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

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

Despite the deep laceration across his chest, all Syd wanted was to go home and get into bed. Too dazed and exhausted to form any kind of argument, he didn't resist when lifted to his feet and lead into the back of James' car. Once enclosed from the horrors of the outside world, the four of them took comfort in the silence. The gentle purr of the engine and the low light of dusk soon lulled Syd to sleep and he spent the ride leaning heavily against Aliana who was sitting with him in the backseat.

Finn was prompt to meet them at the apartment in Manhattan and he treated them one by one, cleaning their wounds and stitching them up as required. By now, Syd had had enough injuries to know the procedure and so it didn't faze him; he sat obediently enough, eyes closed and listening to his Uncle Finn's well-practised words of reassurance and comfort. The apartment was much busier than usual and held an unsettled atmosphere as everyone was processing the evenings events in their own ways. Syd was almost thankful for the physical pain as it provided an effective distraction from the commotion around him. Once Finn was finished with him, he quietly thanked his uncle and wandered over to a quieter area, unsure of what to do with himself. He picked up a red fleece pullover that he had previously left there and put it on, having had to remove his bloodied shirt to be stitched up. The soft, oversized fabric brought instant comfort to him and smelt faintly of his dogs. Lucy came to find him then, placing a gentle hand on his back to guide him into the office. He followed her to the sofa and took a seat beside her, his distant gaze settling somewhere beyond the window.

James brought his chair around from behind the desk so that he could sit closer to them and Syd looked to him - though he only managed to meet his eye for a couple of seconds before having to look away. His face still felt puffy from all the crying and he was sure he didn't look the way he would normally like his family to see him. After a brief moment of peaceful silence, his father began to ask them questions about what had happened. As Lucy filled him in, Syd realised how much of the evening he had already forgotten - her mention of Arlene and Vinnie Romano jolted his memory and he squeezed her hand, shifting closer to her to place his other hand on her shaking knee.

When she started to express regret for continuing with the dangerous life they had made for themselves, Syd grew uncomfortable, a slight guilt creeping in as she seemed to blame James for the trauma that had been brought upon him. Having always been so determined to see the mob succeed, he would never want to blame anyone but the enemy for bringing harm to his family - especially not his father, whom he looked up to with great respect and admiration. His mother was obviously deeply upset by the continuous loss and gripped by a fear of losing any more people close to her heart. While he knew she worried about him a lot due to his mental health issues, she didn't often vocalise her more general concerns about the future of the mob to him, nor the nightmares that burdened her. He certainly had never heard her express such a serious lack of faith in their ability to survive; hearing that she wanted to return to Ireland, Syd drew away from her.

"We've never given up before..." He spoke without thinking, but it was a instant and honest reflection of how he felt. Unsure of how to construct a point, he simply stared at the floor between them and shook his head. It hurt him to see his mother so hopeless. Whenever he was transitioning between two different dosages or two different medications, Syd was particularly prone to suicidal thoughts, a temptation to just end everything creeping to the forefront of his mind. Seeing hope for the future in his parents and the rest of his family was the only thing that helped him to avoid giving in to those temptations. Except now, it seemed not even his mother wanted to carry on. "You never let me give up." His voice almost reached a whisper as he tried to work out if it was fair of her to want to give up now, too. No loving mother wants to lose a son, so of course she had done everything she could to steer him away from his suicidal tendencies. Yet, it was for the same reason - not wanting to lose any more family and friends - that she was now on the side of giving up. For every decision she made, her love for others was always put first. She always chose life over anything else.

"We can't just uproot our lives and move back to Ireland," he said, though his tone still carried a level of uncertainty. "We've got businesses, partnerships, contracts - it'd take time to close them all, and...who knows what they could do to us during that time." His voice was low and a little rough, verbalising his thoughts as soon as they came together in his mind. "I want it to stop too, mam, I can't -" His words caught in his throat as he remembered how close he had come to losing Sinead and Lucy earlier that evening. A tear fell down his face and he instantly reached up to catch it with his sleeve, turning away from the two of them as he did. He heaved a sigh, wishing there was an easy solution. "While we're here, we might as well fight. Because it's not about luck, it's about not giving up. Everything we built here, all our businesses and our connections, they're only successful because we had faith in them. Even a drug addiction and a kidnapping hasn't stopped Gwen and Savvy from chasing their dreams. Giving up isn't an option right now, at least not for some of us. But if you..." He trailed off, then cleared his throat as he forced himself to continue. "If you wanted to start moving people to a safer place, you could...move without us." Syd kept his eyes fixed to the floor, hating the words that he found himself saying. Pulling his collar up to cover his mouth, he waited reluctantly to hear his parents' response.

Interactions
Misty Gray James
Bellz Lucy

 

[Misty Gray]

James Porter​

James listened intently as Lucy told him those responsible were copycats and extremists. He rested his elbows on his knees and clasped his hands together so he could rest his chin on them. He took in a deep breath and exhaled through his nose as he processed her next words. Not only were they the same men responsible for Arlene's death, but they knew about the torture Vinnie had innflicted on them two decades ago. Syd placed a reassuring hand on Lucy's knee as her leg shook, making the gesture before James did. It was bugging him how these people knew so much about their past. Although those with any power in the Romanos had been wiped out long ago, it wasn't far-fetched to believe some still lingered with a grudge. Vinnie, Angel and Nicolo had all been present during the torture, but all were long dead. Alex was still alive, but they'd reconciled their differences and even though her relationship with Conor had broken down, they all remained on good terms. If it was anyone with affiliation to the Romanos, James was sure he wouldn't have personally known them. The name "Ethan" was mentioned. There was only one Ethan that James knew and that was Warren's father who also happened to be James' mother's husband... Dare he say, step-father. That Ethan was one of the most honest, clean men James knew of.. nauseatingly so. Despite not knowing of any Ethan who could be responsible, it was another lead. A name to add to that of Luke Holland.

Lucy seemed to struggle to think of more information and James reached out to gently rub her upper arm. "It's okay, love. We can use that information for now. You don't have to keep thinking back to it," he suggested. His wife mentioned how Alistair had said he wanted to run the empire to the ground, causing James to scoff and quickly shake his head. "That old chestnut..." he couldn't help but point out in exasperation. The last one to try that had been Gideon, along with his IWU friends. However, James held off from saying so much when he heard her mention how he'd been using Lucy to get to him. Either they were cowards or they were smart enough to know harming his family was the way to hurt him. Perhaps both. It was upsetting to know his loved ones had to suffer in his place. He would have gladly taken everything Lucy, Syd and Sinead had to deal with. It was his business, after all. In his head, he was the only who should have been tortured and not them.

Though unsurprising, it was still shocking to hear Lucy's questioning of how many more decades they had to suffer. He quickly shook his head when she said Emmet's death was her fault "No, Luce..." he tried to assure her. She also pointed out that it hadn't been the life she wanted. It was true that Conor should have been the one to replace Emmet and James often wondered what his own life would have been like had he not had to step in all of those years ago. James had initially intended to only lead the family to work with the Russians in wiping out the Romanos, but when Conor went traveling for a few years it became a permanent arrangement. As frustrating as it was, James had stepped up to lead the family and it wasn't something he could simply retire from.

Lucy went on to point out that Sinead and Syd could have died, like a punch to the stomach to remind him it was his responsibility and perhaps even his fault when those he cared for were harmed. He tightened his jaw as Lucy's words reflected how unhappy and afraid she was. He was torn between wanting to console her and wanting to explain how little choice he had in the matter. She wanted to go back to Ireland and he wished it was that simple. He'd been about to respond when Syd began speaking. James sat back in his seat and let his son get his own thoughts out of his system. James figured letting Syd speak first would allow him to hear what his son really thought, without his own stance guiding his words. Syd pointed out how Lucy had never let him give up, enocouraging him to fight his suicidal thoughts and keep fighting his problems.

James sadly nodded in agreement when Syd told Lucy they couldn't just move back to Ireland. He hated to admit it, but his son's suggestion that Lucy went to Ireland without them had just crossed his own mind and he hated to think that the woman he loved really could go back to Dublin without them. Not only was she his rock, but Lucy was also the one with the ability to make him see reason and to keep him grounded. The one to stop him from shutting away his feelings completely and gunning down everyone who crossed him, without second thought.

