Realistic or Modern Empire City: The Irish Mob - IC (Closed)

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Leo was hanging out at the Callahan home while his mother was out with his aunt, uncle, the moody bodyguard and some lady his mom had mentioned. He wanted to tag along, going through one of his 'I'm old enough to do some adult things too' moments. It took Ali a minute to convince him to stay and play with Thomas, trying to downplay the excitement of it all. There was a whole temper tantrum about how she never let him do anything and always treated him like a baby, to which she simply replied: "Only babies throw temper tantrums when they can't get their way." If Ali had known that would be all it took to get him to shut up, she would have done it earlier. He had asked if he would be allowed to bring a pet and was told no. Just as he was about to do it again, he had to remember he wasn't a baby. The drive over he sat in the front seat with one of the drivers and talked his ear off about being allowed to sit up there. His mother could only chuckle and apologize. When he arrived, he and his cousins immediately got up to nothing but mischief; running around the house, rough-housing, even let a few curses spill from his lips. It wasn't until one of the boys accidentally knocked over a vase that their fun time was coming to an end. Thomas looked at Leo and Leo just looked at Thomas, at a loss for words. "Yeah, it was nothing! Carry on..." He said, trying to take the focus off the glass that was now on the floor. 'What do we do?!' he mouthed to Thomas before trying to kick the glass pieces under the rug with his shoe.

As she arrived at the Callahan's, she prepared herself for the barrage of questions she was sure to get; from both Sinead and Leo. Whoever in the house was sure to ask questions, but she knew the two of them would ask them rapidly without giving her a chance to respond. Despite ringing the bell, she walked -- more like limped -- into the house acting as if nothing had happened. "Honey, I'm home!" She shouted, actually regretting it as her throat was still irritated from inhaling smoke. A cough escaped her lips as she came all the way into the house. She saw Peter and before she got a chance to say anything, Leo rounded the corner from the lounge. It was like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders from the two young boys having broken glass. At first glance, he didn't see anything wrong with his mom, having run into her legs to give her a hug. "Mom! Whatever they tell you it's not true." He said, already trying to cover his tracks. It wasn't until she winced from the sudden impact and the "Oof" noise she had made that made him look up at her.

Once he had, his little brows furrowed and she could see the worry coming across his features. He got the same look Conor got whenever Ali was hurt or upset and she was preparing herself for what followed. "What happened? Are you okay? Who did this?" She didn't want to tell her kid she was almost blown up and tried to avoid the question. "The real question is what were you up to that you're so worried about there, mister?" Leo huffed and took a few steps back, examining his mother as she limped her way to the lounge to take a seat, easing up off her ankle. She noticed the glass on the ground and looked between her son and her nephew and raising a brow. Shaking her head, she leaned back and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "I'll let Sinny deal with that one, I think." She felt Leo get on the couch next to her and climb on his knees to better examine her face and her shoulder. Her pretty dress was now covered in dry blood and so was her hair, making her look kind of dirty. "Mom, are you going to tell me what happened." With a deep sigh, she looked at him and shrugged, "Mommy got in a fight. I won, but they got a couple of good licks in." She gave him a wink, hoping either he would be interrupted or that he believed her. Whichever came first."



​

 

[shadowz1995]

Dante didn't have many injuries to speak of from the explosion. At least, in comparison to the others. Lucy definitely could have gotten out of this situation in much better shape then she had if the Roman had pulled her with him when the chandelier came down. He had enough time to do so. However, James was the one he ultimately protected and reported to. As he had so eloquently proved to Syd, James's family did not extend under that very small umbrella of protection.

So, Dante's injuries was nothing a bag of ice, hot shower and a bit rest couldn't repair.

It was everything that followed that was cause for concern.

James's order of finding and torturing Ricardo went without saying. Dante was going to use every resource and contact the man had to inflict a pain on that bastard that was unseen in the states. "I was already thinking of who to call just for that." he said with a smirk to his boss.

Once they got to the family home and the Porter family was sent a very clear message.... well.... it was clear that Dante was going to have quite a bit of work lined up for him in the very near and foreseeable future. James was going to want to make sure these people paid the ultimate price and the feeling was completely shared by the hitman. After all, they made an attempt on his employer's life. The only recompense for such an action is blood. It wouldnt just be the responsible ones either. Their families would suffer the same fate. Their children. Their grandchildren. Anyone with a direct blood connection will suffer. That was things were handled in Rome and it is how it will set an example here in the United States. Americans seemed to forget the codes of honor and respect. Never go after a man's family if you weren't prepared to sacrifice your own.

They rolled the dice and now they were going to pay the price.

Dante crumpled up the grotesque photo and pocketed it for disposal later. With a smile, he looked to James consoling his wife and said, "Shall I get to cleaning, Sir?"

Melanin-Gxdess Bellz Misty Gray

 

[seasonedcat]

Penelope smiled sweetly at the group of men in front of her as she served them their drinks. A few comments were made that were less than savoury, but Penelope just brushed them off with a small laugh. Putting the tray against her left hip she checked to make sure that they knew if they needed anything, food or drink wise only, to just call her over. The group of men just chuckled at her phrasing of the statement before brushing her off.

Penelope let out a chuckle as well before making her way back over to the counter to see if there was anything else she needed to do, tonight was busy as always, which of course meant that it was wearing her out. She briefly glanced over at the bar fight, her cousin already working on defusing it. She was amazing and honestly, Penelope admired her a lot. She was brave and stood up for herself, having made a place for herself in this world.

Not to mention, as much as she hated to admit it, Penelope often looked to her when she needed help or inspiration. Thinking like what would Rachel do if she was here, or that's definitely something Rachel wouldn't do. Penelope whipped her hands on her apron, knowing full wet they were clean and dry, trying to banish these embarrassing thoughts from her mind. Even if she had Rachel now, she still had to take care of herself.

Rachel wouldn't always be there, and there is no promise that she would even allow her to stay with her forever either. She had to learn how to earn for herself and defend herself just like Rachal is able to do. She would have to work hard here in the bar and make sure that the bar wants her not just for her connections, but for herself. Gripping the tray tightly as she pressed it against her chest she held a determined look in her eyes, ready to grab the next order and do her best.

Penelope jumped as her cousin put her arm around her shoulder. She had not expected it and it scared the pants off of her. Blushing lightly she pushed her cousin lightly, "Hey on't' scare me like that, you couldn't ave' killed me! And don't ask me how I is, you are de' one who just dealt with the bar fight there Missy." she frowned lightly, still finding English a tad hard in some places, but making do. She also didn't appreciate her cousin babying her, she was going to work for her place here just like everyone else! ùwú
Misty Gray (Rachel)

 

[Pyroclast]

Danny Vaughan

Savannah tried to assure him that she was fine, and he didn't try to argue. She didn't know him, and he didn't want to press her or pry into her business in case she pushed him away. Nevertheless, Danny glanced to her every now and then just to make sure. He listened attentively as she began to explain her reaction to the noise.

It saddened Danny to hear that Savannah had spent her whole life having to watch her back. Living in New York was enough of a reason to be cautious; Danny had grown up with a lot of people looking out for him, but there was still such a high crime rate in the Bronx that he had had to learn to look out for himself, too. A member of a high-profile crime family would have the added threat of lurking enemies, which was something Danny couldn't imagine having to worry about. Of course, he had to be more careful since he started work as a drug dealer, more still when he switched affiliations from East Harlem to the Irish Mob. But from what Savannah was describing, it was nothing compared to what she had to deal with. "It's good that there are guys like him looking out for you, then," he replied. Optimism wasn't something Danny was short of, so he always tried to find something positive to say even when he was left a little stunned.

"Better to be complicated than boring," he grinned. "I can tell for sure you ain't that. At least you're still out here living your life, you know? It takes real guts to stand up to a world that's hurt you and your family time and time again, and not let it stop you coming out here and enjoying life." Had he not already known that Savannah was a member of a crime family, Danny would never have guessed it. Although a few moments ago she had seemed a bit panicked, her general poise was one of grace and serenity, her demeanour confident yet modest. As far as he could see, there was nothing threatening about her. Aside from her family ties.

"For the record, I don't think you're strange at all, Sav," he went on. "Everything you said just now makes total sense - I'd be on edge too if I had all that to think about. Nah, I'm glad I'm walking you home, 'specially now. Safety in numbers, right? You lead the way and I'll keep my eye out for falling barrels and fireworks!" Danny looked her way with a bashful smile. Of course, it wasn't just for her safety that he was walking her home. Mostly, he had just wanted a chance to get to know her; even if he had somewhere else to be, he probably would have taken the time for her anyway. It was clear the young woman lead an extraordinary life, and behind his sympathy for her lay fascination. Savannah may have been right about her stories of drama and heartache being off-putting, but they didn't put Danny off at all. If anything, they only made him want to get to know her even more.

Interactions
Misty Gray Savannah

 

[Fletchawk]

Ryan Donahue​

Leaning his weight against back of the chair as he listened to Conor continue, his thoughts lingered on Peter momentarily. Although the time he spent at the Callahans was short, Peter seemed to be in much better shape despite not being as welcoming as his partner. Ryan didn't think the man was cut out for the lifestyle that he and Conor were born to, and seeing how prison affected him only seemed to confirm it. However, Conor's jest about the guard that was casually watching them while crossing the room drew his attention back to the present.

"Don't worry, I won't get you in trouble with your lover. But remember, you're mine once you get out," giving Conor a suggestive wink before breaking into chuckle and shaking his head slightly, his expression beginning to copy his friend's, "Speaking which, when'll that be?"

"Fair to middlin' I suppose," he said before debating on how much to tell Conor about his reason for being in NYC. While he trusted Conor, Carrick was still his family. Even now, Ryan was conflicted on what he'd actually do upon finding his childhood friend, but doubted that it would end well. Not realizing how long he had mediated about it, he continued, "Staying in a place in Bedford since I'm a bit out of touch with everyone. Got business in the city that'll likely take a while."

"Visitations for today ends in five minutes, so wrap it up," announced Hopalong Cassidy to the room.

"Well, I guess that's my cue. But like I said, I'll be around so we can catch up another time. So until then, don't have too much fun in here, yeah?" he counseled with a passing smile.


