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

[Misty Gray]

Gabriel Moretti and Conor Sullivan​

The false gestures on both sides were frustrating, but Conor knew everyone had to put on an act in such a public situation. Thankfully, both he and Gabriel weren't prepared to offer a handshake upon their introductions, so that mutual avoidance was equally appreciated. When Rhys did instigate a handshake, Conor took in the man's introduction and returned the gesture with a firm grip. Conor had heard no direct accusations about nor threats from Rhys before that moment, therefore wasn't fuelled to refuse the gesture. Still, given the man was Moretti's Consigliere, Conor was sure there'd be time to dislike him too. "I'm sure it was worth it purely for the pleasure of giving something to those less fortunate. Who knows, you might grow fond of sailing now you've got your own boat," Conor commented, managing to present a wide smile despite the situation.

With the pleasantries nicely out of the way and Peter's prompt for them to get to business, Gabriel nodded and sat up straight. "Of course. We're all busy men." The Italian took a moment to survey they surroundings and ensure nobody was in listening distance. All the while, he would keep a pleasant expression on his face to reflect a far more casual and amicable conversation than he was anticipating - all for the sake of any onlookers. "I have a proposition which I would like you to carefully consider. James Porter was too stubborn to listen to reason, but perhaps you will be more open-minded, Mr. Sullivan."

Conor couldn't help but scoff, though masked it well to maintain the same friendly pretence Gabriel was playing out. "Are you kidding me? You don't exactly strike me as the reasonable type yourself," he calmly spoke, despite his annoyance. "You had members of my family tortured. My cousins and James' brother were murdered because of you. My niece was abducted. Not to mention what you had Dr. Parker do. Yet, you have the nerve to sit here and attempt a civil discussion?"

"Careful, Mr. Sullivan. I believe that's slander, wouldn't you agree, Rhys?" Gabriel rhetorically asked, briefly looking to his Consigliere. "In fact, this place has plenty of lawyers sauntering around. We could ask them how your unfounded accusations would stand up in court." Gabriel flashed a brief smile. "Better still, we could ask the cops in here how interested they'd be in the case of James Porter torturing one of my family members," he said, referring to Teddy. The Italian cleared his throat and shook his head. "No. Let us return to the business at hand. One way or another, New York City will be mine. We could do it the hard way, where more people will get hurt and your businesses get blown to Hell. However, I would much rather do things the peaceful way, instead of having to rebuild and clean up after I win the war."

"Is this the same shit he spewed out at James?" Conor asked Peter, shaking his head in disbelief. "No wonder he told him to fuck off." Conor straightened his posture and quickly shook his head.

"Aren't you both tired of living your lives on a battlefield?" Gabriel asked Conor and Peter, looking each man in the eyes. "You both have families to be with. Your children are still young. Mine are grown up and old enough to understand this world. I'm giving you a chance to avoid more bloodshed and instead be with your families. Mr. Callhan, I will once again extend a generous offer for your wife's Jazz Club." Gabriel briefly glanced down to his chest as he smoothed out his tie. His eyes suddenly shot back to the two Irishmen. "My offer is a generous one, considering what your family has done to mine. I want you to sell your businesses to me, for which I will pay a fair price, and I want you all to return to Ireland to do whatever the Hell you want over there. I'm a realistic man and I don't suffer from delusions, but there is no doubt in my mind that I will win this war."

"You should have kept Dr. Parker on your payroll because you need psychological help, Moretti," Conor bluntly replied.

Gabriel tightened his jaw before looking to Rhys and imploring him to speak. "Is it my accent? Do they not understand my accent?" the Italian boss sarcastically asked Rhys. "Can you try to explain it to them, in American? How generous an offer this is considering the alternatives..."


Enzyme (Rhys)
Bellz (Peter)

 

[RayPurchase]

Marcus Moretti

​

Politicians, senior police officers, businessmen and mob bosses all rubbing shoulders. This close you couldn’t really tell the difference between any of them, probably why these sort of events were invite only, if Joe Public realised how everyone was rubbing elbows, they’d probably lose all faith in the system, at which point it would come crashing down around their ears. The last few months had been quiet. The eye of the storm. As such Marcus wasn’t kidding himself that this wasn’t the new norm, that peace had broken out. No it was just a lull, and one that had left Marcus pacing like a caged animal. Tati had been sent down to Miami with Teddy and Tony, entrusted with managing the Miami side of the business whilst his father continued to make moves in New York. He was jealous, of that there was no doubt. Tati may have been the eldest, and by far the most accomplished of the siblings, but it was Marcus who was Gabe’s heir, the first born son and all. Even though he may have had different views from his father, Marcus knew that in Gabe’s eyes it was the son that mattered the most, and right now Marcus couldn’t help but feel that he had been letting him down. He had never grown up wishing to follow in his father’s footsteps, not until the Porters took from him everything other than his closest family members, now he had no choice. Tati had been given her chances and followed through, he had yet to take his shot, and now they were sat here drinking wine and being pally. The chance would have to wait wouldn’t it.