"Luce, I don't know how many more decades or years we have to do this. I just celebrated my 50th. My whole life... fifty years. Since before I was even born, this has been my life. If there was an easy way out, I would have taken it by now," he admitted. "I can't retire from this. If there's nobody willing and capable of running this business, then I can't just walk away. I could hand them this empire on a silver platter but it wouldn't be the end of it. We'd have no defence and no power. Anyone wishing to settle a grudge with us would be able to do it without any resistance. I wish it wasn't this way, but it is. And what about Gwen, Savvy and Finn? They've all made their lives here now and they won't won't to leave it, but they'd all be easy targets if we have no power in this city. The hard truth is, I'm stuck here. Until he finishes his parole, Conor's stuck here too." James let out a sigh and quickly shook his head. He leaned forward and reached to take Lucy's hands. "But I couldn't live with myself if I forced you to stay here and suffer. It would kill me having you live all the way back in Dublin, but if it means you'll feel safer and happier..." James paused as he cleared his throat, forcing back the tears and the faltering of his voice. "Syd's right... If you think it would be for the best, I wouldn't be able to come with you and the children. I have to stay here and fight this. I can't just step away and let those bastards destroy this empire and take all of the power. They'd still want to get to us, to wipe out any possibility of us one day coming back for them, and they'd have the resources to do it." James quickly shook his head and blinked away the stray tears. "I'm sorry I can't give a more hopeful answer. There's still no way I could just retire, as much as I want a piece of that life we could have had."

Bellz (Lucy) Pyroclast (Syd)

 

[Misty Gray]

Gabriel Moretti​

Gabriel shook his head with an amused smile on his face as he listened to his wife point out the house wasn't as good as the one they'd left in Miami. It had been the plan to live in New York since shortly after he'd buried most of his family. The last two years had mostly consisted of patience and plotting until he was confident they could move to New York to finish what his brother had failed to do, to take the city from the Porters. Gabriel had been looking forward to making the Irish suffer for what they had done. He owed it to his deceased family members to destroy their killers.

The man took the brandy from Elvian and thanked her for the drink. He took a drink from the glass and smirked as his wife told him about the language she'd been explaining to the movers. "I knew I could rely on you to keep those halfwits in line. Men with minimal skills such as theirs need direction," he determined.

When asked how business had gone, Gabriel took a seat in his new armchair and patted the arm of the sofa close to his left side, inviting her to sit close by. He took another sip from his glass before placing it down on the presently irritatingly cluttered coffee table in front of them. "Business went well," he began. There were only a small number of people who knew about his alliance with Maddox Parker. Of his associates, it was Alistair, Ethan, Stefano and only the four trusted bodyguards who had accompanied him earlier. Of his family, only Elvian knew. The fewer people who knew, the more secure the secret was. It had been the reason Ani and Maddox hadn't been aware of each other's connections to the East Harlem Gang. "I went to Dr. Parker's apartment to find him on a date with one of Alistair's clean-up crew, Ani." He let out a brief chuckle as he thought back. "They're romantically involved yet they didn't know they we each working for me. They're both exceptional people to have on side, but even I have to admit, it was amusing watching them both squirm."

Gabriel looked to the fireplace for a time, in the back of his mind determining the wall around the fireplace was lacking until they had time to hang the paintings. "This will all be worth it soon enough. The Porters will be begging us to take what's left of their empire from their hands. Our lives were spared from the explosion that night for a reason; to avenge our family's deaths and to watch the Porters fall. I know this isn't sunny Miami, but it will all be worth it," he assured her.

"Now, did those three get checked into the hotel?" he asked of their daughters and son. "They'll get used to this city. There's more discipline here than back in Miami and they'll simply have to adapt to it all. I won't tolerate any further complaining or resistance from any of them on this."

Melanin-Gxdess (Elvian)

 

[Bellz]

Peter Callahan​

The ride home had been silent for all three of them, Rebel, Peter and Sinead. Peter didn't know what he could do to make his wife better emotionally in that moment so he decided to let her be and simply just held her in his arms as Rebel drove them home. Once they arrived things were already picking up around the once quiet apartment. Peter was grateful that Finn showed up at the time that they needed him and was quick to get to work on all three of them. Finn was always so good with Sinead and Peter hoped it worked somewhat, but he was disappointed when Sinead was still lacking her usual spirit.

Sat on the couch with her, Peter kept his arm tightly around his wife's waist as she buried her face into his chest. Letting out a slow sigh, Peter was trying to contain his anger for the time being in hopes of not upsetting Sinead. Once she was all patched up, Peter and her were left alone. Seeing her so pale and in pain made him furious but once again he found himself having to contain himself. Attempting to put on a soft smile for her, he said, "Its okay baby, you are safe now." She stared back at him with troubled eyes and Peter's smile faded as he tilted his head, knowing something was on her mind.

He wasn't expecting her to say anything light but still it pained him when she spoke about her torturers knowing their past, her past specifically. Peter's lips formed a frown as she explained what those assholes did to the three of them. "It doesn't make you bad for wishing that, sweetheart." Peter hummed lowly as he wrapped his other arm around her as well, pulling her in for a tight hug being as careful as he could of her injured arm. "You're right, they don't deserve any kindness and lucky for both of us, kindness is something they aren't going to be receiving. I can promise you that, love."

"I know this is hard for you, Sinny...but is there anything you can tell me about the man who tortured you specifically...please don't feel like you have to think back. But it could help us find them a lot faster so that we can show them just how unkind we really are."
with: Sinead Misty Gray

 

[Bellz]

Ani Sarraf ​

Ani wanted to be out from Gabriel's intimidating spotlight and Maddox was her savior as he broke the tension between the three. Her head turned to look towards him as he spoke and as he grinned, she couldn't help but smile genuinely despite Gabriel's presence. Mr. Moretti chuckled which caused Ani to relax her shoulders a bit, hoping that things would ease up a bit. Gabriel said that he was satisfied with things and that caused Ani to smile even wider in relief. When told to keep an eye on her brother, Ani nodded her head once. She definitely didn't want her brother to become a liability because ultimately it would make her one...

Biting her lip, Ani kept quiet as the man made his exit, for a brief moment she entertained the thought that her brother already was a liability and it made her heart pound heavily in her chest. Maddox got up and locked the door behind Gabriel before he returned back to his seat next to her, silence fell around them for a moment before he spoke up, breaking it.

Given the information she just received Ani was having a hard time deciphering who Maddox was now because she clearly didn't know he had such a side to him. He was most likely thinking the same thing about her which she couldn't blame him for. She guessed this would make them about even. The brunette's eyes looked to Maddox and she could see how sincere he was. Not even skipping a beat, she opened her hand for him to take before squeezing his lightly.

"Its clear that we both have our secrets, Maddox. I don't believe secrets are meant to affect the feelings we have for each other and I certainly won't let it if you won't which..." Ani's cheeks warmed slightly before she smiled, "My feelings are just as real for you, and you can explain yourself to me but just know that you don't have to."

Ani's eyes fell for a moment as she thought about the whole situation, "I never got around to telling you that side of my life because...I'm trying hard not to live that life anymore." She hoped she could confide in him with this information. "My brother is cut out for the things we do...I try but..." Ani went silent before letting out a deep sigh and looking back up at Maddox. "So tell me, what's a man like you doing in such a dirty business like Mr. Moretti's."
with: Maddox Misty Gray

 

[Bellz]

Gwen Bryant​

Gwen was actually having one of her good days, she'd shown up on time and completely sober and although slightly irritated with the director for cutting the scene, she was willing to be flexible...at least for the time being. Although she was in a rather normal mood for herself, it was still hard to deal with the fact that she had to kiss the man she was close to despising.

In the moment she was disconnected from Gwen and rather was connected to the roll of Sally, who in her opinion was a lot better to be. Not expecting for the kiss to go well, she leaned in slightly as planned. But Jason took a step towards her as the director suggested and his hands connected with her hips. Her lips connected with his and this time he kissed her with such a force that she found it hard to pull away again. Gwen felt almost out of her own body as the mere milliseconds turned into long seconds which she could have sworn would have turned into minutes if someone hadn't clapped causing them both to pull apart. Gwen blinked, feeling as dazed as she probably looked in that moment as the director watched them with awe.

"New Year's Eve...right." Was all Gwen said before her eyes glanced Jason's way as they were dismissed. Their eyes met before he quickly turned his back to her and headed backstage. The redhead quickly shuffled off stage in her daze to head towards the dressing room but as she passed the green room, she caught sight of Jason standing inside.

Slowing her steps, she stopped just outside the door before peeking inside. "Uh...Great work out there." She complimented before moving to step inside completely. Feeling out of place and almost like she was being avoided, Gwen bit her lip lightly as she shuffled closer to him. She had this gut feeling and she knew if she didn't act on it now...she probably wouldn't ever.

"I just um, I came in here to tell you..." Her eyes found his and she suddenly grew even more confused. Brows furrowing together, she shook her head slowly. "I wanted to..." Something snapped in her suddenly, feeling way to good off of the high from the stage she took the final steps she needed to and moved in close so that she was pressed up against him. Not waiting for any sort of answer or even approval, Gwen hoped her advances wouldn't scare him as she grabbed his face lightly and pressed her lips fiercely against his.