Misty Gray [Conor]
Mentions: Bellz [Peter]

 

[Bellz]

Brady Callahan/Peter Callahan​

Brady tried not to beam at Sinead’s reaction to the flowers, instead he waved a hand out at her, ”Aww it was nothin, ma.” He told her almost bashfully, unable to hide some of the embarrassment in it. Her reasoning with the flowers was so wise that he had to look at her a bit differently for a second. His mother was a fox, he knew it, Peter knew it…but she was as smart as a whip and that’s what made her the best. ”I hope you can, those poor things were almost a tasty treat for Sanford, he sure does love those,” he commented as his mother pressed her lips to his cheek. Once she stepped down, Brady turned away with a sheepish smile, pretending and also not pretending to look for Sanford in the process. Letting out a quick and low whistle, he could hear the dogs paws padding against the tile as he happily trotted into the room.

”There you are.” He murmured before moving to the cupboard to his left to get a glass. Sinead asked him about getting a job and the young man visibly stiffened. It was always a sore subject with him. What did he need from a job that the gang couldn’t provide for him? Nothing. After moving to grab the pitcher of water, the man sighed and shook his head. ”Still lookin, ma. Nothing to worry about though.”

The flowers dropped suddenly to the floor and Brady wasn’t quick enough to get to them first as his mother bent to the floor to retrieve them. Once again, he found himself freezing, his mother having noticed the stain, he thought he was in for it now. Luck seemed to be on his side because his mother went on to speak about how him and his sister were always getting their clothes dirty as children. This caused him to sigh once more and he offered a breezy smile at the suggestion. ”I will go…do exactly that.” He said before practically running out of the room.

The doorbell rang throughout the house and Peter was distracted suddenly, he turned towards the door as he walked into the main hall, simply staring at it as it rang out again. He let it ring another time before deciding it was time to open the door. When he opened the door, his eyes saw a familiar face. ”You’re not here for me are you?” He asked, his voice trying to be teasing as he smiled at the man. ”Did the crime and served my time, Mr. Lawyer.” Peter placed his hands up before nodding his head for the man to come inside, ”Mitchell, right?” He asked, having heard the name thrown around before.
with: Sinead Misty Gray ; Mitchell RayPurchase

 

[Misty Gray]

Conor Sullivan​

Conor couldn't help but laugh when Ryan played along with him about the prison guard being his lover. Joking around with his old friend was the kind of distraction he needed but wouldn't be able to make use of over the coming days. "Darling, when I get out of here, I'm all yours," he played along, with a cheeky wink. A question was then asked of when he would get out and Conor let out a deep breath before shrugging his shoulders. "If I play my cards right, I could be out by next weekend. I've got another parole hearing in a few days. If my lawyer's and my shrink's encouraging words are to be trusted, then I've got a good chance. I've been on my best behaviour for months now."

When Ryan told him he was living in Bedford, Conor raised a curious eyebrow, before letting out a brief snort. "What're you staying in that dump for?! Christ..." he said, shaking his head. He understand the Callahans wouldn't have been able to offer a spare room to Ryan, but he thought there'd have been better options than that.

Conor paused as the guard gave everyone a five minute warning, but soon returned to the conversation at hand. "Alright, mate. We'll definitely have to catch up again." Conor sat forward to signal for Ryan not to get up yet. "Listen, the apartment above one of my pubs is empty, except for some of my junk that can easily be shifted out of there. Leave it with me, but you can stay there, if you don't mind the lively atmosphere downstairs. Whether I get out or not, I won't be able to stay there, else it would be a breach of my parole. As Ali ain't my biggest fan right now, I'll be staying with Tink and Pete if I do get out." Conor sent his friend a smile. "Have a think about it. It'll be better than Bedford."

Fletchawk (Ryan)

 

[RayPurchase]

Mitchell Van Gerwen​

Mitch grinned at the familiar face as the door opened. Pete may have been a bit of an unknown, but as far as a 10 second meeting by the front door was enough to judge anyone, at least he had a sense of humour.

“No fear Mr Callahan, I’m happy to say there’s no line of squad cars outside the house waiting for you. And long may it stay that way, I’m not sure I could deal with the resultant paperwork, and I’ve gone 2 days now without a major incident, lets try and make it 3,”

He ducked inside.

“That’s the one, or just Mitch if you want. Apologies about interrupting your weekend, shouldn’t be anything more than a flying visit. Let you get back to your family. If I'm interrupting anything I can let you get back to it post haste,”

Mitch’s own weekends were anything but relaxing, and he couldn’t even remember the last time he’d seen his own family, admittedly that was mostly down to a conscious choice on his part as opposed to not having any time free.

(Interaction: Bellz Pete)

 

[Misty Gray]

Chapter 4: Somewhere to Call Home
Friday 16th July 1971
...6 days later...
Afternoon - Sunny, Dry, Warm
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******************************


New York Correctional Facility
~ Lower Manhattan ~
​

Conor Sullivan

In the cold, windowless bathroom, Conor stood in front of the mirror staring at his reflection as he fastened the buttons of his black shirt. It felt strange to be wearing something other than the grey prison uniform he'd been made to wear every day for the last few years. It felt weird dressing in his own clothes. It felt good to wear something that was to his taste and that fit him to some standard. After tucking his shirt into his trousers, he fastened his belt around his waist. He had to make use of a belt-hole he hadn't touched the last time he'd worn it. Though he'd managed to keep up with his fitness and maintain his muscular physique, he knew he had some work to do. Food was limited in jail and so he'd lost a little weight. It might not be too obvious to others, but Conor could see it. Once he was back on the outside, he would be free to fill his face with more food and then work out even harder in the gym.

Once fully dressed and his hair styled, Conor followed the impatient-looking prison guard out of the room. As they walked to the reception, the guard turned to him and smirked. "You'll be back here before Christmas."

Choosing to ignore the man, Conor quietly stood at the desk as the guard handed him a clear bag containing his belongings. After checking everything was present, he signed the piece of paper and handed it back to the guard. Before turning away, his stuck his hand into the bag so he could fish out his wedding ring and his watch. After a moment of thought he placed the ring on his finger, where he believed it still belonged. He then fastened the watch around his wrist before grabbing the handle of the bag that contained the rest of the bits that belonged to him. "Well, I wish I could say it's been nice knowing you, but that would be a blatant fucking lie," he told the guard. He then turned away, chuckling to himself as he was led out of the prison by another guard.

"I'll keep your cell empty for you!" the first guard called out to Conor, pleased to get the last word in.

After being let through various locked gates, Conor eventually passed through the last security zone and off the prison grounds. His parole hearing had been a success and he was finally free to get on with his life again. There had been limited time permitted to go outside in the prison yard, but it had never felt the same. The air he was breathing now felt fresh and the bright sunlight was able to hit him, no longer obstructed by the high walls that surrounded the prison grounds. Although he would have to keep seeing Dr. Parker and checking in with the parole board until his probation was over, this was freedom. All he needed now was to get into Ryan's car so he could be driven well away from the hole he'd been living in for the last few years...

Fletchawk (Ryan)

**************************
Interview Room

Like Conor had, Mitchell had learned the outcome of the prisoner's parole hearing the previous day and would likely have been pleased with their success. Today's visit wasn't to see the familiar face of Mr. Sullivan. This time, Mitchell would meeting Allen Cartwright. James had given Mitchell the go ahead to speak to Allen and assess the man's case. The lawyer would then need to report back to James as to whether he believed there was a chance of helping Allen out; that the man stood a chance of being released. Only then would James pay Mitchell to get the man out of jail.

After being abruptly disturbed from reading his book, Allen was led to the interview room by the miserable-looking prison guard. With Mitchell already seated at the table, Allen was told to take his seat across from the lawyer so the two men could talk through the case. "I'll be right outside the door," the guard said, both as a warning to Allen and a reassurance to Mitchell.​

RayPurchase (Mitchell) Melanin-Gxdess (Allen)

Porter Family Home
~ Bayside, Queens ~
​

James Porter & Olivia Sullivan

James had been awake and out of bed since 4am. After getting dressed, his first action had been taking the dogs for a walk which had apparently been his way of warming up. Once back home, he'd spent the next hour or so working out in the gym in the basement of the house. It was one of his favourite places to think and he had a lot to consider these days. He could have spent hours exercising, but he was concerned about Lucy and the kids. His wife had taken Arlene's the death the hardest or a close second to the the blonde child who had been left orphaned.

After a quick shower, James spent some time alone with Lucy. There wasn't much to be said in that time, but he was at least holding her close and trying his best to show he was there for her. The rest of the morning seemed to pass them by. Although he had a lot of business to sort out, he made sure not to spend too much time stuck in his office. With the explosion and Arlene's murder, James wasn't willing to let their enemies think they could keep targeting the family. Messages and examples would have to be sent, with no expense spared. His mistake in the past had been showing mercy, so he wasn't willing to do it so easily again. If his orders were deemed extreme, James was willing to take it on the chin. If it meant sacrificing the conscience he'd clung so dearly onto, he was willing to do so. His family came first, even if what may come would repulse them. Dante understood what had to be done and James understood how far the hitman was willing to go. He would let the man exercise his skills.

Aside from the explosion and Arlene's death, there was something else eating at James. The way things had been left with Syd wasn't being taken lightly, but James wasn't ready to confront his son and risk further argument. With tensions high and stress surrounding them, James wanted to approach Syd with a clearer head. Too much had already been said without more being added to it in the heat of the moment if they buckled under grief. When James and Syd get around to talking, the older man wanted it to be on good terms and with no risk of further escalation.

In the afternoon, James had spent more time making business calls before forcing himself to step away for a while. At least until his meeting with a former employee later that day. He spent a little time standing in the back garden so he could smoke a couple of cigarettes before finding Lucy to spend some more time with her. As he took the last few drags of his final cigarette, he felt a presence nearby and looked behind him to see Olivia standing by the door with Bruno the puppy following her. The girl hadn't spoken very much since finding out her mother was dead and for the most part had been clinging to Lucy or the dogs for comfort. She let out a small, sad sigh before shaking her head at James. "She smoked a lot too," the child spoke up, clearly in reference to Arlene. "She told me to never copy her."

"Yeah, she wasn't wrong. Don't do this," James admitted as he stubbed the cigarette out and disposed of the butt. It was one of the only times all week the girl had spoken to him or anyone who wasn't Lucy, for that matter. "Shall we go inside and find Lucy?" he gently asked the child. Olivia quickly nodded her head in agreement and walked back into the house with James. "Luce? Thomas?" James called out from the hallway.

Olivia trailed behind her uncle, with little Bruno walking closely by her side. She felt safe with the Porters, but she was worried she'd have to leave soon. She was worried she'd have to go into care like a girl who used to live in the same neighbourhood back in Connecticut.