Marcus leaned back against the table that the Moretti clan and cohorts were clustering about. Martini glass gripped in his hand, a single olive bouncing gently against the confines of the glass. His father and the Porter bigwigs were already to one side, leaving the women and hangers-on to one side. So he was the latter. He sipped at his drink, the alcohol burning his throat as it slid down. Tati's bloodthirsty elicited little more than a blink from him as he started across the room a dull blank expression in his eyes. Stuck with his mother, sister and Teddy, who had first failed and yet been rewarded in Marcus' eyes with the trip to Miami.

"It's all just a waste of time. We had them on the ropes, and now weeks of nothing. At least you were able to do something in Miami. Imagine this for weeks on end. Enough to make you go crazy,"

His eyes caught Sinead. The last time he'd seen her, her marriage had been on the rocks and they had been running rings around her and Peter in their own establishment. It seemed things had improved between the pair given the growing bump that was only just becoming apparent.

"Like fucking rabbits they are, another Irish spawn on the way. All the while we dwindle away,"

(Interactions:
Tatiana Pyroclast
Teddy, Elvian Melanin-Gxdess )

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Elvian Moretti

Elvian looked at all three of her seating companions as they answered her questions, some more strongly than others. It seemed as if her son and daughter both had the same feelings, although it was for different reasons. It didn't slip by her Tatiana's gaze over to the table that held the wives while the husbands spoke. Their table was facing her back, so she had to be smart about how she looked towards their table. The casual rubbing of her neck to look, a stretch here and there and she was able to get a better look. The men in their family definitely had good taste in women to marry, that much was sure as every single woman was a looker. Even Elvian herself could admit that they were. When Marcus mentioned the apparent bump on Sinead's belly, she couldn't help but smile. Perhaps her friend was too, considering she had seen her take several trips to the bathroom minutes behind each other. Marcus' disgust at the fact made her chuckle to herself before taking a sip of her wine. "Oh, I remember a time your father and I had the same problem. Hence why there's three of you." She shot them a wink as she teased and glanced at her husband. Even though there would possibly be little she could do had something gone wrong, she still wanted to keep an eye on him. "Unfortunately, we didn't get to have anymore as I wanted." It was a sad fact, actually. Elvian wanted so badly to have more children but if she were being honest, that wasn't something that was ideal. Raising children in this environment wasn't something that was a good idea, in her opinion. Especially now with the two families feuding as bad as they were. With another sip of her wine, she finished the glass and pouted. "One day they'll find a way to make wine bottomless." Nodding at her daughter to get her attention, she held her glass out to her. "Gura murdară, since you like using foul language so much, get your mother another drink?"

Theodore "Teddy" Wycliff

Teddy couldn't help but find himself staring in Gabe's direction, faintly listening in on what Elvian was talking about. She was trying to calm down her son and daughter considering they were visibly upset by the going ons these past few weeks. There were more failures than he was sure they would have liked, but this was the opportunity to do something about them. They would be able to get things back on track, he knew it, but they needed to take their time. Teddy knew Gabe wouldn't listen to what he said considering he past failure so he kept it to himself. His boss would do what he wanted and his job was to follow through with whatever he said to do. Like going to Miami with Tatiana. The two of them had not only bonded but got a lot of work done in the process. It was a fun trip if he were, to be honest, and a much-needed one at that. He chuckled at her comment about women, having shared that much in common with the younger woman. "But desperate women are easier to get. Less work to deal with, if I'm being honest."
​

 

[Misty Gray]

Valentina Moretti
NY University Library
~ Greenwich Village, Manhattan ~​

Although Valentina would have preferred to have attended the charity auction with her family, the Valentine's Ball taking place at the University had been the easier option. The way Gabriel was, she knew it would have taken a lot of pushing for him to agree to let her attend the auction, given that the Porters would be present. Her father's reluctance to let her have an active part in the business was frustrating. She was more than old enough to help the family and make her own decisions, yet she felt like she suffered the curse of being the youngest and was protected more than she needed. It was frustrating, given that she too had lost family and then had to leave Miami for the business. She felt it was her right to fight the Porters just as much as it was Tatiana's and Marcus'. Still, she was hoping the fact her idea to buy the pub frequented by useful members of the NYPD had paid off for the family would work in her favour and prove to Gabriel that she too had a strong business mind.