She missed this too much, she missed him too much for her to care anymore. Deep down, she really wanted to talk with him, to be normal with him. She hated that she couldn't just be that way with Jason anymore and she knew it was all of her fault. Pulling away for a brief moment, she mumbled, "I'm sorry." Before pulling him back in again.
with: Jason Pyroclast

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Aliana Cartwright

​

Ali was shocked at how easy it was to agree to him getting back into the life. It hadn't been that long that he had finally agreed to step back for a while and now here he was. Conor hadn't been out of jail for more than a few months and the whole deal was to keep him out of trouble. Now, here he was about to step back into trouble. She couldn't protect him this time, like when she killed the IWU goon back in Ireland. There was nothing she would be able to do if he lost his temper again and screwed something up. In all honesty, that was what she was probably afraid of the most. Her husband had an unpredictable temper and if she were hurt or if anyone else in the family were hurt, she couldn't be so sure that he would think first and act second. Sure she would love to give him the benefit of the doubt, but he had let her down time and time again that she just couldn't do it. As she looked at him, she tried to find any sign that he could be different and handle it but she just couldn't see it. Watching his expression change as she spoke about Leo, she looked away and rubbed her arm.

He was right; he had just gotten to spend time with his son after being released from prison. Now, he would have to go a while without seeing his son. At first, when he responded to her statement, she was annoyed. Was he really using this as an excuse? Then he explained his reasoning and came to his own understanding of why she wanted to take Leo away. She was a slight moment of thought before hesitation and a chuckle. Sending him to be with both Shannon and Seana would definitely be something she'd want to see. "That'd be nice, wouldn't it?" There was another pause before she continued. "Maybe... He doesn't have to go that far then? I know how much building a relationship with him is important to you and I... I don't want him to end up like me and Allen." She tapped her fingers against the counter, trying to think. "What if we sent him to the East Coast? I have an old friend there. Mom can watch him there and maybe you can call Shannon and see if she wants to come too." It took her off guard when he asked if he had her support on the whole thing. She took a deep sigh and turned her back to him, leaning harder against the counter.

"I asked you to make a promise to me before and you-" she cut herself off, not sure if she should say what she wanted or if she should change her tone. "What I'm trying to say is this. I'll support you on this; you know I always will. But you need to be careful. Much more careful than you have ever been in your life; in this life..." Turning around, she looked at him so he knew she was deathly serious. "If you do anything reckless, I'm leaving and taking my son with me."
Conor ( Misty Gray )
​

 

[Bellz]

Lucy Porter ​

Lucy's head turned to Syd as he spoke up, saying that they had never given up before. The blonde looked to her son who was badly injured and looking towards the floor between the two of them. She wished she could see his eyes to see how he was feeling about what she said but his words were clear enough for her, giving her that insight. "Giving up is the only way t-" She was cut off as he spoke up again, saying that she never let him give up. Brows furrowed as Lucy wasn't expecting such a response. It was true in the past, she'd never let Syd give up no matter how hard he wanted to. Even with the loss of Skye she had begged him to continue on...would she be able to do the same if she ever lost James? Lucy wasn't sure she could, her son was strong than her that was for sure.

He went on to say that they couldn't just uproot the life they had here in New York and head back to Ireland and as he said that, Lucy could hear how childish her wishes truly were. Her bottom lip trembled as she nodded her head defeatedly in understanding, she knew that they couldn't just do what she wanted deep down inside.

Numbly she listened as her son said that they might as well fight back. Gwen and Savannah were fighting hard for their dreams and giving up was not an option for some of them. When suggested that she could move back with out them, Lucy let out a soft cry in protest before silencing herself with a hand clamped over her mouth. Shaking her head, her shoulders shook heavily as she let herself mourn for a moment, the loss of Arlene who was still so fresh on her mind after the torturing and the loss of the chance to break free from all of this. She wouldn't go, she couldn't go.

James spoke up then and Lucy found herself looking to him with her hand still firmly pressed to her mouth, his words wanted to make her cry even more in that moment. How could he think this was fair to him? How could he think that all of his life was nothing more than this? When he stated he couldn't retire, Lucy shook her head harshly and let her hand fall to slap against her thigh with frustration. His words were logical and made a lot of sense to her but the blonde didn't want to deal with the logical side of things.

There had been family members who made lives here, Finn and George had moved here from Ireland to be closer to the family and James was right, they couldn't just leave. She hated when he was right. When he reached out to take her hands, Lucy immediately let him have them. Once he finished speaking, the whole room fell silent and Lucy sucked in a harsh breath as she tried to calm herself down.

Looking to her bandaged wrists, the blonde knew she had a choice to make but her mind was already made up. "I'm not leaving you behind. If there is one thing my father and mother taught me from their marriage was that if one suffers, they both suffer...." Lucy's eyes sought out her husbands and seeing the tears in his eyes, she reached forward to catch them with one hand she freed from James' hands. "I'm selfish...or at least I can be sometimes. I know you are trying your best but its hard for me to watch my family suffer like this. You are so busy watching over everyone else James that you don't take care of yourself and that's where I come in to pick up those pieces." Her voice was strained as she turned to look at Syd.

"You've been through so much already, I don't want you to go through anything else and yet here we are...My worst nightmare came to be a reality today...I thought I was going to lose you playing that sick game just like I thought I was going to lose your father in the same situation two decades ago." Blinking back her own tears, Lucy looked up to the ceiling for a moment as she tried to contain herself.

"If we can't go back to Ireland then I at least want reassurance that Syd will get some down time before going out on jobs again...I love you, Syd but I see that hollow look in your eye...a mother knows when her son needs some time and you can fight me all you want but you need time for yourself after this."
with: Pyroclast Misty Gray

 

[Misty Gray]

Maddox Parker​

Maddox was relieved when Ani let him hold her hand. It seemed like she was willing to hear him out and let him explain himself. As she spoke, she acknowledged that they both had their secrets and that she wouldn't let it affect how they felt about each other. He sent a charming smile her way as he saw her blushing before him. "It's a relief to hear you say you still care. It means a lot and I feel I should explain. I owe it to us both to tell you the truth." Maddox couldn't deny some of his desire to tell her was for selfish reasons. Selfish because he'd spent a lot time having to keep his past to himself and because he knew if he kept secrets from Ani, it would likely doom their relationship from the start.

Ani spoke of how she'd not told him about her hidden life because she didn't want to live it. "You don't want that life anymore but you feel trapped... unable to leave?" he rhetorically asked. Regardless of whether or not she initially entered into an arrangement with the East Harlem Gang voluntarily, he understood how difficult it was to try stepping away now. Not only Alistair, but Moretti himself wouldn't be so open to people backing out on them. Maddox knew how it worked and he appreciated it ensured loyalty as well as silence, but he found himself wanting to make an exception for Ani. Whatever she might have done for them in the past wasn't important to him because she seemed like a good person who deserved the chance to turn away from such a life.

Ani asked him why he was in business with Moretti and Maddox looked down to his hand as he gently stroked the back of Ani's with his thumb. "Gabriel and I are both motivated by the same thing, which is to destroy the Porters. They killed a lot of people he cared about and years earlier, they'd murdered members of my family." Maddox's features stiffened as he thought of his enemies. After so many years of expertly hiding the darkness that burdened him, it felt strange to tell someone who he cared about. With Moretti and the others, he could show the cold, calculating hatred that he harboured for the Porters. With Ani, it seemed to bring out the softer and sadder side of his grief.

"Eleven years ago, back in Dublin, my father and two of my uncles were killed because they didn't comply with rules set out by the Porters," Maddox began, tightening his jaw as he recalled the events. "My father... my biological one. He wasn't a rich man and he was far from perfect, but it was okay because he loved my sister and me. My mother had walked out on him but he still tried to make a life for himself and prove he was capable of looking after us. He had his own pub and he loved that place, but the Porters had decided they were in charge of Dublin and my father had to pay them protection and rent money. He and my uncles didn't always follow the Mob's rules, but why should they have? There was no legal or moral reason for the Porters to claim ownership of a city." Maddox let out a soft sigh. "I will never forget that one night. I was at the casino with my friends and some guys wrongly accused me of cheating. I protested my innocence to Arlene Sullivan and she didn't believe me, so had her security guards beat me up. I was just a student back then, simply having a fun evening out with my friends, yet I found myself on the wrong side of what I saw as dangerous and terrifying people. My father had told me enough about his own problems for me to know not to get messed up with the mob." Maddox shook his head. "I'd barely been patched up from my beating when I got the call. I was the one who had to attend the morgue. Within hours of fearing for my own life, I was in some cold, bright room identifying the bodies of my father and two of my uncles. They'd been gunned down whilst out enjoying a few drinks."