Bellz (Lucy, Thomas)

Midtown Medical Center
~ Midtown, Manhattan ~
​

Maddox Parker

The session had drawn to an end and Maddox stood up with his client to walk him to the door. Philip was a former soldier who had been injured and deemed unfit for duty in the mid-sixties. The man had been struggling to accept that he couldn't fight for his country and was suffering with PTSD going back to his time with the army. He didn't feel comfortable or accomplished if he wasn't fighting for something. "Remember, you're not alone, Philip." Maddox jotted an address and telephone number down on a piece of paper and handed it to his client. "The group meets on a Tuesday evening. They're all former soldiers, just like you. I'm not saying you must attend, but it might help to talk to others who are going through similar issues. If you don't feel comfortable speaking up, they won't judge you for simply listening." When the man nodded his head to acknowledge the doctor's suggestion, Maddox pulled the door open to let him leave the room. "I'll see you in a couple of weeks," he told him and sent a reassuring smile to the man.

Briefly catching the receptionist's attention, Maddox sent her a nod. "When Mr. Callahan arrives, please bring him right in," he instructed Laura.

Maddox returned inside and took a seat on the couch as he waited for Peter to arrive. He had to admit, when it had first come up that Mr. Callahan wished to come to him for therapy, Maddox had considered passing the man on to one of his colleagues in the medical centre. It wasn't that he didn't want to help the man, but he had to consider how wise it was to be treating three members of the same family consecutively. His concerns had passed him by just as quickly as they'd entered his mind. It wasn't in him to turn away someone who requested his help. He was a professional and adhering to the conduct of confidentiality, he determined it wasn't an issue. He wouldn't be sharing information between the family members and so it was only fair that they would be treated as individuals. As well as that, Maddox was more familiar with clients or patients with criminal and violent pasts. It wouldn't be right to push Peter off onto someone less experienced.

Maddox was still in a good mood from hearing that the parole hearing had gone in Conor's favour and the man was getting out of jail. It left Maddox feeling optimistic that he would have a successful session with Peter.

Bellz (Peter)

Callahan Family Home
~ Forest Hills, Queens ~​

Sinead Callahan

Sinead had barely slept over the last few days. Hearing from Lucy about Arlene's death had hit her hard. Along with worrying for Peter, hearing of her loved ones being injured and nearly blown up in the hotel, as well as the recent shooting Scott fell victim to, it felt felt everything was falling apart. Sinead had spent the first couple of days sat up in bed unable to stop thinking about what had happened to her poor cousin. She'd also tried to follow up on James' warning and make Savannah move out of the apartment she shared with Roxie, but it turned into an argument which Sinead had been too exhausted to finish. Her daughter was right, that it was history repeating itself. Sinead had been forced to move back home when she was Savannah's age and she had lost a lot of her independence and strength from that. Sinead couldn't ruin things for Savannah, so she relented but instead made sure the security of her daughter's apartment was increased.

As the days had gone on and her sleep patterns destroyed, Sinead was sure she was slipping into a manic episode, but she was trying her hardest to ignore it. She'd been distracting herself as much as she could and was jumping between tasks as she struggled to concentrate and contain her energy levels. Trying to block out all of the terrible things, she was forcing herself to only think of the positives. Peter was seeing a new therapist; one who had worked his magic with Conor and was helping Syd too. Conor was being released from prison today. Though still recovering to gain full use of his arm and shoulder, Scott had gone back to work and hadn't ran a mile from the club as Sinead had been fearing.

Only focus on the positives.

Sinead had been rushing around the house all day, cleaning the rooms and making everything around the house look perfect. It was almost as if she'd forgotten how untidy her brother had been the last time they'd lived under the same roof. Deep down, it was another way to keep her hands and mind busy. Her energy wasn't all a product of her psychological difficulties, because she was genuinely excited to have Conor home and finally out of the prison. She just hoped she wouldn't have to be the one to break the news about Arlene to him.

Knowing things were difficult between Conor and Aliana, Sinead had begged her best friend to come over to the house. Even if Aliana didn't want to be present when Conor showed up, the redhead knew it would mean the world for Leo to be there to greet him, at least. She wanted Conor's first day home to be a good one. She hoped it would go down better than both of Peter's first days back home from prison had been.

Whilst she waited for Aliana and Leo to show up, Sinead once again set about mopping the kitchen floor.

Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana, Leo)

Currently Active Cast: Misty Gray Bellz Pyroclast Melanin-Gxdess Fletchawk shadowz1995 @Inb4Cloaker RayPurchase seasonedcat
​

 

[Bellz]

Chapter 4: Somewhere to Call Home
Friday 16th July 1971
...6 days later...
Afternoon - Sunny, Dry, Warm
*******************************
Roxie Carriveau​

Roxie was feeling a lot better now that she was up and about. Syd had been with her until she inevitably fell asleep and when she woke, his number and address could be found as promised which made her smile faintly as she was reminded of the dress he was going to buy her soon. Her parents never showed, which was really no surprise to her though, it was odd to not hear anything. Roxie was even missing her mother’s weekly phone calls to fill her in on all the hot gossip around her family and friends, which was even stranger. But the brunette tried not to think about it as she looked at herself in the mirror, turning from the left, and then the right. Her outfit wasn’t anything designer but simply casual, the way she often liked to dress when she wasn’t in work or at dinner parties. Pulling up the overall straps, she clipped one on, then the other before sighing at herself and pursing her lips. Was this acceptable? It wasn’t like this was a date or anything…

She didn’t allow herself to expand on the thought, instead moving to grab her hair brush. Deciding that she needed a change after getting out of the hospital, the woman chopped off more hair than she thought she would have liked, but after much deliberation, she found that she actually liked the look. Roxie didn’t look like she was ready to shop in the expensive stores that downtown had to offer and she hope it made her less intimidating in Syd’s eyes, still getting the feeling that he didn’t completely trust her as of yet. The brunette couldn’t dream of doing anything to harm others and she really hoped the Porters would see that as well, the explosion was something out of a movie and whoever was behind it wanted to make sure that her guests were dead.

Looking to the time, she knew Syd would be at the door any minute, so she turned from the mirror and headed out of her tidy room towards the kitchen, where she was going to pour herself a stiff one to calm her nerves. Roxie wasn’t so sure what she had to be nervous about, maybe it was just because this was the first time seeing him in a non-business setting? Well there was the party but things were different during that time, they were far to intoxicated to really have a good conversation not to mention his attitude towards her before. She was really curious to know what made him change his tune but as James Porter had kindly and bluntly pointed out, it was a crush.

Men were strange and she could swear on her life that she wasn’t going to ever figure them out. There was something about this Syd Porter that she couldn’t really put her finger on, besides all the broodiness, there was a softness. Roxie really wanted to see that side of him, she had really enjoyed his company in the hospital even if it had been for a short while. He was the only one to visit her and care for her safety during that time, he didn’t have to do anything and yet he did. Absentmindedly, Roxie moved to the window with her scotch in hand moving the sheer white drapes to look out to the city below, she wasn’t sure what she was looking for, or rather, she didn’t want to admit who she was eagerly looking for.

Knock…knock…knock

The brunette jumped from her leaned position against the window and turned to stair at the door for a long minute. Get it! She internally screamed at herself, her feet willed her to move towards the door. Without even looking, she grabbed the handle and unlocked the door before swinging it open, ”Hell-She peaked her head around the door, only to notice no one was there,”o?”Roxie finished her greeting eyes scanning the halls before finally looking down to her feet.

A white envelope laid flat on the ground, right on the jazzy looking welcome mat that was tie dyed in different colors. The handwriting was immediately familiar and she bent over to pick it up. Once in an upright position, her eyes squinted a bit to see the lettering but it was just her full name written out in curly and elegant letters. Only her family used her full name, and only her father had this delicate handwriting. ”We are living in the 1800s again, old man,” She shook her head, moving to close the door she also muttered, ”Can’t pick up a phone, but you can write a fucking letter…”
mentions: Syd Pyroclast ; James Misty Gray

Ricardo Bianchi​

”Drop em right there.” Elon pointed to the chairs in the middle of the room as two of Porters men dragged in Ricardo and a buddy who was unfortunately with him at the time. They were all here to make sure that these two squeal. As the men were being dragged into the room, there was clearly a struggle. ”Let me go! Who the fuck are you! What do you want with me?” The man’s thick Sicilian accent making the form together a bit, it was a bit challenging to understand him, but they really didn’t need to understand him. ”Yea, right there, mate.” Elon nodded his head as the two Italians were thrown into the chair, still wearing their hoods as they were tied to said chairs. Calmly, he watched them from the far left wall he was leaning against, ignoring the most likely vulgar swears in Italian being thrown his way. Once they were tied, the hoods were removed and Ricardo looked around with his wide caramel eyes, finding Elon in the corner, his eyes then narrowed, ”Who the fuck are you?” He spat to Elon as the Irish man pulled out a cigarette from his pocket. Instead of answering the question, the man lit the cigarette and took a healthy sized inhale before letting all the smoke out in an exhale. ”I feel that’s a question I’m needin ta ask, mate.” He smirked, kicking his black boot off the wall, he moved towards the two men, noticing they showed no fear, no mercy in their eyes.

Reaching back into his pocket, he grabbed the pack of cigarettes before offering the box to Ricardo. The man look bewildered, feeling like it was some sort of trick. What kind of games was this Irish fool playing? But instead of refusing the cigarette like his mind was begging him to, Ricardo’s pride got the best of him. He nodded his head firmly before the cigarette was placed in his mouth before being lit. If the other accepted the cigarette, it too was placed in his mouth and lit. Elon sighed before taking another long drag, removing the stick from his mouth, he smiled. ”So boys, what brings ya in here today?” Silence. He eyed the two men closely as he continued to smile, ”You don’t know?” He asked curiously, wondering if they would take the high road and just admit what they did and what they knew. This Ricardo fella seemed like a tough egg to crack, but Elon knew Dante…and boy was he going to scramble this Italian into an omelette.

”Seriously, I offer you my cigarettes, even light it for you…nothing?” This time, there was at least somewhat of a response. Ricardo looked a bit disgusted at him before spewing the cigarette out to the ground. The stick burned slowly as it rolled to his feet, where he was unable to stomp it out due to the restraints. Elon’s eyes followed the cigarette before he finished his off in own large hit. The silence that took over the room was tense. If the men were to look around them, they would see they were in an empty warehouse, it was out in the boonies so it wasn’t like any damage would be done, this place was abandoned.