Valentina couldn't deny attending the party on campus was the better idea as it served the added benefit that she could spend more time in the library on her chemistry assignment. The large library was close to empty as most students had been eager to head back to their dorms to get ready for the fun to start that evening. Valentina had her dress and make-up tucked safely away in her locker so she could get changed in one of the bathrooms and avoid being pestered to crash in one of her course-mates' dorms. It wasn't just that it was safer for her to return home with one of the family's bodyguards, but she was also keen to escape early and find out how her family had got on with the Porters. She knew she wouldn't be able to sleep whilst not knowing her family's next move. Either way, her father intended on toppling the Irish Mob, but whether it would be done in a civil or destructive manner was yet to be determined.

"We're going to get dressed and made up for the partyyyy. You sure you're not going to come with us now?" the female voice belonging to Valentina's friend, Mandy rang out. Valentina looked up from her books to see two of her friends standing by table with their coats on ready. "You should crash in my dorm tonight, then you can stay out later and have more time to hang out."

"No, I'm good. I'm going to do some more work here and get changed before I join you," Valentina calmly told them, flashing a grin as she acknowledged the librarian shushing them. "Next time I'll consider staying over," she gave a non-committal response to Mandy. Although they were the same age, Valentina felt like she had more responsibility than her friends. It was difficult to provide much of an excuse for declining their invites and offers, not without telling them the true nature of her family's business. It was easier to let them think she was just some boring bookworm who preferred to focus on her studies rather than party every night. "I'll be over soon, alright?"

"Okay. Don't take too long. We're all having drinks in my dorm before we head to the party. We've planned to leave at seven," Mandy informed her.

"Gotcha! If I'm not at yours by seven, then I'll just meet you at the party," Valentina said before playfully waving them off. The sooner she finished her work the sooner she would join them. Once her friend had left her in peace, Valentina returned to her reading the textbook. She excelled in all of her classes and had no doubts about getting high grades across the board. By all accounts, she enjoyed studying and was keen to make her family proud by graduating. But when it came down to it, she wanted to make them proud where the business was concerned, like Marcus and Tatiana were able to do. She wanted to help run the Porters out of town and to be a part of her father's business. She'd been born into it and knew no other way of life. Given the choice, Valentina would drop her studies in a heartbeat if it meant she could have a firm role in the family business. Perhaps she too would at some point be given the chance to return to Miami and catch up with old allies like her sister had.

The next two hours seemed to fly by and before she knew it, it was 6pm. Deciding she'd done enough work for one day, Valentina packed up her books and headed to her locker so she could swap the paperwork for her change of clothing. If she was quick enough, she knew she'd be able to get a couple of free drinks in at her friend's dorm before they headed to the main event.

 

[Enzyme]

Rhys Caddel​

As the conversation ensued, Rhys momentarily bowed out to capture the attention of a passing waiter. With a firm hand, he delicately picked the martini glass off the tray, causing the waiter to sway on his heels. “This is Gin, yes?” Rhys asked with a hushed tone, leading the waiter to lean in gently with an open ear. With a nod of confirmation, Rhys sent him off with the raising of his glass.

It didn’t take long for the table’s clean, civilized appearance to decay and by the time Rhys had tuned back in, the hostility was almost palpable. It seemed the two parties had an endless amount of venom to spew and not one was willing to buckle. Rhys soothed his thoughts with the dry martini, using the two eyes he had been gifted to survey the Irish men at the table. Throughout his lifetime with the mob, Rhys had picked up a lot on tells and bluffs. With the cold stare ever present in Conor Sullivan’s eyes, it seemed the only way he’d ever become more open-minded was if they took it upon themselves to do it in a more literal way.

To Rhys, threats of murder and bodily harm had become more than redundant. There was no need to share the consequences of an unsettled treaty because both sides knew very much what they were capable of. There had been so much mindless kidnapping, maiming, and slaughtering at this point, that he was surprised the Irish Mob hadn’t scrambled for a white flag. The sturdy appearance they held wasn’t just for show, they were truly a proud and admirable opponent. With such a foreseeable end for the Porter family, however, it was clear this honor would soon turn to idiocracy and then inevitable regret. This didn’t matter to Rhys because he truly didn’t care how it ended, as long as they had their heel on a leprechauns throat - that was all that mattered to him.