Maddox sat back in his seat. Although his eyes were glistening, he hadn't allowed any tears to escape them. Whether it was because he was numbed to his grief or so adept at hiding his emotions from others, he wasn't entirely sure. "I watched the Porters play God for years. Not long after I lost my father, a factory was blown up. After enough digging around, I discovered the people who died in that explosion were members of an organisation that had been fighting against the Porters." Maddox paused as he looked to Ani's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "I want them to suffer for what they did to me and my family. I knew I was just one man and had very little power to challenge them. But then the Morettis came to me with an offer to help me get the revenge I sought and I accepted." A confident expression took over Maddox's features, now sure of his words. He was certain Gabriel believed himself to be a god and he was accepting of that as it meant he was aligned with people who could stand up against the Porters. Besides which, he was playing God himself, when it came to his manipulation and control over both Syd and Conor. With Syd, it was the man's medication and having the power to alter or even deny him it if he chose to. With Conor, he held the man's freedom in his hands; with just one small push and a short report he could have the man sent back to prison. Anything to break the Porters.

"Ani. I make no secret of the hatred I have inside of me for the Porters and i am determined to make them suffer for what they did. I just wonder if that's something you can understand," he asked. "That's just a part of my life that's separate. My heart and my kindness towards you are all genuine. I care about you a lot and hope this won't come between us."

Bellz (Ani)

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Teddy Wycliff

Teddy gave a chuckle at his friends comment about his chosen lifestyle. He had to admit, they were opposites but somehow that worked for their friendship. "Hey, I'm repentant of some of the things I do... Like bringing certain girls to my place and not a damn hotel." A brief memory of one girl, in particular, Sharon, who just couldn't get enough of our boy Teddy. She'd stop by his apartment, wanting to catch him before he went upstairs to an unavailable elevator. Little did she know he found a secret way to get out and to avoid her. Re-visiting his previous conquests was not something he was into doing; he saw it as re-using floss or something. Until the woman who stole his heart came around, and he heavily doubted it would ever happen, he would continue being what Tony described as the "unrepentant playboy".

Listening to his friend speak, he shifted in thought. He was right about them coming into something that was going to blow up. The Porter's were a nuisance, that much was sure. But them coming in to suddenly take what they had was definitely going to be a difficult task. They were an established gang with nothing but influence throughout the entire city. They could have ties in any and everyone and that was a big problem. Not to say the Moretti family didn't have ties in the city of their own, they had just switched loyalties because they thought the family was dead. But soon, everyone would know they were. "That little gang sure did hit them hard. Twice, I believe. It's definitely significant. Helped Alistair and his band of psychos do what they needed to do, I believe." Teddy sat in thought for a moment, glad he didn't have to be present during their whole interrogation. He looked to Tony and started to wonder why he wasn't at the interrogation. Granted, he was a bit off the rails but so was the twin. But Tony was a different sort of crazy, he had come to understand in their years of working with each other. With a deep, heavy sigh he ran a hand through his hair. "Part of me is excited about all of this and the other is still a bit apprehensive... Anyway, I was going to check in with Moretti. You want to come?"
​

Tony ( RayPurchase )

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Elvian Moretti

With a soft chuckle, she smiled at him before taking a seat on the chair's arm. "Their mothers should have taught them better." With a slight sigh and roll of her eyes, she looked at her husband. "But, you're welcome, dear. You know you can always count on me." She reached her hand after to his cheek, rubbing her thumb gently across it. Their family had been through a lot in the past few months and she was glad they all had each other to get through it. Nothing was more important to her than family and loyalty. Whatever he needed her to do, she would do so just for him and her kids. She watched as he placed his cup down, making a mental note to clean the table. Elvie was sort of surprised he hadn't lingered on the mess for longer than he had.

Listening as he began to speak about business, she made sure to keep up with all the names and different faces. So many people worked for her family and keeping up with them was always difficult. He was speaking about how he walked in on Ani and Maddox having a little date, not knowing they were both employed by the Moretti family. Elvian found it just as amusing as her husband, the fact the two kids had started a relationship with secrets. It took her a minute to connect names with faces. Maddox... Maddox was the psychiatrist, one? The one with the pretty face and lovely hair. Yes, he was the one Gabriel had sent to pick the minds of their vulnerable enemies. Ani was the other twin, the more sane one wasn't she? Thinking about the two of them as a couple, she didn't think it was too bad. "Oh, the two of them would make a lovely couple." She stated, before listening to his reassurance. He knew she was still feeling unnerved about the whole move and was doing his best to make her feel better about it. "I know, Gabe, and eventually I'll feel better about it." Pointing to the bare walls around the room, "Maybe once I get everything hung up I'll feel a bit better about this life-changing yet necessary move."

When asked if their children had settled into their hotels, she shrugged. "I hadn't had a chance to check on anyone, so it's hard to tell. I'm sure they have by now and are just getting acquainted with the city, is all." She told him, standing up and stretching her arms over her head. Their three children showed resistance just as Elvian did, but of course, being children of Gabriel Moretti it meant they weren't allowed to do so. Just like she had, her life in Miami had been great and now they had to completely readjust to a new place. She understood how they felt about it, but it wasn't going to do anyone any sort of good. She walked behind him and draped her arms around his shoulders, nestling her head against his neck. "They'll come around and understand what this is all for. Just, please, don't be too hard on them, okay?"

Gabriel ( Misty Gray )

​

 

[Pyroclast]

Danny Vaughan

Though he was doing his best not to make a big deal out of it for Savannah's sake, Danny couldn't help but smile faintly at the sight of her taking her first drag. Almost instantly she broke into a coughing fit, which he had expected. "You alright there?" he asked her, keeping his tone as relaxed as possible so as not to evoke any potential anxiety in her. Even though he had demonstrated how to inhale properly, he hadn't been expecting her to grasp the technique on her first time. Nevertheless, he was concerned enough to suspend all train of thought until she had recovered. "Not dumb," he argued. "You just gotta take it easy. Keep it small 'til you get the hang of it. There you go!" Smiling as she blew a decent cloud of smoke away from him, Danny took the joint back from her and resumed his usual technique.

Being told not to laugh was about as effective as being told not to press a big red button; when Savannah confessed her love for Disney films, Danny couldn't help but chuckle, releasing an uneven breath of smoke as he did. "Fantasia," he grinned, before taking another drag. "It's before our time, but I've seen it once or twice when it comes round to theatres...Man, did it leave an impression on me. Swear I still dream about those freakin' brooms sometimes..." He shook his head and laughed at himself, twirling the joint between his fingers. "Disney's crazy good - you don't ever have to get shy about what you're into, Sav!"

Danny considered the James Bond movies an unlikely choice for Savannah, given that the reality in which she lived seemed just as action-packed. He thought perhaps her own experiences might deepen her understanding of the films, that she might identify with the characters or plot lines in some way. Not wanting to bring her mind back to recent traumatic events she had experienced, however, Danny decided not to question it. She soon moved on to ask him if he ever went to the movies, and again he smiled at her. It was getting harder not to smile, partly due to her charm and partly due to the mild high he was experiencing. Going to the cinema was something he loved to do while high, but he chose not to admit that to her yet. As it gradually dawned on him how attracted he was to Savannah at this point, he found himself being very cautious to make a good impression on her. "I go often, yeah," he softly replied. The first sign of getting high suddenly hit him when his vision wavered slightly. He passed the joint back to Savannah and watched her to see that she inhaled with caution. "Oh man, yes, I've heard so much about that movie!" Drawn in by her sweet laugh, he echoed it with one of his own. Having read the book, Danny could only imagine how great Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory would be to watch while high.

The way Savannah had phrased it sounded like she was inviting him to go to the cinema with him and for a brief moment he fell silent, simply gazing at her with a soft expression on his face. "Come see it with me." It sounded almost like a command rather than a suggestion. "We can bring a load of chocolate in with us to get the full experience - like we're on a tour of the factory too!" His smile grew as he realised how silly it would be, how fun to be sat in the theatre with her watching some crazy movie. Tapping a finger against the table as some kind of unconscious way to release his nerves, he calmly, yet boldly, pressed on. "I like hanging with you, Savannah. I wanna do more of it. You let me know if you ever need any more distractions - or if you just wanna have fun - and I'll be around." Danny withdrew a pen from his pocket that he had accidentally stolen from the bar and reached forward to take Savannah's free hand. He gently pulled it towards him and proceeded to write down his telephone number on her palm. "I'll be checking the viewing times next time I go by the movie theatre," he told her, his voice somehow sounding calm despite the butterflies forming in his stomach. "Just think about it."

Interactions
Misty Gray Savannah

 

[RayPurchase]

Tony Harris

​

Tony sipped at his tea, grimacing slightly at the taste. If there was one thing the yanks could do time and time again, it was to leave him bitterly disappointed by what they considered tea. He turned towards the kitchen, dumping the contents in the sink before turning back to Teddy. He was right about that ‘Little Gang’. With limited resources and numbers, they’d managed to strike a good few blows. Nothing that Tony considered knock out, but definitely enough to bloody a nose, or a bloody a bit more if that Ammon had a chance to go to town on the 3 Porters that were picked up. That man was something else, Tony knew he had his problems, mostly stemming from a hair trigger temper he was fine until he saw red, but that could come at just a moment’s notice, a burning rage that was always simmering just below the surface. It was different with Amon though, that was just a switch flipping, like it was a completely different person standing in front of you, looked the same, but behind those eyes lurked someone altogether different to the person you’d been chatting to 5 minutes before. It even gave Tony the creeps.