It was perfect, out by the docks, the boats horns going off every few minutes could mask any sort of horrifying sound coming from inside. Elon cleared his throat before shaking his head slowly, ”Such a shame really, I’m sad you couldn’t see things my way…but maybe my associate could make a caged bird sing hmmm?” Bending down, Elon grabbed the still burning cigarette before dusting it off a bit with his fingers, then he placed it between his lips with a shrug, ”Can’t waste the thing, shits expensive.” He mutter between puffs before turning his back to the men to resume his position against the wall, Dante would be there soon, then they would get down to business.
shadowz1995

Brady Callahan​

Brady was eager to start his day with the Barons. He whistled lowly under his breath as Sanford and him crossed the crosswalk at an intersection. Sanford was easily distracted by big crowds of people and the sights and sounds of the city, he was still young yet, so he needed some training. Still, the pup obeyed and fell back from being ahead of him and came to walk by his side. They were nearly to the Barons meeting place, where he would be able to lounge and get as many treats as he liked. The Barons like to meet in a rather secluded area in the city, the rougher part of town, as people would call it. Brady didn’t see a difference in people, but rather a difference in materialistic quality. The large two story building that once belonged to a major newspaper company stood tall in the mid afternoon light. It looked abandoned, like most of the buildings on this side of town, but looks were very deceiving.

Getting inside the building wasn’t terribly tricky, since they were so small compared to the other gangs around. There wasn’t any fancy security entrance, no guards, no weapons. Just a door that lead to another and then to another before finally leading into the staircase. The Barons liked to watch everything from above, even though it made sense safety wise to stay in the basement. Brady liked watching over the city that he could honestly call his. His Uncle ran a lot of territories, but this was one of the few that had yet to be touched by the Porters. Brady loved his family very much, but the way they ran things now seemed to be far more business like than what he was comfortable with. What happened to the good old days? Fighting tooth and nail just for the hell of it without having some major plot to destroy one another? Those days were long gone and had been since he was a boy.

Finally making it up the steps, he arrived at the top floor, where two long tables were situated in the center of the room, along with some chairs and random belongings that each gang member had brought. Sanford’s tail was wagging so hard that it was hitting Brady’s leg and he knew that the pup wanted some playtime with his favorite people. His bed and toys were set up in the corner, so with a simple nod from Brady the pup was sent running towards them.

Shaking his head lightly, Brady let out a laugh before scanning the room. Where was Dane? ”And our fearless leader?” He asked, looking around to which most of the members shrugged their shoulders. That was strange to him, normally Dane was always the first one here. ”No one has any idea as to where he could be?” He was met by silence. This caused Brady to bring a hand to his chin to rub it roughly before shaking his head. ”If he doesn’t get here in the next 10 minutes, I’m sending a search party.” His eyes didn’t look to anyone in particular as he said this, instead, sighing as he moved to sit at his chair at the table, next to Penelope. ”Hey Pen.” He greeted lightly before taking a cigarette from his pocket and placing it between his lips. Lighting it, he took a drag before speaking again, ”How you doing?”
with: Penelope seasonedcat

 

[Pyroclast]

Chapter 4: Somewhere to Call Home
Friday 16th July 1971
...6 days later...
Afternoon - Sunny, Dry, Warm
*******************************

Broadway Theatre, Midtown Manhattan​

Jason Costello

Rehearsing with Gwen was going better that Jason had expected. Despite his unexpectedly strong urge to kiss her during their first choreography session, he was doing his best to use their chemistry to benefit his performance rather than to pursue it for himself. Jason had never felt so strongly for someone before or since his relationship with Gwen all those years ago. Though he had had plenty of time to let his unspoken love for her die away and to forget how she had made him feel, having to suddenly be around her so often did threaten to stir it up again. Every day there came a new reminder of some part of her that he had forgotten. There wasn't much he could do to stop himself from becoming familiar with her again - they had gone back and forth on whether or not to talk outside of rehearsals, but it seemed harder to abide by such rules than he had expected.

With his part of rehearsal now over for the day, Jason quietly exited the building, not wanting to disturb those still on the stage. Gwen was already outside, a little further down the street. The idea to call out her name turned over in his head a few times as he stared after her. She was with the same child that he had seen her with occasionally. They had never talked about her, but from the colour of the young girl's hair he had made the assumption that she was Gwen's biological daughter. He wondered how similar she might be to her mother. It made him smile; he couldn't imagine anyone else in the world with Gwen's amalgam of character traits. Sweet, adventurous, charming, wild, ambitious...frustrating, fiery, argumentative. He hadn't forgotten how much they used to fight - that had instantly come back to him from the day they had met at the audition - but it was taking longer for him to remember all the things he had missed about her, simply because there had been so many.

"Gwen," he spoke up, as he neared her and the red-haired girl. To shout, he decided, for some reason seemed a bit rude. "Ye did great up there today. Only a couple weeks and it's already comin' together." Jason sent her a friendly smile, before directing it to the girl. "And what's your name, then? I'm Jason, who your mam's workin' with." It had been long enough, he thought, that Gwen hadn't yet introduced him to the young girl. No matter who her father was, Jason was interested to at least become acquainted with her. Given that he was playing the lead role alongside her mother, it seemed inevitable that they would meet sooner or later.

Interactions
Bellz Gwen, Lorelei

Midtown Manhattan​

Syd Porter

Had it not been for Roxie, Syd would have had a fairly miserable week. His parents were distancing themselves from him; his calls, when received, were often cut short with excuses, and other times, he didn't manage to get through to them at all. It was clear they weren't ready to address what happened, so Syd had decided to give up for the time being and let them be the ones to approach him. It made him sick to think they felt so badly about him after the way he had acted at the scene of the explosion. Even with his own suspicions raised towards Roxie, he didn't regret his decision to stand up for her. All he wanted to apologise for was his lack of control, his swearing and his aggression. However, that didn't appear to be enough - with everything up in the air, Syd wondered if only time would heal the damage he had done on their relationship.

As soon as he had left Roxie to rest at the hospital, Syd received word that Arlene had been murdered. With his parents not speaking to him, Syd wasn't sure what to do with this information. He wanted desperately to do something about it, to find out more about who was behind it and to be there for his mother. But he had apparently lost those rights, along with some of her trust. After heedlessly allowing himself one messy night of drinking alone, his next plan was to simply bury it all. So he made an effort to cover up all thoughts of his parents, Dante and Arlene with thoughts of Roxie. To make up for spoiling her dress at James' birthday party, he had offered to take her out to buy her a new one. Part of it was to ease some of the guilt that he was feeling about everything, but mostly it was because he wanted to spend time with her without having his parents there to judge or chastise him. He would try not to think of her own parents' suspected involvement in the explosion, either - today wasn't about business, or anything negative for that matter. It was about making amends with Roxie so that he could be more comfortable in her presence. Just as he had discussed with his counsellor.

Roxie's apartment wasn't hard to find. In fact, Syd had already been there once to visit Savannah, but it just so happened that Roxie hadn't been there at the time. When he reached the top floor and found the right corridor, he noticed that Roxie's door was already open. She stepped out to pick up an envelope, muttering something to herself before returning inside and shutting the door behind her. Immediately he noticed that her hair was cut differently, the shortened length adding a sort of bounce to it as she moved. She wore dungarees, which pleased him as he had dressed casually for the hot weather, too. Overall, he thought she looked extremely cute. A smile had formed on his face the moment he saw her and when she didn't notice him he let out a small laugh and ran up to her door. Perhaps it was partly nerves, but he was already filled with excitement, his mood having lifted at the mere sight of her. He gave a rhythmic knock, eyes gleaming with a happiness he hadn't felt for quite some time.

Interactions
Bellz Roxie
Misty Gray James (mentioned)

 

[Bellz]

Lucy Porter

Thomas Porter​

To say that Lucy was taking things hard seemed like an understatement to her. The woman hadn’t slept, was barely eating and she was sure she was just wasting away with the amount of drinks she had consumed in the time since learning about Arlene’s death. The woman tried to be strong, at least around the kids, at least taking comfort in knowing that she could fall apart around James when she needed to. And then there was Syd. She’d only spoke with him briefly on the phone, avoiding speaking about what happened and instead making conversation about small things that didn’t really matter to her. Smiling was hard, even when Thomas tried so hard to make her do it. He recently had just stopped trying, knowing that things were really bad this time. He had asked her repeatedly to go over to Syd’s place but she just couldn’t do it, she had to say no for now. It broke his little heart.

Lucy knew that Thomas was a bit annoyed with her, as he seemed to be shutting her out now but he still made an effort some what, listening to her when she asked things of him. Lucy had been sitting in the lounge with Thomas, who was currently reading a book, laying on the floor with Ireland and Blondie next to him. She stared out towards the fireplace and took in the family pictures on the wall. There weren’t a ton of them, but the ones she managed to sneak in during parties and gatherings really only mattered.

The blonde was exhausted, she lifted the cup of coffee she had sitting on the table to her left and took a long sip. It was already lukewarm…she could have sworn she had filled it up only moments ago? Lucy’s eyes then looked to the clock in confusion. They had been sitting here for a while. ”Thomas?” Lucy said in a soft, tired voice. The boy immediately turned his head to look at her, ”Would you like to get some fresh air? We’ve been sitting here too long.” Thomas nodded his head and offered his mother a smirk, one that was similar to his fathers. ”Sounds good to me.” He said before hopping up quickly.

Both Lucy and Thomas turned to look towards the hallway as their names were called, ”In here, Dad!” Thomas called back to James, once they were in the lounge the boy’s face broke into a smile. ”Where ya been? Always chatting away on the phone, you and mom both.” Then a mischievous expression formed on his face. It was clear his parents and Olivia were taking this hard, and even though he cried over Arlene’s death, he knew that someone had to be the one to lift their spirits. ”Wanna have a go, old man! I took down Syd last time, pinned him and everything. Been watching some boxing videos, so I think I can take you on.” Lucy looked to James and Olivia, shaking her head and rolling her eyes at her son’s energy. ”There will be no boxing matches in my house. You take that outside.”

Looking to Olivia, Lucy stepped over to give the girl a hug, ”How are you doing, love? Is there anything I can get you? You hungry? “ Her tired eyes then looked to her husband. ”Before our son shows you how its done, can I get you something to eat?”
with: James and Olivia Misty Gray
mentions: Syd Pyroclast

 

[Bellz]

Peter Callahan​

Looking in his rear view mirror he could see the comfort of his own home fading in the back, until it was too far to be scene. His eyes then moved to settle on the road again and he let out a sigh. No music, no static, just silence. Peter was taking this ride to really reflect on the decision he so boldly made and why he was going over to see this Doctor that his family had told him about. You’re not doing this for you. he had to remind himself, otherwise he wouldn’t have even left the house. Instead of dreading the appointment that he would be arriving at in less than 15 minutes, he tried to focus on all of the things that had been going on with the family. Arlene’s death was taken very hard by his wife and Peter tried his best to be there for her if she needed him to be. Conor was also being released today. He would be staying with them for a while and Peter, while he didn’t mind it, wasn’t sure how it was going to go. As tough as Conor was, he knew that prison must have done something to him, as he too was seeing Dr. Parker.