“Gentlemen, gentlemen,” Rhys tsked, placing his martini glass down on the table. “You graciously allowed us to enter such a beautiful charity, with luxurious boats, cars, vacations - all on display for us.” Rhys motioned towards the auctioning stage. “Let me ask you something though,” Rhys leaned in closer, his friendly facade falling to a sinister, condescending grin. “Do you feel in charge?” He allowed the question to sit open-ended for a moment, before he shrugged, his eye contact unwavering from Conor.

“We can go on all day about who did what, and how sickened you are to be at this very table with us, but that’s all noise. I don’t care what you think of me, or what you think of our family.” Rhys condescending smile dropped as he lubricated his throat with the contents of the martini glass.

“Let me be frank, you’ve lost more than you can afford, high ranking soldiers, intelligence - your own boss had to step down out of fear for his life. You know how that makes you look? You guys are drowning like rats and nobody, nobody will stick their necks out to save you.” Rhys demeanor turned cold and chilling, not like Conor’s resilience, but as if he were reading the Porters their pre-written obituary.

“The only question you guys should be asking yourselves is if you want to leave our city on your own accord or in a body bag.” Rhys leaned back, his eeriness slowly draining. “I’m losing my patience and so is Mr. Moretti. I’m tired of the threats, I’m tired of puffing my chest. You know what we’re capable of and you know you can’t stop us. If you love your establishments and you love your family, you will stop treating them like they’re expendable.”

Misty Gray (Gabriel/Conor) Bellz (Peter)

 

[Enzyme]

Amato Castello & Jackson McCarthy​

Amato exasperatedly shook his head, rubbing the uncomfortable scruff that was beginning to prick out from under his chin. "So we just gotta' sit here until they grow a pair..." Amato led, looking back at the Porters by the car. They were unmoving, just as he expected. They felt the need to put on some professional attitude as if they weren't getting whacked left and right. "Look at these sorry assholes, they ain't gonna' do nuffin'." Amato looked back to Tony as he brought up Ethan's past squabbles. A smirk seared his lips as a chuckle escaped his unusually white teeth. "That's what I'm talkin' about! How good would it feel to bust some Porter skulls? Warm up the knuckles a little?"

Jackson smirked at Chase's remark on the fat Italian gangster's weight, stuffing his hands into his coat pockets. "Knowin' the "boss" as well as anyone can, I'd say he'd be a little insulted if we played the bigger man here." Jackson's eyes flickered up from the ground to the group of Italians. Far be it from Jackson to walk away from a fight, but his current responsibilities were to secure a perimeter and make sure there was no immediate threat to the auction. Sure, he could leave that responsibility to the current police force present, but he trusted them as much as he trusted his daughter with a plastic bag. If the Moretti and Harlem thugs were trying to distract them, then the last thing he wanted to do was play into their hand. He had more than enough faith in the three Porters beside him to handle these loudmouths while he kept an eye open for subterfuge.

Amato stepped out once more, opening his arms once more. "So that's it, huh? You just gonna stand there all day like the fuckin' scarecrows you are? You guys make me sick just lookin' at ya'!" He sneered, wiping his dripping nose aggressively with his sleeve. "Except you, sweetheart! You got my permission to come on ova' here and show us what they hired you for!" He let out a childlike chuckle, stepping back to the boys. "It's like screamin' at one of those stiff British guards, right, Tommy? The ones wit' the big fuckin' furballs on their heads," he said, raising his hand above his head to resemble the British bearskin.

Jackson chuckled a little, finding the insults more amusing than anything else. His younger instinct would've been to rush in and have that fat Italian quite literally eat his own words, or more realistically the barrel of Jackson's Walther PPK, but as of that moment, all he could do was smile. He had no need to prove himself or defend their title, mostly because he couldn't be bothered to waste his knuckles' skin on these lowlife degenerates. However, he knew that backing down from such clear instigation could be seen as weakness, so he wouldn't hold it against any of his co-workers from knocking them down a few pegs.

Jackson's hand reached for the cigarette as Jasmine handed it back to chase. He took a solid inhale of the burning stick, filling his much-needed nicotine reserve in his bloodstream. "Whatever you lot decide to do," Jackson started, handing the cigarette back to Chase, "Don't let these good people around us hear that fat fuck having the last word. We don't need a parking lot brawl, but we don't wanna' show any weakness, now do we?" Jackson asked rhetorically, blowing the remaining smoke from his lips. If it did come to that, Jackson most likely wouldn't get involved, for his responsibility reached far higher than just muscle. "Deal wit' 'em accordingly." Jackson finished, moving off the side of the car and towards the auction entrance.