His features creased into an uncharacteristic broad smile at Teddy’s excitement and apprehension. Teddy was right to have some caution, but for Tony, that apprehension was being thrown to the wind. This is what he had been brought over for, not cracking heads in an already pacified Miami. He was a soldier not a peacekeeper, he needed a warzone not a safe harbour, and this was it. Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war.

“It’s going to be fuckin’ mental mate, finally a chance to do some real damange, enough of the odd jobs and shakedowns, our time to shine. And don’t you worry your pretty little head, I’ll hold your hand along the way,”

He let out a roar of laughter as he stood up and made his way over to the coathook by the sofa, giving Teddy a slap on the shoulder with one of his meaty paws. Grabbing a black lightweight bomber jacket which he swung on.

“Go on I’ll join you, best to check in sooner rather than later. Still need to get myself a new set of wheels sorted. So we either take your ride or get a cab.”

(Interaction Melanin-Gxdess Teddy)

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

It was hard to watch as Lucy burst into tears at his suggestion that she move to a safer location without the others who were tied to New York. But having given his opinion, Syd wasn't sure what comfort he could offer her. He remained silent as words passed between his parents, looking away as though to give them some privacy. In truth, he just didn't like to see either of them upset - he could tell by the faltering of his father's voice that he had caught him at a rare emotional moment. While relieved to hear James agree with him, it still wasn't an ideal solution and Syd immediately began to worry about what he would do without his mother around. When Lucy assured them that she couldn't leave without them, he still wasn't sure whether to be concerned or relieved.

Lucy soon turned to face him and Syd reared his head to meet her gaze. His heart ached when she told him she had thought she was going to lose him earlier that evening. He had had that same fear, of losing her and Sinead - but after a second he registered what she had said. "You've...done that before?" Looking at the two of them, Syd brought a hand up to the freshly stitched wound across his chest and lightly touched its edges through the fleece, thinking of James' similarly placed scars. "You had to torture dad?" The news stunned him, horrified to think of the past trauma that his mother would have been revisiting while they had been tied to those chairs. The man in the suit had said that she was playing a game that she already knew, but Syd hadn't understood at the time.

Lucy went on to ask James for reassurance that Syd would get to take a break before going out on any more jobs. Despite the emotional break down that being kidnapped had pushed him to, stepping back from his role in the mob so that he could recover was the opposite of what he wanted. "There's no hollow look in my eyes, I don't know what you're talking about," he protested, but his voice had fallen to a whisper and his eyes had welled up with tears again. The effort it took for him to form a coherent sentence showed in the slow speed at which he spoke. "It's my responsibility to protect this family and I don't see why I should step down at a time when we are clearly all at high risk." Syd glanced between his mother and father with a resentful look in his eyes, which quickly softened into one of desperation. "I-I need this, I need to be a part of this, please...the mob needs me. Right, dad? I don't want to fight you, I want to fight the people that are killing us, hurting us, fucking with us." Syd set his elbows on his knees and caught his head in his hands as he dropped forward, blocking out his parents from his peripheral vision. "You think I'm useless..."

His eyes glazed over then, fixed to a point on the floor. Taking time off from working in the business made him feel like he was regressing back to when he was 21 years old and struggling through the early stages of his bereavement, barely able to function let alone work. He didn't want to return to that state ever again. "I-I'm not that bad, I swear...These bastards need to be dealt with before they can hurt us again so we need everyone on our side to be doing their part. I'm going to do mine, too, like everyone else. We've got to fix...t-to fix..." His mind drew a blank as he struggled to remember any of the current issues that the mob was facing. In this state, he couldn't think straight at all; the frustration made his hands curl into fists, grabbing onto his hair and tugging as though trying to tease the stress out of him. But he was stuck somehow, unable to think and now unable to remember what he had even been trying to say in the first place. After several seconds, he had to give up. Wrapping his arms around himself, he sat back again, not bothering to lift his glassy eyes from the ground. He wasn't well and he knew it - he felt it. Eventually he managed to look to his parents. Straining his voice to conceal any wavering, he said, "Don't give up on me. Please. I just - I need to be in control of some part of my life." His heart was beating heavily in his chest as he locked his red eyes on James, hoping to convince the man to let him continue working. "Tell mam how much you need me."

Interactions
Misty Gray James
Bellz Lucy

 

[Misty Gray]

Sinead Callahan​

Peter reassured her that she wasn't bad for wishing ill of the men who hurt her and she quickly nodded her head in agreement. Though she believed it wasn't so terrible to think ill towards such evil men, it still made her feel anxious. She was worried that her mind was going to darker places that she would struggle to escape. The thought of harming herself wasn't something she was a stranger to, but to now also imagine harming others felt like too much.

"You know what the man in charge said?" she asked Peter, keeping her eyes closed as she rested her head on his shoulder. "He thought if he was lucky, I would kill myself. Seemed to already know that my mind is a mess and that I might not cope." She bit her bottom lip and quickly shook her head. "He can go to hell because I won't do that. All I wanted to do when I was there was get out alive, so I could be with you and the kids again. I don't want to leave you all and thinking I'd never see you again was terrifying," she told him. "I'm just scared of what I'll see when I close my eyes to sleep at night. I don't want new nightmares."

When Peter asked her to tell him about Ammon, Sinead sat up and looked to her husband's face. She hesitated before letting out a broken sigh. "I don't... He had this creepy, giant smile on his face and big, crazy eyes. He was like a child begging his parents to let him play out. But his idea of playing out was scaring and hurting me." She quickly shook her head. She knew she wasn't giving Peter much to work with, but all she could picture was the caricature of some smiling, demonic jester. "He said my blood was pretty. Who could even think that?" She covered her mouth with her hand and quickly shook her head in protest. "No. I'm sorry, Petey. I can't do this. I don't want to talk about him again unless it's to hear he's gone, never to return."

Sinead quickly wiped her tearful eyes and let out a faltered whimper as she forced herself to push back any crying. "Can we just go home? I think I'd feel more comfortable at our house."


Bellz (Peter)

Conor Sullivan​

When Aliana suggested Leo could stay with her friend in the East Coast, Conor reluctantly nodded his head. "As long as you're sure it's safe and a good environment for him to be in," he reasoned. "My mam might be up for that. Anything for a vacation and one away from business, right?"

Aliana turned her back to him when he asked if he had her support. It was an action that didn't give much hope to him. Once again, she brought up the night he'd promised her he wouldn't end up locked up in jail. It was a promise he'd kept for years until that one night he lost his temper and taught those guys a lesson. Now, it was clear to him it wasn't something she was ever going to drop, no matter how hard he tried to prove himself to her. In the past, that logic alone would be enough for him not to bother trying to change at all. However, she soon turned back to face him and seemed to have relented slightly. She told him she would support him but he had to be more careful. "This is what I've been trying to say. I am being more careful and I'm working my bollocks off trying to prove I'm not the same person who got sent to jail. Dr. Parker wouldn't have stuck his neck out for me if he thought I was just going to go around knocking guys about as soon as I was released, would he?" he protested.

Then, when his wife once again threatened to take Leo away if he was reckless, Conor turned his head to look away from her for a short time. It felt like his son was being used against him and that didn't sit well with him. However, whilst it was tempting to argue with her and call her out for using their son, he chose to rise above it and instead address it calmly. "Well, I'm not going to do anything reckless, am I? People can change, you know, and that includes me. So you don't have to take our son anywhere." He looked her in the eyes and studied her for a moment, trying to find if there was any part of her that still cared for him. Was there any part of her that still loved him and wanted to be his wife. "Tonight isn't a good night for it, but we should probably discuss our future soon. I need clarity and some clue as to what is going to happen to us two... before it eats away at me any longer."


Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana)

 

[Misty Gray]

Gabriel Moretti​

When Elvian expressed her thoughts that Maddox and Ani would make a lovely couple, Gabriel let out a scoff at the thought. There were a number of ways the man could be labelled as a hypocrite and one of those what his apparent disinterest in romance. Except, when it was him and Elvian, then he contradicted such apathy and chose to go all out in making his wife feel loved. He simply had neither the time nor care to gush over the romantic affairs of those outside of his household. Still, as he thought of his wife's words, he nodded his head in delayed agreement. Objectively, he was able to conclude the two subjects of the conversation did make a fitting couple. "I suppose I can see it too. Both are intelligent and both doctors. Aesthetically, they make a good match. Not to mention they're both spectacularly adept at keeping secrets! Yes. A fine match," he concluded. "Provided it doesn't turn Bradley soft, because I like him cold and calculating," he remarked, referring to Maddox's real first name.