The ride was uneventful and silent and Peter soon made it into the Doctors office where a kind looking receptionist greeted him, telling him that Dr. Parker was ready for him. Peter froze a bit, looking towards the door to his office like it was the gates to hell. ”A-alright.” Peter murmured before clearing his throat and bravely taking a step forward towards the opened door. When he stepped inside, one thing that oddly stuck out to him was how homey the whole office felt, almost like a comfortable living room. The couch was plush and inviting and the color of the walls were soothing to the eye. This, of course, didn’t really matter to Peter as he was still on edge. Looking to the man who he would be spending his sessions with, he sized him up briefly. He was sure he was just being overly cautious, but he made a point to look towards the window, an escape route if needed. Noticing he had been silent for a minute, Peter once again cleared his throat, nervous now. ”Sorry, um, I’m Peter..Parker. I mean! Dr. Parker!,” The man winced and shoved his hand out quickly, ”Jesus. Its nice to meet you, Dr. Parker.” He finally sighed out. When he was asked to take a seat, Peter immediately did so, feeling like he couldn’t even be on his own two feet anymore.

Peter looked down at his hands and shook his head, not believing he seriously just fucked up like that. There was a brief moment of silence before Peter decided to be honest. ”I don’t really know what I’m doing here, Doc. I came here thinking that I needed help, that I wanted help..and no offense to your profession but,” Peter looked up to look straight at him now, his eyes a bit intense almost wild even, ”How can someone who doesn’t know me at all, help me?”
with: Maddox Misty Gray

 

[Misty Gray]

Maddox Parker​

When he heard Peter enter the room, Maddox stood up and casually approached the newcomer to greet him. His new client seemed nervous and that was certainly confirmed in his opening greeting. He accepted the man's handshake and quickly nodded. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Peter. Please, call me Maddox. Though I do quite enjoy those comics," he commented, with a welcoming smile. "Take a seat, whichever spot takes your fancy," he invited the man. Maddox then took a moment to close the door to ensure everything remained private, then took a seat in whichever chair was opposite Peter's seating choice..

Peter was certainly apprehensive, no doubt mentally torturing himself for his little slip up that hadn't been as embarrassing as Peter might have perceived it to be. The man then went on to question his own decision to get help as well as questioning the capability of the counsellor. "You'd be surprised, Peter. Often, people find it easier and more successful seeking the help of those they don't know, rather than those closest to them. "All I'll say, is approach today with an open mind. Everything we say in here is confidential and I believe there's nothing to lose by giving this a chance."

Maddox hadn't retrieved the notebook and pen from the coffee table, instead wanting to just listen to Peter. He had a good memory and so he doubted he'd forget the core information given to him. "You are right, in a way. I can't help you if I don't know anything about you. It would certainly help me to learn some things about you." Some of Peter's relatives, such as Syd and Conor, were already known to Maddox, but he wanted to hear about the man's family from himself. "Tell me about your family, Peter. Are there people you are closest to?" he asked. Maddox already knew Peter was married with children - the Callahans had offered their home to Conor to support the man's release. Still, he wanted to hear from the man himself; to know who he regarded the most and was the closest to.

"You've suggested you believe you need help. What kind of difficulties have you been experiencing?" he gently asked the man. "You don't have to answer this or even attempt to cast your mind back, but if you are comfortable thinking back, could you tell me about any negative experiences you might have had to lead you to seeking help?"

Bellz (Peter)

 

[Bellz]

Gwen Bryant
Lorelei Bryant​

Rehearsal had been as exhausting as all the other ones and Gwen was just ready to get home. It was hard to keep on a certain face for so long, not the acting part so much, but just trying to be okay with the fact that Jason was so close to her life again. She tried to be on her best behavior and so far she was doing well, but she felt her own patience slip during this last rehearsal and her poor daughter had no clue. Lorelei practically skipped beside her, full of life and energy as she asked where they were going to go next. Gwen bit her lip as she tried to come up with an answer, she was so tired…Gwen, she paused in walking. Turning her head to look over her shoulder, she could see Jason approaching them. ”That’s the guy you are in the play with mommy?” Lorelei seemed to be clarifying, though Gwen knew her daughter was smart enough to know that. ”Yea.” Was all Gwen said as Jason made it up to them. She turned her body around to face him completely, just as Lorelei boldly let go of her hand to meet the man a few steps ahead of Gwen.

Gwen’s cheeks felt a bit warm as Jason told her that she had done great today saying nothing as he then looked to Lorelei, who was already smiling as widely as she could. Such a little charmer. ”Hi Jason! Name’s Lorelei! But my mom calls me Rory for short if that’s easier.” The little girl held out her hand to him to shake and Gwen wanted to laugh, she really was her child. ”You have really great stage…presents?” Lorelei turned to Gwen to see if that was right, which the woman shook her head with a small smile. ”Presence, love.” Which Lorelei laughed at herself as well before turning back to Jason, ”Yea that.” Gwen nodded her head in agreement with her daughter, ”He was certainly made for the stage.” Her eyes found Jason’s and for a moment she allowed herself to simply observe him longer than she was use to. He was looking so good, well, he always had. But he was matured…in so many ways. There was parts of her that missed that wild child side of him but she had to admit, she was getting use to the working, professional side of him.

”We were just heading to lunch! Would you like to join us?” Gwen’s eyes suddenly tore from Jason and she looked to her daughter with wide eyes, which she noticed immediately. ”What?” She wondered out loud before looking between the two of them, she had no idea. Gwen never mentioned Jason to Lorelei…why would she? They rarely talked about her biological father, and when they did, it didn’t end well. One day, she was going to want to know where he ended up, she would find out what Gwen did…

The redhead couldn’t even think about that as she swallowed hard. Noticing how quiet it was and the people who were often staring their way, she nodded her head slowly. ”We were just going to grab some burgers from that burger joint on 123rd St…would you like to join?” Lorelei had no idea what she had just thrown her mother into but there was no turning back, unless he said no. Did she want him to say no? They had both established boundaries that had kept them at a professional level for the last couple of weeks. This outing could ruin everything, yet here she was going along with it all. Gwen had been inside her own thoughts that she hadn’t realized she was blanking out, ”Mom!!” Lorelei had finally captured her attention after calling to her twice before, ”Can I get a milkshake? Can Jason too?” This question threw her off so much that she genuinely started to giggle at her daughter. ”Did you just ask me if a grown man could get a milkshake?” She asked between her laughter which caused Lorelei laugh as well. ”I don’t know…I just thought..” She couldn’t finish her sentence as she giggled more. Gwen shook her head at her daughters silliness and looked up to Jason again.

”I guess I can allow that milkshake.” She murmured to him with a smile on her face. It felt like a long time since she laughed like this, especially in his presence. It felt…free.
with: Jason Pyroclast

 

[Bellz]

Roxie Carriveau​

Roxie was continuing to mumble somethings about her father’s choice in communication when a knock was heard at the door not even a second later. Setting the envelope down on her coffee table, she quickly moved to the door and opened it to find a smiling and happy looking Syd, almost reminded her of a puppy. Giggling sweetly, Roxie smiled in return, ”Well Howdy Stranger, I must have shut the door on ya! How are you?” Roxie wasn’t much of a handshaker, so she immediately went in for a hug and gave him a squeeze before taking a step back. ”Savvy isn’t here sadly, but I think she would find this a bit strange so I’m kinda happy she’s out.” She was nervous rambling. Noticing he was still standing in the doorway, she cleared her throat and opened the door a bit wider. ”Come in please! I just have to get my shoes on.” Letting him come in, she shut the door behind him before gesturing to her home, ”Please make yourself comfortable, can I get you something to drink?” She asked lightly before moving to grab her shoes from the room as quickly as possible.

Roxie felt like she possibly needed another drink herself but refrained from doing so as she moved to the couch to put her black converse on. As she was tying, she flipped her hair back to look up at Syd. ”I hope things have changed for the better since the last time we were together.” The woman had felt so horrible once she had woken up after Syd left the hospital. She was tearing a family apart and for what reason? Well…she really enjoyed Syd and his company, she was allowed to have that right? His family didn’t seem to think so. Roxie knew first hand what it was like to be shut out by family, as it seemed it was happening to her now, for reasons she didn’t understand.

”If there is anything I can say or do to put you back in good graces with your parents, I will do it. It sucks not having family around…” She wasn’t going to say anything about her father’s letter, but she just couldn’t help herself. ”My father thinks sending me a letter after my trip to the hospital is adequate communication.” She decided to not confirm if they ever showed up to the hospital or not but she was sure that what she said was more than enough confirmation that they did not show up. Once her shoes were tied, Roxie sighed and stood on her feet. ”Alright, Mister, time to go spend hours finding me that one perfect dress.” Little did he know that this dress would be used for other things, this wasn’t a date now…but she was honestly hoping that she had a shot at one in the future.

***​

Midtown was always booming with excitement and life, and Roxie thrived in it. Walking side by side with Syd, she took in everything around her even though she had seen it billions of times before. The shops ahead of them were rather expensive but Roxie walked right past them, instead wanting to head to her favorite shop across the way. She knew she had to acknowledge why she was passing them, so she smiled to Syd and said, ”This is my favorite shop this way, bought these bad boys from there.” She patted her thighs as she mentioned her overalls.

This second shop was really a find in Midtown, as it was all about how much money could one spend and although Roxie wasn’t lacking in that department, she still liked her way of shopping. Funky Munky Store was full of treasures and most of the items still had original tags on them! She would always find things for herself or for Savvy when she was in the mood for the hunt and she hoped Syd would find it just as enjoyable compared to those boring fancy places across the street. ”Here we are!” She sang to the man, her cheeks turned the slightest bit pink as she smiled in admiration at the store. ”All of the worlds greatest treasures piled into one piece of crap establishment. But hey, the women who run this store are so badass that I can’t help but come in all the time. Plus the stuff is nice too.” She said with a wink before taking his hand, ”Come on!” Pulling him into the store, the were immediately greeted with clutter. It looked like someone’s basement or attic rather than a store, but that was personality of the store.

