he knew caring for so many people had made him more cautious for his own and their safety, but that also meant he'd hesitated and lost some of the unbreakable focus he'd once held. He wasn't sure how to find an effective medium, one where he wasn't held back by fearing of losing his loved ones and was able to shut off his feelings, whilst still returning home and opening up his heart again to his family. He knew it wasn't impossible, but how did Vinnie do it?

The door to the office creaked as it was very slowly pushed open, almost as if the person at the other side thought he wouldn't notice if they did it so carefully. James pulled open his top drawer and removed the object he'd stuffed into there earlier. As he brought the fluffy rainbow-coloured cat toy into view, the door suddenly swung open and the little red-headed child rushed inside, towards James. The man stood up and held his hand out to command the girl to stop in her tracks. "Emery, what did I tell you? My office is out of bounds. You've already been in here... and I know you have because I found your toy," he firmly lectured his niece.

"Yeah, but no. I was playing and the door wasn't locked and I wanted to hide from Brady..." Emery began to quickly explain.

"It doesn't matter if the door is locked or not. You do not enter my office. You, Brady, Savvy... You know the rules. This is where I work, so it's not for you to mess around in. Do you understand?" he asked her. This was another example of where his family and business needed to be kept separate. He didn't want the children around his office overhearing conversations or finding anything that could be considered dangerous. He'd been through this before with the kids and it was beyond tiresome by now. "I'll be speaking to your parents about this..."

"Oh wow!" Emery snatched the soft toy from James' hand when he offered it back to her. "You're such a grumpy old man. You're a spoilsport!" the child loudly shouted back at him. Without further argument, she rushed out of the room, grumbling to herself about how moody the grown-ups were.

James walked over to push the door shut behind his lovable, but exhausting, niece. He then returned to his desk and slumped down in his seat, trying his best to focus his mind back on the unopened mail which had piled up...

Bellz (Lucy, Thomas, Gwen) Pyroclast (Syd)

Callahans' Garden
​

Skye McKendrick and Savannah Callahan

Skye sat beside Savannah on the sofa as the young girl spoke about what she'd been up to over the last few days. The nanny closed her eyes as she listened to the blonde's words, having felt tired for most of the day and taking advantage of the relaxation time she was presently having.

"...and then we were shown the music room. That school was my favourite biggest it had this big piano and the teacher said there was a drama club after school two days a week. I think Mum and Dad like that school too, so I'm hoping they let me go to that one. If I do, I will start there in September! I can't wait, Skye. Skye?" Savannah asked, turning to see the nanny had fallen asleep. After brief consideration, Savannah nudged Skye's arm with her elbow to wake her. "Wake up, Skye!"

"What...? I..." Skye began, opening her eyes and looking altogether confused. She soon realised she'd let her tiredness beat her and quickly rubbed her eyes with the backs of her hands. "Sorry, Savvy. I'm just feeling exhausted today and this headache is getting on my nerves now." Sitting up straight, she pointed to the front door. "Come on, let's go outside and get some fresh air. It's still really warm out there." With that, Skye led the girl outside and the two sat together on the bench on the front porch. "Tell me about your visit to the school again and I promise I won't close my eyes this time..."


[OPEN FOR INTERACTION]

The Clover Casino
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Arlene Sullivan

Since James had been hospitalised and the IWU had increased the pressure they were placing on Porter businesses, Arlene had been asked to take a more active role in her family business. With the exception - to an extent - of Carter, she had no positive feelings towards the IWU. Despite that man, her loyalties remained with her family and she would do whatever she could to help those who had taken her in when she had nothing. She'd been spending much more time at the Porters' place over the last few weeks, catching up with her Aunt Shannon and supporting Lucy where she could, although she wasn't the best with kids, so she'd not been able to offer too much direct help with little Thomas. Babies were cute and all, but she'd decided some time back that motherhood wasn't for her.

Tonight, Arlene had offered to help out at the casino, keeping her eyes peeled for any suspicious activity and her trigger finger ready for any kind of attack against the Porter business. She was in her element, moving herself all around the large gambling house whilst chatting with the employees and customers alike. It was even more fun standing by and watching as some silly rich fool threw away their money like mere candy. If anyone deserved to be ripped off by the mob, it was those people. The wealthy, the politicians and crooked cops alike. Better in her family's pockets than theirs. She smiled to herself at that thought before stopping alongside one of the poker tables where five men played, voices raised slightly.

"I swear you're cheating, Brad!" one of the men grumbled. Recognising Arlene as working at the casino, he pointed to the shoulder-length haired man beside him. "This one's cheating, I'm sure of it," he said, though his accusation what accompanied by a smirk. The body language of the group suggested the men were all friends.

"Or maybe I'm just luckier and smarter than you lot. Did that ever cross your mind, Bill?" Bradley remarked.

Arlene slowly walked behind the men, her slender legs accentuated in her high heeled shoes. She peered over Bradley's shoulder at his cards and smiled as he sent her a glance. "Come on now, Bill. Accusations like that can get a man in big trouble. And I happen to think your friend here has got a face far too pretty to be getting messed up," she calmly warned the men who she hadn't set eyes on until tonight. "Play nicely, boys," she firmly told them.

"You're not local, are you?" Bradley asked, turning to face Arlene, picking up on her New York accent.

"Keep your mind on the game, pretty boy," Arlene snapped, pointing back to the table. She gave the younger man no answer to his question and instead walked away from the table, making a point of continuing to observe the group from a distance.


[OPEN FOR INTERACTION]

Active Cast: Misty Gray Bellz Enzyme Melanin-Gxdess Pyroclast Fletchawk Shireling
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Shannon is also available for interaction at the Porter house. Let me know if you want to arrange something with her.