The thought of paintings on the wall and tidy coffee tables was a pleasant one to Gabriel, so he'd be more than glad when the house was completely in order. Mess and disorganisation were a sign of lacking discipline. Gabriel wanted the home to be neat and orderly, believing it would reflect well on him and his family. The only way his offspring would succeed to their full potential was by being pushed now. Gabriel had grown up watching his father interact with his eldest brother and it had seemed harsh at the time, but Gabriel now saw the benefits of his own strict upbringing. He wished to enforce the same values on his own family. Starting with something as seemingly minor as finishing unpacking and ridding the house of clutter.

Gabriel listened as Elvian explained the kids were likely getting acquainted with the city. He found it hard to feel too bad at uprooting them to New York because he'd long since grown tired of Miami and he had every faith his kids would find more success in the Big Apple. Valentina was already enrolled at University and due to start once the summer break was over. He didn't doubt Marcus would find another coaching job and even if he didn't, Gabriel expected his son to end up working more actively for the family business. Tatiana was already working for the Morettis and as such would still be working alongside Gabriel, perhaps with the main change being bigger challenges and growing responsibility for the family. When it all came down to it, Gabriel was the boss and his word was final. "They'll get over it," he simply concluded.

When Elvian draped her arms around him and rested her head against his neck, Gabriel couldn't help but smile. reaching up with one hand to gently stroke her arm as it remained on him. "I'll go easy on them, Elvie," he assured her. He'd decided to give into her this time, especially as she'd softened him up a little with her physical contact. "Only because I love you," he half-joked. In all honesty, his wife had been his rock a couple of years ago. He'd lost all of his family except for his wife and children. Whilst he put on a brave face for the kids, there had been a period of mourning for him and it was something Elvian helped him to keep his head above. "Tomorrow is a bright, new day, so we will take everything we can from it."


Melanin-Gxdess (Elvian)

 

[Bellz]

Ani Sarraf ​

'Ani looked closely at Maddox as he rhetorically asked if she felt trapped. That was exactly how she felt and she wondered if he felt the same way. It gave her some comfort in knowing that she might not be alone in that sense...someone else like Maddox who could still see that this life wasn't one to be living. Her eyes looked down suddenly as she felt his thumb move against the back of her hand and when he went on to explain himself, she listed intently.

There was a sadness in his eyes that made Ani's heart clench tightly and she gave his hand a light squeeze as he revealed the story behind his hatred for the Porters and how he was caught up in this whole mess they created. The tears that welled in his eyes wouldn't escape and Ani wondered how many times Maddox had to relive the story he was telling her. She couldn't imagine losing her family to violence like that, she couldn't imagine losing her brother to the violence they were ensuing now...She just couldn't.

Silently she sat until he was finished with his story and after she wasn't sure what to say at first. There was so much hatred in his heart and it was completely unexpected given the type of person she was use to seeing. She placed her other hand over his and looked up into his eyes for a moment, searching for reassurance that what he was saying was true. He swore that the part of his life that wanted to end the Porters was separate from the life he was living with her currently.

Ani hadn't felt happiness like this in a long time, she had been focused on her work and on her brother's well-being for so long that she owed it to herself to take a chance on this new and challenging relationship.

"Thank you, for telling me this...your honesty is something that's important to me and to be honest with you..." She paused for a moment as she gave his hand another squeeze, "What you have told me changes nothing about us and I don't want it to ever come between us. Your hatred is understandable, Maddox. I can't imagine the pain you must have gone through and I want to make sure that you never feel like that ever again."

Ani felt awful that she hadn't been on the job tonight, especially now that she knew how important the Porters demise was to Maddox, "I should have been there tonight with Alistair and my brother...if I would have known that they had done this to you in the beginning..." Ani's brows furrowed together and she shook her head in slight frustration now, "I know what we are doing is not necessarily good but how on earth could someone do that? Murder family members without any remorse?" Perhaps Ani was just too good to understand why anyone did those kinds of deeds but it hurt her inside to know that Maddox had been hurting for so long.

"I'm so sorry for you loss, love." She whispered before leaning in to kiss his forehead lightly.
with: Maddox Misty Gray

 

[Inb4Cloaker]

Farrid Al-Assad​

Farrid listened carefully as he allowed Owen inside, not willing to designate any particular place for him to be patient at. So long as people didn’t intentionally destroy his inventory or be a nuisance within his work place, the medic was happy to let people wander about as they please. What did worry him was the sight of Owen focusing on the helmet Farrid intended to conceal. While the Syrian driver didn’t expect his visitor to understand its semblance or find the red triangle that was painted onto it unusual, he didn’t want to be engaged in a conversation about it. Out of sight and out of mind was a phrase Farrid clung to often, but seeing as how the out of place headgear was indeed within eyeshot, he could only hope that it would stay out of Owens mind regardless.

“Yeah, being a punching bag typically isn’t good for your health. I mean, I think. Fuck if I know, I’m not a doctor. Legally.” The medic replied with short, choppy bursts of speech as he turned his attention away from the courier. Reaching through a cabinet filled with various papers and bottles, he withdrew two beers that were labeled as “Stella,” something he was sent in a separate package. Assad assumed they were Egyptian made, and had been saving a case of them for a special occasion.

After a moment of consideration, he comfortably decided that expending two of the bottles wouldn’t be a big deal. Strolling back over to the middle of the room, the medic gestured with the drinks towards a table he cleared off earlier. With four seats already pulled up, Assad picked one out and withdrew it before settling himself down comfortably. Placing one of the beverages on the other side of the small rectangular table, Farrid glanced over towards the courier.

“After hours? Heh, it’s always after hours here. Don’t worry about it, just enjoy your beer if you want. Thanks for checking in, I just wish that things were better right now. Different circumstances would be nice.” He noted morbidly, shaking his head and shrugging his shoulders slightly.

While Assad didn’t know the courier too well, he remembered that Bailey spoke highly of him, and he gathered from the younger mans attitude that he was pretty alright. All in all, Assad liked the courier, and didn’t have a problem with spending some time in his company. Farrid reasoned that spending time in anybody’s company would be better than sitting alone in his clinic and dwelling on the choices he would soon be faced with. Leaning back in his wooden seat, the medic used the corner of the table to uncap the bottle before raising the glass container into the air.

“Fi sihtik.” Was all he said before taking a swig of the alcoholic drink.

إغراءات

Mentions: None.
Interactions: Owen @Fletchawk


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[Misty Gray]

James Porter​

James felt a sense of relief when Lucy decided she was going to stay in New York. He felt selfish for it, with his logical side telling him she should go to Ireland to avoid any further dangers. In reality, he knew he'd miss seeing his wife and youngest son for an indefinite length of time. He smiled slightly when she drew in comparisons of her own parents. "As long as you're sure, love. I want you to stay here more than anything, but I also don't want you to feel trapped here and worrying all of the time." James cleared his throat in an attempt to recover as Lucy reached to catch his tears. Syd was present and had just been through hell, so James didn't think his son needed to see his old man getting emotional. "Hey, I take care of myself. I'm up at every morning at 5am to work out!" he protested, intentionally missing what she really meant. "But you can look after me too," he gruffly relented. "Not to mention, some of the others are going to have to start pulling their weight more around here..." James looked to Lucy as he debated on his next words. "I've left Conor for long enough. He's going to have to decide if he's going to come back to work for me or if he's stepping out. I need to know who we've got committed to this." James had told Aliana and some of the others he wouldn't push Conor as soon as the man was released from jail, but he now believed plenty of time had passed for his brother-in-law to make his decision.

Lucy then turned her attention to Syd and voiced how traumatic it had been watching their eldest son being hurt. She mentioned the time she and James were tortured, causing the man to subtly nod his head as he recalled that night, again. James had already been through enough pain and torture during his prison sentences, that by the time Vinnie came to playing his sick games, he'd been able to block it out relatively well. Despite being sliced into multiple times and being covered in his own blood, and despite the physical scars that still remained, the worst part for James had been seeing Lucy so upset and afraid. But for Syd, the evening's run-in with the East Harlem Gang had been the first time he'd experienced torture and such physical pain. That's why James found himself worried about how his son was handling it.

When Lucy told them she wanted a reassurance that Syd would have some downtime, James let out a deep sigh. He didn't want to take Syd out of action and he knew his son wouldn't want it either. He believed the best way to get over such trauma was to keep going and battle through it. Find strength from the pain rather than hiding away and giving into it. James had been about to reason with Lucy about keeping Syd up and fighting, but Syd's reaction to his mother's suggestion stunned the older man.

The more Syd protested, the longer James had to study his son's body language and speech. It wasn't a bad thing, but James reminded himself Syd wasn't as hardened or desensitized to physical pain and the mental effects of it. "We don't think you're useless," he had to speak up to assure Syd. The younger man continued to protest and try to assure them he was okay and could help fight their new enemies. This was followed by Syd looking altogether agitated as he grabbed at his hair and sported a very blank, hollow gaze in his eyes. James soon met his son's gaze, maintaining stern eye-contact as he was practically pleaded with to convince Lucy he was needed.