The clothing area was kept in better shape and it actually looked a little more fancy than the front. Roxie’s eyes immediately saw a pretty tiffany blue fabric and gravitated towards it. Wide eyed, she pulled it out and smiled happily, ”Oh this is darling!” She gasped before turning to Syd, ”I’m going to try this one on I think.” Before he could say much more, the woman was already with the dress in her possession and heading to the only two dressing rooms in the establishment. There was some comfortable arm chairs sat around for the poor men who had to deal with the women who tried on everything.

When Roxie finally got herself into the dress, she struggled to reach the back zipper and was having a hard time deciding if she could ask Syd or not. The woman reached in vain for the zipper until she became so frustrated she let out a little huff. The door opened a moment later with Roxie looking rather elegant in the dress but her face was full of annoyance, ”I, uh…can’t get the back zipper.” She murmured, her voice quieter than usual now.
with: Syd Pyroclast

 

[Pyroclast]

Jason Costello

Lorelei's little hand was lost in Jason's when he offered it to her to shake. The second she opened her mouth to speak, he could tell she had inherited her charisma from her mother. Jason soon joined in Gwen's laughter when the young girl told him that he had 'stage presents'. There was the charm that her mother had, too. "Thank you, Rory, that's very kind," he grinned. The humour in his smile eased slightly when Gwen told her daughter that he was made for the stage, and their eyes lingered on each other for a few seconds. A light smile remained on his face as Jason wondered what she might have meant by her comment. He couldn't tell if it carried negative undertones - for instance, insinuating that he was loud and melodramatic - or simply a compliment that he wasn't expecting. Either way, he could feel his cheeks begin to grow warm and so broke away from her gaze, returning his attention to the young red-haired girl.

Jason couldn't help but smile at her when she asked him to join the two of them for lunch. Gwen's reaction was amusing to him, but he understood her discomfort at the idea. It seemed that Lorelei didn't have much of a clue as to who he was. Setting aside his pride, Jason supposed he couldn't blame Gwen for wanting to keep their story under wraps - especially if she had married again. In fact, it seemed to have worked in his favour, since Gwen surely would only have had negative things to say about him. As it happened, Lorelei only seemed eager to make friends with the man that her mother was working with in the musical.

While he had hesitated, Gwen was practically forced to invite him. The sensible thing to do, he thought, would be to decline. Nevertheless, he was moved by the girl's charm and decided that joining them for lunch would at least make for a funny story if nothing else. "Sure, why not?" he reasoned, sending Gwen a knowing grin. He knew that she wasn't especially keen on the idea, but she wouldn't be able to easily explain herself to Lorelei without seeming unfriendly or rude. When the girl asked her if she and Jason could get milkshakes, he gave a warm chuckle. Hearing Gwen giggle too made his heart flutter in his chest, but he paid little attention to it. "Sure this grown man can get a milkshake," he jokingly assured them both. Turning to Lorelei, he added, with a wink, "Some things ye never get too old for, and I'm callin' milkshake one of them!"

On their way to the burger joint, Jason had wondered if he might still be able to call it off and make his way home instead. It wasn't that he didn't want to go with them - seeing Gwen in good spirits around him was something he was still getting to used to, something that he wanted more of - but she had always spoken her mind around him no matter what, and he could tell that Lorelei was acting as a sort of barrier between them. It made him wonder what she really wanted to say to him. All he could do was try to read her facial expressions when the girl wasn't looking.

Jason idly played with the straw in his milkshake as he waited for the burgers to arrive. He caught Gwen's eye a few times, flashing her innocent smiles that he hoped didn't reveal to her any true feelings he had about getting to spend time with her outside of work. His eyes lingered on her for a moment as he found the straw with his mouth and took a sip. Before his mind could start to run, he decided to make use of the biggest available distraction. "So, Rory," he piped up, still toying with his glass on the table. "What is it you're into, then? Are you a star of the stage like your mam here? Or an astronaut maybe? Race car driver? Professional milkshake taster?"

Interactions
Bellz Gwen, Lorelei

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Aliana Cartwright

"Ah, he's coming home today isn't he?" Ali thought to herself, head in the toilet as she threw up the breakfast Seana had made for her. It wasn't that she was nervous about the return of her estranged husband or anything of the sort. The reason she was holding onto the toilet and groaning was that she was hungover. Ever since she heard Conor was going to be released, she had nothing but mixed feelings. "Should I try and make it work? Can I go through with a divorce? Does he deserve forgiveness? Am I being dumb about this whole thing?" All of these thoughts were working through her brain and it didn't help with the rest of the drama going on. She and her family had almost been blown up, their lives were nearly taken away. Add that on top of the fact that Arlene was dead and you've got yourself a stressed out woman looking to drown her sorrows. Whilst she was never really close to the woman, she knew those around her was and that they'd all need shoulders; Sinead especially and perhaps even Conor. Regardless of what was going on between the two of them, she would always be there for him whenever he would need it. But at the moment, she needed to be there for herself.

The night before, she remembered Conor was going to be released the next day. Leo was very much excited about being able to see his father, touch him, and actually get to play around with him. She was happy he was so excited, but it also annoyed her and she needed something. That something being alcohol. Since she knew Rachel was capable of handling the bar alone, she decided to drink with some of the patrons that frequented. Even though the doctors recommended she not drink while on her meds, she most definitely did anyway. At one point, she was on a table holding her ankle up a bit as she still couldn't put weight on it completely. It was at that time that someone had decided to cut her off and send her home. Seana took care of her and made sure Leo didn't see her in her drunken state. She figured he had a few more years before he would ever need to see that.

Now, she was sitting in the car on the passenger side, her sunglasses on to hide the sleep and puffiness of her eyes from the world. She was leaning her head against the window, a sharp pounding aching in her head. Leo and Seana sat in the back, Leo chatting about how excited he was and all the things he and dad were going to do. "Mom, mom, what are we going to do today then? Can we take dad out somewhere? The boardwalk maybe? OH what about-" Ali started talking over him, stammering over her words. "Baby, baby p-please hush. I have a headache and you are just so loud..." Leo leaned back in the seat, crossing his arms. "Maybe you shouldn't have gone drinking then..." He murmured, earning him a slap on the thigh from Seana, a sly smile as she did so. He knew what that meant as he felt the pop, frowning as he rubbed the spot. Ali sighed and shot her mother a thumbs up, thanking her for helping out. It wouldn't be too much longer before they arrived and would be at the front door, Leo eagerly ringing it. Aliana leaned her head against the outer doorframe, waiting for the door to be answered. She already knew this was going to be a long day...

Sinead ( Misty Gray )​

[/CENTER]

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

Roxie's sweet laughter was music to his ears, and sent a warm feeling all through his body. "Roxie, it's good to see you," he smiled, still hovering in the doorway as he took in her appearance. "I'm doing great, thanks. And if you don't mind me saying so, you're looking a lot better than the last time I saw you. Oh -" Her hug came unexpectedly, catching him off guard, and he only brought his hand up to give her a delicate pat her on the back. While Syd was very much a hugger himself, he knew that with Roxie he had to be careful where boundaries were concerned. Becoming too familiar with her could bring forth trouble, not just because of his parents' distrust of her or the occupational risk of getting involved with someone outside of the mob but also because of all the emotional baggage he was carrying. Being a part of a criminal organisation would make dating complicated for anyone, but for Syd it was more than that. Having feelings for someone was something he had no idea how to navigate anymore.

Syd stepped into the room at her request and let his eyes wander to admire the décor while she tied her shoes. He wasn't sure if it was Savvy or Roxie who was responsible for the apartment's interior design, but he found the composition impressive and aesthetically pleasing. In comparison, the extent of his artistic abilities only went as far as spray painting car parts.

Excited to get going with their outing, Syd politely declined her offer of a drink. It took a few seconds for him to understand what she meant when she looked up at him and told him she hoped things had improved since the last time they saw each other. Then, when he did, he wasn't sure how to respond. The truth was that the situation had only worsened, especially with the recent death in the family on top of everything else. "We're working through it," he lied, his smile faltering slightly. Not even that much was true - how could he work through anything when his father wasn't ready to confront him? At this point, Syd would welcome anything from James, even if all he wanted was another argument. To him, there was nothing worse than silence. Her offer to help drew another smile from him, but the joy in it was beginning to fade. It took great effort to put the issue with his parents out of his mind, so he was keen for the conversation to move onto something else before his mind could begin to spiral again. "Thank you, but I think for now it'd be best if you just laid low for a while. Leave it to me to sort out, and I'll let you know if there's anything you can do then."

Back when Roxie was in the hospital, Syd had stayed with her until she fell asleep and remembered noticing that her parents still hadn't turned up by the time he left. Her words now reminded him of the lack of faith in them that she had previously expressed when she doubted that they would visit. Knowing how it felt to be without parents from his years spent in an orphanage, Syd couldn't help but feel bad for her. Although they were not currently on the best of terms, Syd had always felt enormously lucky to have been adopted into such a loving home with parents who cared about him. Things would have to have really fallen apart for his parents to send him a letter in lieu of a hospital visit. He couldn't even imagine it. "Well that's just pathetic of him. I'm sorry, Roxie..."


The mood turned lighter as soon as the two stepped out into the sun. Syd walked confidently beside her, wanting to make the most of the unlikely situation. After the poor first impression he had made on her at James' birthday party, Syd never would have imagined that Roxie would want to spend time with him. Even if it was just his money she was after to buy a replacement dress, he still felt lucky to be accompanying her on the shopping trip. When they passed the high-end shops, Syd grew confused. The young woman quickly explained where she was taking him, but he laughed when she told him she had bought her dungarees from the same shop. "I thought it was a glamorous evening dress you were after? You know I can take you any place you want..." He gestured back to the street of expensive shops they had now passed. He wasn't trying to brag or flaunt his wealth by any means, but it crossed his mind that Roxie perhaps didn't quite understand how prepared he was to spend money for her. Nevertheless, she seemed set on going to this other place, so, with a playful sigh, he let her guide him onwards.

Rather than a shop, Syd felt like he had just walked into somebody's house. The ceiling was low and the natural light from the entrance would only reach so far before lamps and small chandeliers began to light their way instead. The shop was brimming with character, filled with a variety of items and curiosities, or 'treasures' as Roxie had described them. The joy on her face was plain as day, and the fact that this quirky little shop was her favourite of all the shops in Manhattan said a lot about her personality. Although he had grown accustomed to fortune and luxury tailoring by now, there was still a significant part of Syd's personality that broke away from formality and let his earthy, free-spirited side shine through. He loved getting dirty as much as he had when he was a boy, running and playing with the dogs. He probably had a whole wardrobe of cheap clothes that he wore just to ruin with engine oil and dirt. Seeing Roxie standing there in her dungarees and cropped hair, Syd could tell that there was something similar in her, too. A soft smile crept onto his face, but it was abruptly replaced with a look of surprise when she winked at him and grabbed his hand. "O-okay," he stammered, as he was pulled further into the shop. Was this because he had held her hand the other day at the hospital? Was it okay for them to be doing this in public already? His cheeks were now burning and he tried to keep his eyes on anything but her. He was still holding her hand, simply because he didn't know when to let go.