"No..." James began, slowly shaking his head. He wanted Syd working and fighting but not in his present state. It would be a risk to both Syd and those working alongside him. "I'm not giving up on you at all, Syd, but you've just been through a tonne of crap that you need to recover from. You need time. Not just to let the wound heal, but to get over what you've just suffered. You're taking a break from this. I want you to rest and relax for two weeks, then we'll talk about it again and see how you're feeling then." James knew it likely wouldn't go down well, but he wasn't willing to voluntarily risk losing his son. "If you don't have an appointment with your therapist in the next few days, then get one arranged and be firm about it."



Bellz (Lucy) Pyroclast (Syd)

 

[Bellz]

Lucy Porter ​

It had occurred to Lucy before that Syd had not understood what was going on during the torturing, but she was reminded of it when he began asking questions about the past torturing James and herself went through. Brows furrowed slightly as she nodded her head softly, it wasn't something she'd ever planned to bring up with her children but nothing seemed to be off limits now at this point.

Lucy was not surprised as Syd openly protested her words about his eyes being hollow but regardless she shook her head roughly. "It is not your responsibility to protect the family Syd, we are at high risk but we can manage for the time being without you." Lucy watched Syd closely as he practically begged to work but she could only look for a few moments before her eyes turned to look at James, wondering if he would be on the same page as her now that he was seeing Syd like this.

The young man pulled at his hair and Lucy's heart clenched. "We don't think you're useless," Lucy echoed after James and Lucy reached a careful hand up to touch Syd's shoulder lightly. "Please understand that we love you baby..." She whispered gently before James spoke up again and this time she was reassured that he was behind her in this moment, Syd needed the time. He wasn't like James to where he could just shut things out and on top of that his meds were being messed with and that could also put him in a delicate state.

When James said what he needed to on the matter, Lucy was nodding her head along with him. "We don't want to lose you again Syd, this isn't a punishment, this isn't something we are doing because we think you are useless...this is just because we love you and care about your wellbeing." Lucy rubbed Syd's shoulder gently, hoping she wouldn't be pushed away, she scooted a bit closer to him.

"You definitely need to talk to that therapist of yours again. I think messing with your medication was the wrong choice especially given everything that's going on right now. Maybe I could come with you next time? talk things over? I want to be here for you Syd and so does your father but you have to be able to let us in...you can't just shut us out."
with: Pyroclast Misty Gray

 

[Pyroclast]

Jason Costello

The spark from the kiss had been wholly unexpected from Jason. As he walked off stage and made his way to the green room, a feeling of elation began to settle inside him. He almost didn't care what Gwen thought of it - even if he never felt that electricity from her again, at least he would never forget it. Perching casually against the table in the green room, Jason flicked through a script someone had left behind, searching for the page on which his next scene would begin. Of course, he barely paid any attention to the pages - for the time being, nothing would get his mind off Gwen.

When she eventually appeared at the door, he let out an irrepressible sigh and lifted his head to gaze upon her. Her compliment drew a soft smile from him. "You, too." It was almost funny to him how differently things felt between them now as opposed to when the rehearsal had started. He felt high when he looked at her - there was a laughter brewing inside of him that he had to keep contained, but there was nothing he could do about the fluttering inside his chest.

Jason's eyes narrowed slightly as Gwen stumbled over her words. He didn't know what she was trying to say, but he could feel the tension rising between them and that said enough. As she closed in on him Jason set the script down on the table behind him and stood up properly, his focus set entirely on her. Gwen brought herself so close to him that their bodies pressed against each other and it felt only natural for Jason to slide his hands round to the small of her back. It was just like how the director would want to see them on stage. The chemistry was all there, now, the two of them drawn to each other like two magnets.

The first kiss made Jason's heart surge and he pushed himself into her like he couldn't get enough. A few seconds in, Gwen drew away from him to issue an apology and, through parted breaths, he managed to whisper a quick "Shut up," before she pulled him back in. Losing all regard for his surroundings, Jason stepped between her feet. Keeping his right hand on her back, he took hers in his left and spun them round like when they used to dance - Gwen ended up with her back against the wall and Jason paused for a second to gaze into her deep brown eyes. There were no words he could say that would have added to the moment - they were speaking another kind of language, now. Instead, he tore his eyes away from hers and leaned down to kiss her neck. The room was empty, the door was closed; all precaution had gone to the wind and the only thing Jason was aware of now was the flame that had erupted between them, blinding them against all of their troubles.


When the door opened, Jason was still doing up the buttons on his shirt. One of the cast members, Brent, stopped in his tracks and glanced between the two guilty parties before slowly edging towards the table and picking up the script that Jason had been looking through before. Despite the awkwardness, Jason didn't stop straightening up his clothes. Of course, if Brent had really caught on to what the pair had got up to and decided to tell someone, they could definitely get in trouble - but the risk was part of what made it all so thrilling. When the door swung shut to leave the pair to themselves once again, Jason leaned against the table and looked over to Gwen, unable to keep himself from smiling. "Did we just make a terrible mistake?" he asked her in a voice low yet playful. It was clear that, in that moment, he didn't care either way. The sultry look in his eyes intensified when he took in her slightly bedraggled appearance. "God, you're amazing. Ye look fuckin' gorgeous..."

Interactions
Bellz Gwen

 

[Bugsy]

KEEGAN LYNCH
​

Keegan was definitely, and had been, planning ways of getting even. Though, nothing came about without the say-so of their boss, James Porter. He took another long gulp of his drink, the glass thudding against the counter as he allowed the alcohol to burn down his throat. It came as a little comfort that eventually, they would be able to bury their dead properly and lay her to peace, more than what could have been said for the remaining living - who had been dealing with the fallout of what had happened at the theater. Then it was time for a subject change, throwing the spotlight onto his rather large family - of seven living (bless Kevin’s heart), a wry smile sneaking onto his stoic features as he glanced over at Patty Jr. who was still more or less leaning against the same spot, his arms folded across his chest and looking all so entertained by everything going around him.

”Seven of them, yeah. All my brothers work with me, and for James.” His sisters were another story, a story of him trying to fight against them needing to stoop so low as to get into the gutter with the rest of them. It wasn’t a place that he would have ever imagined them needing to be - and he couldn’t imagine losing them either. Keegan doubted that he needed to explain about Kevin being caught as collateral - the only one who fought hard enough to try and get out of the ‘mess’ that Jack Sullivan had brought them into.

He nodded over to Patty Jr. ”That’s Patrick over there, second oldest.” Sometimes, Patty had been the one to bring up whether or not they still needed to continue in such a life of crime and of not being upstanding citizens of the world around them but Keegan had been quick to remind them that everything they had was because of him being able to put food on the table, of the lifestyle that he had grown up with. ”Guess there’s nothing wrong with honest livings, Warren. Just that me and it don’t get along.” He responded.

Keegan’s attention turned to the drunken scuffle, a sigh escaping him as he looked on before catching the eye of Warren. It seemed that they were going to deal with the situation, saving the bouncers out front any hassle. Keegan caught the look that Patty had sent him, raising a brow in response but said nothing and moved to provide extra security at the front entrance as Keegan finished off the last of his drink and followed Warren.

There was a reason that he tempered himself, the last time having ended in an assault charge. Keegan wasn’t too fussed about making sure that there were no other complications aside from two drunks having a go at one another. He cracked his knuckles before reaching out to grab one of them firmly by their jacket collar, pulling them backward and off-balance. ”Rather not have to mess up that rather pretty face of yours, unless you give me a reason to.”

Tag: Misty Gray (Warren)

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

Syd felt his heart break when James sided with Lucy and implied that he didn't need him. His mouth hung open, staring at the man in disbelief as he went on to explain why he needed to take some time off. With both of his parents in agreement over his suspension, he felt suddenly isolated. Just like at the hotel bombing when he had defended Roxie, it seemed nobody was on his side. "Two weeks?!" Syd let out a strained laugh, bringing a hand to his head as he sat upright. "How can I relax knowing that my family are getting kidnapped, shot up, killed and God knows what else? How am I meant to rest knowing I could be doing something to stop it?" Each point was punctuated with short, sharp gestures and it was evident that he was losing control when his voice rose in volume. No matter how gently his parents spoke to him, it wasn't enough to allay his distress. To be deemed too ill to work was a nightmare of his, for it was a sign that he was going downhill again, falling beyond the bounds of sanity. He knew all too well how it felt to be at rock bottom and it was a place he wished never to revisit. Yet, if not even his father believed he was capable of performing his duties in the mob then he had to consider it a real possibility. The exhaustion, the withdrawal, the pain and the residual shock all teamed up to twist his anger into a worn out kind of misery. Already having plead his case, Syd now lacked the energy to form any more arguments. Bringing his hands to his mouth, he simply sat shaking his head as he listened to what they were telling him. Lucy rubbed his shoulder, but it was only when she edged closer to him that he tensed up.

"No," he uttered when she offered to attend his next meeting with Maddox. "You can't just...step in to control every part of my life." Still struggling to look either of his parents in the eye - something he was usually good at during business-related confrontations - he let more tears fall across his face, not caring enough anymore to catch them. "You always think you know best for me but when will you trust me to make my own choices? For once, I want to feel like I can do something without you having to tell me if it's okay." By now he had started to shake from the strain of keeping himself from breaking down further, his own leg bouncing with anxiety now. "Like with Roxie. And Arlene..." He choked on his words as a sob threatened to escape him, but he managed to breathe through it instead. "I wanted to be there for you and to help avenge her, but I couldn't because you shut me out. So I've done nothing. The only reason we know who killed her is because - because he was there tonight." Syd looked across to James then, thankful that Lucy had already given him a full account of what had happened.

There was so much he could have said if his mind would only go fast enough to catch the words before they got lost. Regardless, it seemed they wouldn't have enough impact to change their minds now, anyway. Syd didn't understand how his parents could be acting so kind towards him while simultaneously sidelining him. Their kindness made him feel guilty for getting frustrated, but he couldn't help it - as much as he missed being close to them, the part of him that wanted to crumble and lean on them for support was negated by pride and stubbornness. It was that same pride that compelled him to get to his feet. Shrugging Lucy's hand off his shoulder, Syd took a few unsteady steps towards the office door, keeping a hand out to help him balance until the usual dizziness passed. "I'll call Dr. Parker," he muttered. "But I refuse to sit on the sidelines while the people around me get hurt. I can't do that, and I know neither of you could do that either. If you really want to pretend like you're helping me, then you're welcome to imagine me sitting in the safety of my house doing nothing, but that's not where I'll be." With his hair slick with sweat and blood and his eyes swollen and deeply bloodshot, the resentful look on his face as he turned to face his parents couldn't have looked any darker. "Guess I'll see you in two weeks, then."

Once he had closed the door behind him, Syd's heart began to race and his breathing quickened. An intense guilt set in, mixing with the terror of both being more ill than he thought and of refusing his parents' offer to support him through it. He felt almost immediately lost. The apartment was still busy with people but it only made him feel uncomfortable. Whether or not they could even see him was a question becoming more genuine and more terrifying the longer he stood in the room. So, not even thinking about keys, he headed for the front door.

The corridor was silent, and the sudden change of atmosphere momentarily slowed him down. He began to make his way towards the elevator but with each step he took, the corridor would tilt and twist with increasing intensity. Syd staggered sideways, placing a protective hand on his chest. His heart was beating at an alarming rate and he was so dizzy that he thought he might pass out. The door to the elevator was only a few more steps away, but he was paralysed by fear and couldn't move towards it. The silence became eerie, like it was building suspense towards something terrible. Syd instinctively reached for his gun, but found that it wasn't there. That's when he remembered the masked men. Out of nowhere, he heard the loud, echoing clang of the apartment block door slam shut at the bottom of the staircase and immediately flew back into the apartment.

He flung open the door of the office and stared at James and Lucy, eyes wide with terror. More tears coursed down his face and he was now shaking even more intensely than before. "I -" he began, but his throat was too dry to speak. Instead, he stumbled back over to the sofa and assumed his seat beside Lucy. "I can't, yet," he reluctantly admitted, his voice thick with emotion. Though it was hard to accept, no part of him currently felt stable or at all at ease. He didn't even have enough of a grip to get himself home, let alone trust his mind to make sound decisions. All signs suggested that his parents were right and as much as he wished he could handle things on his own, he knew he wasn't ready yet. "I'm sorry," he croaked, struggling to get his breath back. "I'm sorry I can't do my job." He went to wrap his arm around Lucy but his wound was too tender and the movement made him wince. All the same, he leaned into her, reaching for her with his other arm while his wild eyes landed on his father. "I'll work from home - desk stuff, whatever needs doing. Tell me how I can be useful," he implored. A heavy shudder passed through him and he gripped Lucy's arm, breathing heavily through the panic. "I-I just n-need some time..."

Interactions
Misty Gray James
Bellz Lucy

 

[Misty Gray]

Savannah Callahan​

Savannah grinned when Danny mentioned 'Fantasia', recalling the old film before nodding in agreement. "Oh noooo. Not the brooms," she teasingly enthused, followed by a playful giggle. She then straightened up when he told her not to be shy about what she liked. "I know, I guess... I suppose I just don't want people to see me as just some pretty little thing. Or some spoilt girl born into a rich family." Before letting herself get lost in those thoughts, she shrugged it off and turned to look at Danny, wondering what he was thinking in that moment.

Savannah accepted the joint back from Danny before taking another relaxed drag from it. At the same time, he expressed his knowledge of 'Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory' and from what she could tell, he seemed interested in it. When he laughed, she couldn't even help herself from echoing it with one of her own. She took another hit from the joint before handing it back to Danny. The light-headed feeling had returned and she found herself briefly rubbing her eyes.

Before she could dwell much on what the drug was doing to her, Danny pulled her back to reality by telling her to go with him to see the film. She tried to focus on his face and study him, as if checking she hadn't misheard or that he wasn't joking with her. "Oooh. We should take our own chocolate! Not like those pesky children who just went around stealing the candy from the factory!". She hadn't yet given him an answer due to the caution she'd always expressed once again trying to take control. He continued on, telling her he'd liked spending time with her and wanted to do it again. She let him take her hand to write his number on her skin. All the while, she started to uncontrollably giggle again as the nib of the pen tickled her palm. "Well... Make sure you check next Saturday's times, because I'm free then," she told him, straightening her face. "I'll call you. We should go together," she confirmed. "Because, I like spending time with you too," she informed him, gazing down towards her hand as she looked towards the numbers etched on her skin. She then looked up to his face and sent him a shy smile. "I feel weird, by the way..." she said, with a smirk.


Pyroclast (Danny)

 

[Misty Gray]

Maddox Parker​

Maddox was both surprised and relieved to hear Ani thank him for telling her everything. Despite the things he had done and still intended on doing, she was able to see beyond it and acknowledge the side of him that genuinely cared for her. It wasn't too dissimilar to the side of him that cared for those of his clients and patients who were completely innocent; deserving of recovering from their psychological difficulties. "It feels good to be able to share this with someone, Ani. Even better to know you understand why I'm involved in all of this." Whilst the likes of Gabriel and Alistair knew of his past, he was fully aware that their alliance was for business and his personal feelings about his losses weren't exactly the kind of things that would be shared in their meetings. All they needed to know what that it motivated him to keep working towards weakening the Porters.

Maddox shook his head when Ani said she should have been on the job with Alistair and Ammon. "No, Ani..." he began, but let her continue speaking. "What we are doing isn't good, but it's a lesser evil. I've learned enough of the Sullivans and Porters to get an idea of the people they are, that the only way to fight them is through violence and mind games. Back in Chicago, they were once the little guy, trying to stand up against the Italian Mafia. They managed to defeat them in the end and I'd applaud them for managing to beat was was effectively the biggest evil in Chicago. But, as the years went on, look what the power did to them? They killed my father, who by this logic was the 'little guy', and now they're the biggest evil in New York." Maddox let out dry laugh. "I'm by no means insinuating we're on the side of good and that Moretti won't become similar to what the Romanos and the Porters became. I'm not even claiming to be ignorant of the hypocrisy of my words. The time for taking the moral high ground died with my loved ones. There's always going to be someone wishing to control this city, so I'd rather be on the side of the man who shares my motivation and has the power to destroy my enemy. When I've achieved what I set out to do back in Dublin, then I can let this go and then perhaps revisit my conscience." Maddox looked to Ani and let out a sigh. "You'll have plenty more opportunities to play your part in this, if that is really what you want to do. If not, we'll have to figure a way for you to get some distance from Alistair's and Gabriel's jobs. I can't control them, but I'd at least try to influence them if it means letting you distance yourself from the messy business. Whatever you choose, it won't affect how I feel about you."

When Ani kissed his forehead and gave him her condolences, he felt his heart rate quicken. She'd been the only person he'd shared his true feelings with in some years and certainly the only one who seemed genuinely concerned for how he felt. When his father and uncles had died, Maddox had been forced to keep his emotions to himself to arrange everything whilst consoling his sister. It felt odd but good to finally have someone listening to him, instead of him being the one always trying to help others with their problems.

Maddox leaned in a little closer to Ani and placed a soft kiss on her lips. "Thank you..." he quietly told her. He slowly sat back before glancing towards the kitchen area. "Is it too late for me to warm up dinner and keep on with our date?" he lightly asked, hoping to break any tension. "I mean, we should just be grateful dinner wasn't ready when Gabriel got here else he'd have helped himself to the food as well as the wine," he remarked.

Bellz (Ani)