Eventually, his eyes fell upon an old 1950s camera that resembled one his sister used to own. It had some film in still, making him wonder if it was pre-owned. Leaning against one of the display tables, he followed Roxie through its viewfinder as she darted around the room, trying to keep her in the centre so that she didn't fall into its darkened, distorted periphery. She almost seemed to glow in the contrast. For a moment he forgot that he was in the room with her, and even after she spoke it wasn't until she turned to face him directly that he realised what he was doing. Syd clumsily put the camera back down and cleared his throat. "Sure, okay," he smiled at her, barely even acknowledging the dress as he concentrated on getting over his embarrassment.

In a shop full of unique, eye-catching items, Syd couldn't just sit still and wait for Roxie to get changed. Instead, he idly browsed through a nearby clothing rack, his vision softening as images of Roxie replayed on his mind. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't deny to himself that she was gorgeous. When once he thought he was only thinking about her to distract himself from Arlene's death and the situation with his parents, he realised now that he couldn't get her off his mind even when he wanted to. It seemed he needed a secondary distraction - a distraction from the distraction - but what was there left besides work and the dogs?

Soon he heard the door of her changing room creak open, along with a small voice letting him know that she couldn't zip up her dress. Syd stopped what he was doing and wandered awkwardly over to her. He looked around for a shop assistant or a friendly-looking woman who could perhaps go in and help her - but no one was around. He drew in a deep breath, unsure of what to do. He opened his mouth but no words came out. "Um," he stalled, raking a hand through his hair as he ran out of alternatives. "Wh...I mean, I could...Would you like me to...?" Averting his gaze to protect her modesty, he tentatively pulled the door open further. When, out of his peripheral vision, he could see that her dress was done up most of the way already, he relaxed slightly and took a step forward. "Let me get that for you," he softly told her. His hand graced her bare shoulder as he very carefully pulled the zip up. Once the dress was on, Syd looked ahead into the mirror and took a second to admire how it looked on her, how the fabric fell from her strong yet delicate frame...how they looked standing together. He swallowed. "You look nice," was all he managed, in a voice barely audible. But of course, she looked far beyond nice. If he wasn't so spellbound, perhaps he could have thought of a better word. He stood so closely behind her that he could feel her hair brush against his chest when she moved, and he eventually took a step back. His expression was dead serious, now, as he fought against the incessant voice in his head: Kiss her, kiss her, kiss her.

"How do you feel in it? Do you think it's the one?" Suddenly feeling very hot, Syd moved back to sit down in one of the nearby armchairs, wiping his sweaty palms on his thighs. He took a deep breath to steady himself and dared himself to look at her once again. "Do you have a special occasion in mind for it, or...is it just to replace the one I went and wrecked?" He cracked a sheepish smile, which almost instantly developed into one bursting with warmth and charm. "Either way, you look special enough for anything. You're the woman in blue."

Interactions
Bellz Roxie

Misty Gray read my post 🗡

 

[Fletchawk]

Ryan Donahue​

The coffee made him a little jittery without his usual splash of bourbon to smooth the nerves. So he was leaning over the top of the vehicle that he'd borrowed from the Callahans in between his caffeinated pacing. He'd arrived early, and was paying the price. Checking his watch for the umptheen time in the last twenty minutes, he tried to ignore the multiple sets of eyes that were following his movements. The guards at parking lot entrance nearby were the least interested in him, but glanced at him time to time. However, it was the one the stood above in the tower, the one that overlooked the gate that Conor was supposed to come out from, that who was starting to annoy him a bit. Plus however many happen to be looking out of the barred windows. Not that he was usually nervous around authorities, but the coffee certainly wasn't helping in making seem that way. Fortunately, a loud buzz announced the gate opening diverted everyone's attention, and he turned to watch. The gate groaned all the way agape, which allowed more than enough space for ten men through abreast, let alone the singular figure that waited for it finish.

A smile crept onto his face as Conor approached, "You're late. Loverboy hold you back?" he teased, raising his arms to hug the man.

The first thing that he noticed was how his friend's clothes seemed to have some slack on them. It made Conor look a bit smaller than the actuality of him being fairly taller than Ryan. As they separated from their hug, Ryan clasped him on the arms to get a good look at the man. The blond man was hardly wasting away, but there was some heft that was definitely missing, at least from what he remembered about man from over a decade ago.

"Jeez, you look like you need a cheeseburger. Or three. Come on, I know a place not too far from here. We'll get some before I hand you over to Sinny," taking the keys out of his pocket and spinning them around on his finger, "Unless there's somewhere you want to go beforehand."

The place that they went to, Jarrell's Patties, was a place that Ryan discovered while scouring the city. The search that had been put on hold for the day due to his friend's release, and the meeting he had with James later on. But the place was across the street from a park, and it gave Ryan something to watch the last couple of times he was there.

Misty Gray [Conor]

 

[Bellz]

Gwen Bryant
Lorelei Bryant​

]Rory was all smiles and Gwen wanted to tease her for her cheesy behavior. The redhead was surprised with herself for being in such a good mood outside of work. It was hard to hold the patience to try to be happy anymore, especially when it came to the world outside the theater. There was a high she simply could never replicate, as hard as she tried in vain...

Looking to her arm, one too many bandaids laid stuck to it, underneath were tracks that she hadn't done a very good job of covering them. Rory had woken up very concerned this morning but Gwen had been so doped up that she hadn't even felt the little girl place the bandaids on her, Rory confessed it once she was awake that it was her doing. Gwen simply didn't deserve her. As they walked towards the burger joint, Gwen stole a few glances Jason's way, noticing immediately that he looked a little dodgy. Her hand around Rory's hand tightened but the girl didn't seem to notice as she happily skipped along with the two of them.

It was one thing to ditch her, but it seemed like Lorelei really wanted Jason with them so she wouldn't let the man scamper off so easily this time. Luckily for the both of them, he decided to stick around and Gwen found herself looking straight at Jason, opposite of her, sipping on a milkshake that she had to admit, looked really good. Is it the milkshake...? Her thoughts turned against her, and her brows scrunched for a moment until she caught Jason smiling innocently at her. For some reason, she relaxed at the sight and even leaned back a bit as she turned to casually look at the city around them from the windows.

It was busy and Gwen wasn't a fan of crowds like she use to be, so when Jason spoke up to Lorelei, Gwen was relieved to have a distraction. Tapping her fingertips against the table lightly, she smiled down at her daughter as she put on her thinking face. "Oh now you've done it," Gwen spoke up, giving the man a light smile, "We could be here the rest of the day." She continued to tease to which Lorelei turned and grabbed onto her right arm, with playful intentions of course. But she grabbed at the area with the bandaids and Gwen let out a low hiss as she closed her eyes, Rory immediately gasped. "I'm so sorry mama!! That's your bad arm! I tried to fix it this morning, but it looks like it didn't work." The little girls eyes suddenly started to water and Gwen shook her head, "No no no no, silly mommy just hurt herself at work." Gwen was aware of the lie she had just create and even more painfully aware that she could be caught up in her lie by the man in front of her. "Its okay. Why don't you answer Jase's question?" WHAT THE FUCK?! Her cheeks turned bright red as she ducked her head to take a sip of her water, not making any eye contact with Jason now.

Lorelei didn't notice this and decided to move on now that she knew her mother was okay, "If I could become a Professional Astronaut, Race Car Driving, Milkshake tester star on Broadway, that would be nice! But I think I want to be a star like Mom, since I can't be ALL of those things." She giggled sweetly and Gwen found herself turning to look Jason's way to see what he thought of that answer. Her daughter could be a bit much sometimes at least to some people, if he couldn't handle her...

So what? Blinking a few times, she decided to speak, "Got a special someone in the city? I saw you with that one dancer backstage, she super pretty, like a little fairy." There was something off about her tone but she tried to keep a civil smile on her face. The woman did look like a fairy in all fairness, just one that Gwen would take a fly swatter to, rather than fly away to Neverland with her. "I love fairies!! Is she a fairy?" Sometimes this kid...

Gwen wasn't really sure what she was expecting from Jason, his response. What they had was in the past, far too long ago to rekindle any sort of flame they had before. It was short but significant, like a flower blooming in the spring, a rose so delicate that anything could damage it, causing it to fade. And just like that, the rose withers away, each petal falling, each a piece of a memory that she forced herself to forget. But as she stared at Jason, it was all coming back to her, the reason she fell for him so quickly, and she had to stop it before he could cause more damage. What was she doing asking about his personal life? It was a dangerous game and yet, here she sat, curiously and almost impatiently waiting for an answer.
with: Jason Pyroclast

 

[Bellz]

Peter Callahan​

Peter was on edge and he was sure there wasn't any reason to be. He just wasn't sure about this whole thing, seeing someone for help who didn't have any idea of who he was. He could see where that would be helpful, an outsiders perspective of sorts but still, he just couldn't get himself wrap his head around it. Maddox seemed nice enough. When he spoke about learning things about him, Peter was once again conflicted. He was suppose to tell this man about his life, but anyone could use the information against him. It was something he learned in prison, a lot of the reasons behind why he was treated so horribly was because his personal information was spread around. His affiliation with the Porters had gotten him into enough trouble as it was and he stuck it out for the protection of his family, was he allowed to tell this man about his personal life?

Swallowing harshly, Peter cleared his throat. He could feel the couch behind him, the floor underneath his feet. He just needed to find himself again, he felt like a wild animal. Twitching and rolling about on the inside. "Well, " he started, "I'm not normally one to play favorites but Sinead is the one I'm here for." He told him honestly, "Don't get me wrong, I love my kids its just...I know they can handle themselves." The next questions were harder to answer and he found himself almost feeling defensive about what he had previously said about needing help.

"I can't...function." He put it vaguely, his eyes looked from the notebook and pen on the table up to Maddox, wondering if he was suppose to be writing stuff down or not, he cleared his throat once more. There were a lot of negative experiences that could have lead to him seeking help, they were just so tangled up he couldn't pin down which specific experience lead to all of this.

Peter looked up again, ready to speak this time before he was suddenly stunned into silence. There was a feeling he couldn't shake, one of danger. It was like an itch he couldn't scratch. He couldn't register what was different at first because it seemed so normal for him to be sitting in his cell, which is where he thought he was now. Something triggered him and this was the problem, he couldn't figure out what. Gripping the armchair, Peter looked around desperately for Maddox, seeing nothing but cement walls around him, eyes widely found the clock, tick tick tick the seconds hand went by until suddenly, TOCK! The minute hand jumped to the next number loudly, causing Peter to jolt, blinking quickly. When he opened his eyes again, he saw the basic colored wall of a doctors office, the wall still the same time as it had been in the cell.
with: Maddox Misty Gray

 

[Bellz]

Roxie Carriveau​

Roxie felt like crawling back inside the dressing room as soon as she said anything, the look on Syd's face confirmed just how awkward her request was. The brunette hadn't known Syd long, but she had already started to pick up on some of his nerves little habits. He raked his hand through his hair and she almost smile at the action but embarrassment was keeping her stoic as he stalled. She nodded as he asked her half finished questions before turning around to look in the mirror ahead of her. It was weird, she almost wanted to be on the defense with a man she hardly knew behind her. In the mirror it seemed like he noticed something that made him relax a bit more, which in turn caused her to let out a soft breath. "Thank you." She said gently, as his hand moved to her shoulder, her breath hitched in her chest for just a second. His eyes were clearly looking her over and she didn't know how to feel about it.

It was heavy, she felt...heavy. Like his eyes bore some sort of weight as they looked her over. A bashful smile formed on her cheeks as she looked into his eyes through the mirror, "Just nice, huh?" Her voice was sweetly teasing him, noticing how quiet he had gotten. They stood like that, almost against each other for a moment or two longer. But then he took a step back and she was left to look at herself, standing alone. The image before her was almost disturbing, it felt so wrong. Standing alone felt wrong...

No. That wasn't how she was suppose to feel. Roxie wasn't some lovesick puppy, wanting to follow a man around just because they looked good together. Was she even lovesick? She wouldn't call it that exactly. This was stranger. Syd's voice broke through her thoughts and Roxie bounced on her feet slightly in realization that she was not alone. Looking at herself in the mirror, Roxie shrugged softly. It just didn't feel right. "Actually, my family is throwing an event that I'm forced to go to every year. Have to look the part of a rebel in order for my father to continue to kick me out, its tradition." She smiled almost mischievously, "Hold on." She murmured before rushing back over towards one of the clothing racks. Quickly she found a few items she had her eyes on previously before scurrying back into the dressing room.

"You know, your families parties blow my families out of the water. Haven't had a good night like that in years!" Roxie was a breezy person, she never tried to harbor on much and what happened that night with Syd was in the past, for the most part. Who could blame her for teasing? "Drinks were so good I just had to try them on!" Laughing to herself, Roxie changed out of the dress into an outfit that she felt might be a little more appropriate for what she was going for. "Alright, try to keep your mouth closed for this one okay? You'll catch flies." Roxie opened the door to reveal herself in a leather outfit now, Jacket to pants it was all leather, except her bare feet, and the bra that show ever so slightly underneath it all.

"I think this one would really pack a punch, huh? Stick it to the man." Turning from the mirror, she faced Syd and wiggled her eyebrows enthusiastically, "Soooo what about this? I know its not a dress..."
with: Syd Pyroclast

 

[RayPurchase]

Mitchell Van Gerwen
New York Correctional Facility​

The grey behemoth of the prison was once again standing there before Mitch. This time however, he had much more of a spring in his step. Conor was a free man, and there was another tick in the column of Mitch’s successes. He couldn’t take all the glory, Maddox’s therapy had been one of their ace cards, and Conor himself had gone a long way in reforming his own behaviour, knocking out of the park any arguments of repeat offending. But it was Mitch who weaved it altogether, the proverbial conductor of this legal orchestra, the right emphasis here, a knowing look and laugh here. Perhaps the theatre was a better analogy, at the end of the day all the facts are just lines, you need a real actor to make them dance for you, and that was Mitch. He’d found out about the success the day before. He’d have to swing by and visit him, make sure he had everything set up that he needed for life outside of the 4 concrete walls, that and he could always get that pint he was owed. But he was back today, not for the familiar face of Conor, who he had been visiting for far too long now, but his similarly incarcerated friend, Allen Cartwright. Normally Mitch would prefer a good week of prep before the first meeting, know the ins and outs of the case. Due to the parole meeting however he hadn’t had the chance, I mean he was all for an all-nighter, but combined with the hearing it would have left him shot.

He nodded at the guard behind the desk, Mitch was a familiar face to most of the regular guards.

“Thought it was the last we saw of you, now Sullivan’s out,”

Mitch grinned as he slid his briefcase over to be searched.

“No rest for the wicked, at this rate by the time I’m done this place will be half empty,”

After a cursory glance over the briefcase it was slid back in Mitch’s direction, as well as a comment along the lines of him being a cheeky sod. As was his routine before getting to the interview room he retrieved 2 coffees from the machine. Most important the first time you meet some, good coffee (or at least an acceptable coffee) was a good symbolic gift, break the ice so to speak. Sinking back into the interview chair he removed a stack of papers from his briefcase. From the reading he’d done this was a tricky one. With Conor he was long overdue parole, the reason it was kept from him was down to his own behaviour. Allen was a different case. Beating a man to an inch of his life, torturing him as well, and all in plain sight of an undercover cop. Mitch was good, hell he’d be the first to blow his own trumpet, but this was tricky. This was a particularly nasty case. They appeared to have good behaviour on their side, but weighing it up against the gravity of the crime, it was going to be close. Everything hinged on the face to face, get a feel for the man, he wasn’t going to bullshit James and waste his own time, if it was a no-go then it wasn’t happening.

He looked up from the papers as Allen and the guard entered, pushing himself up from his seat. He pressed a quarter into the hand of the guard, one he wasn’t too familiar with, looked like he’d just been told his wife had run off with the postman.

“Much appreciated, get yourself a coffee while you’re out there,”

He waited until the door was fully closed behing the guard before turning towards Allen, offering a hand.

“Mr Cartwright, Mitchell Van Gerwen, I understand we have a mutual friend in Conor.”

He motioned his free hand towards the 2 cups of coffee sitting on the table.

“Coffee? One with milk one without, whatever one takes your fancy,”

(Interaction: Melanin-Gxdess Allen Cartwright)

 

[Pyroclast]

Jason Costello

Jason glanced to Gwen as she teased her daughter for her tendency to talk too much. He raised an eyebrow at the child, as though inviting her to show him what her mother meant. Before he got his answer, however, Lorelei grabbed Gwen's arm, causing her to wince audibly. He watched, concerned yet calm, as the girl's eyes filled with tears of panic. Jason had his suspicions that Gwen was lying when she passed it off as a work-related injury, especially since he hadn't seen her hurt herself during a rehearsal. From all his years working as a conman, a master of manipulation and deceit, Jason knew a lie when he saw one. But on the off chance that he was wrong, or that she may be lying to protect her daughter, he decided not to ask her what had really happened to her arm. If it weren't for them working together, he wouldn't have considered it any of his business if Gwen was mildly injured, but he hoped that she would be honest with him for the sake of the show if nothing else.

Keeping his expression clear of any suspicion or concern was easy, but the glance he gave Gwen when she called him 'Jase' was beyond his control. It was clear that she was beginning to soften, but as hard as it was not to flirt with her sometimes, he was wary of falling into their old ways. He caught her blushing the second the word escaped her, but Lorelei soon brought his attention back to the question he had asked.

Jason couldn't help a smile spread across his face at her apparent ambition. "Good answer," he replied. "'Course, once you're a star, ye get all your milkshakes free, anyway. Just make sure ye listen to your mam, okay? Bein' a kid on the stage is hard, let me tell ye." Jason caught Gwen's eye then, realising that she might not approve of him giving advice to her daughter. Never having been a parent himself, he wasn't always sure of what constituted as overstepping.

Gwen's sudden change of topic took Jason by surprise. She hadn't asked much at all about his current status regarding women, so why she had decided to ask him now, in front of Lorelei, was a mystery to him. Probably it was so that he couldn't start an argument. The young girl got excited when Gwen suggested that the woman she had supposedly seen him with looked like a fairy. It drew a chuckle from him, but he kept his eyes down, only looking up to the waiter as he set their burgers down on the table. Only once the man was gone did Jason answer her question. "You mean Eloise, with the cropped hair? Yeah, she's nice, pretty fairy-like I guess." A moment of silence passed over them as Jason salted his fries and sifted through various near-empty ketchup bottles. "Fairies ain't really my type, though," he went on, keeping his tone casual. Of course Gwen would know this about him, but he didn't want to point it out now. Not in front of Lorelei. "I don't think a fairy like Eloise would pass the motorbike test." It was at that point that he finally met her eye, his lips curling into a subtle, knowing smile. The memory of Gwen riding with him on his stolen motorbike was one he could never let go of. It was the night they had first met, and instantly revealed her wild and adventurous personality, which was part of the reason he had been so attracted to her in the first place. He was answering her question slowly, because in all honesty, the only special person he could think of that he knew in this city was Gwen. "Left all my girlfriends behind in London when I came here a couple months back, so the only special person in my life right now is the cat that sometimes decides to live in my apartment." Jason's tone was light-hearted, his intention not to put her off him but to make clear that he wasn't currently seeing anyone. Wherever his encounters with women had taken him, none had ever come close to Gwen. She was the only person he had ever been in love with.

"What about you, Gwen? Been testing any motorbikes lately?" Jason spoke casually, as though he couldn't care less what she got up to with other men. He had had to remind himself of how she had responded when he had assumed that she was married. It was true that she no longer went by the name Sheehan, but he had to assume now that she and her husband were no longer together. There was definitely some mystery to her that she hadn't yet revealed to him, but he thought it best to let her do it in her own time, lest he accidentally start another argument. His new rule was to only ask questions that she had already asked him. With Lorelei there with them, he wasn't sure if Gwen had expected the question of dating to be flipped on her, nor if she would be willing to answer him truthfully. So he wasn't expecting the truth - the only reason he was asking her now was because he thought it fair to. He took a bite of his burger while he waited for her response, its surprising flavour momentarily distracting him. "Mmm, what's this place called again? This is really good!" He sent a playful wink to Lorelei, hoping the conversation hadn't become too grown up for her.

Interactions
Bellz Gwen, Lorelei