Misty Gray (Jasmine/Ethan) Pyroclast (Chase) RayPurchase (Tony/Johnny)

 

[Fletchawk]

Owen Yu​

Being rather pleased with himself at enticing such a reaction from the buxom bird, Owen easily chuckled along with Danny's efforts to contain it. "You heard the man, don't get too wild, Miss!" Owen playfully said as Cherry's girlfriend pulled her away, which cracked into another chuckle at his suddenly bashful friend. He'd missed Danny during his trip to Chicago, which had took a little longer than the two weeks he'd estimated.

Owen scanned the room again, taking note at who was still watching them, although some were already lost in each other this early in the festivities. After making a quick note of which way the two gals headed, Owen keeps his eyes moving, occasionally taking sips of his mostly seltzer. Still feeling smug, Owen found himself chuckling again when Danny ribbed on him, "Perhaps. I'll look up on her when we check out."

Danny's query caught Owen unawares, as had to think about it for a moment, "I think last June? Wow! It's been fair bit, huh? I wonder why?" The last thought losing its zest as he realized that his life had hit quite the speed bump before finding himself in employed by the Mob, starting with Bailey's murder.

Not wanting to dwell on the harshness, Owen tried to physically shrug it off, but was surprised at how easily he'd come to terms with her death. He still missed her, but the feeling of loss didn't linger for long. Switching the topic back onto Danny, a coy smile crawled it's way back on to his face, "How about you? She looked ready to groove with whoever. I won't tell nobody if you want to partake. Or does that Savannah doll have you all serious-like now?"


Pyroclast [Danny Boy]

 

[Pyroclast]

Chase Zegarra

As he observed the three men across the car park, Chase couldn’t help thinking that they were operating on another level. The way they jeered and laughed, made crude jokes and gestures. They were acting like a gang of cocky teenagers. Chase looked to Johnny with a smirk as he imagined the man instigating a shootout just so that he could dismantle their cars. “Remind me not to leave the decisions up to you, Johnny.”

Although their behaviour differed greatly to that of their own group, everyone seemed to be getting tired of watching them without giving them anything in return. Chase didn’t really want to retaliate - fighting without good reason was below him and these men seemed altogether not worth his time or energy. But he couldn’t deny that Jackson did know Conor best out of all of them, and even if it sounded like he was joking when he suggested their boss wouldn’t want them to take any moral high ground, Chase was inclined to take him seriously. The shorter, stout man made another attempt to provoke them. Of course, it was only another low blow, but even Chase had to admit it was getting tiresome to watch him without doing anything about it. It made him feel like a kid on the school grounds again, where bullies would hurl insults at him as he walked past, with no defence to stand up for himself. This time he wasn’t defenceless, nor did the insults hurt - but standing up to them would only give them what they wanted, and he wasn’t keen to indulge their childish game.

Despite this, Chase couldn’t help but sour at the way the man spoke to Jasmine. “Comemierda…” he growled, his eyes growing darker as he watched the group of thugs mess about. As if she were reading his mind, Jasmine passed the cigarette back to him - but Jackson reached in and grabbed it first. Chase sighed, but did nothing. When it was handed back to him, he looked down to it. It wasn’t quite the same now that Jackson had put his lips around it, too, but he supposed there were more important things to focus on. Like the fact that the man was practically ordering them to fight back. He took one deep, steady inhale on the cigarette and then passed it to Jasmine. “Alright.”

With ice cold hands stuffed into his pockets, Chase crossed the car park until he was standing a safe yet close enough distance from them. “Your boss gave you a job tonight,” he said. There was nothing hostile or particularly confrontational about his tone. He looked as casual as if he were asking for directions. “To guard his vehicles, secure the perimeter, that kind of thing, right? So what’s this for, huh? Job too boring, and you think a fight will make it more fun?” He glanced at the hotel, its windows glowing with warm light, and then returned a steady gaze to the three men. “If your work’s not enough for you, why don’t you take it up with Gabriel? I'm sure he'd rather hire a guard who takes his duties seriously than someone like you, distracted by his own childish humour." Chase took a moment to take in the thugs up close. Two of them had an intimidating physique, but it wasn't dissimilar to his own. It was the smaller, scrappy one that he knew he had to watch out for. Underestimating a person based on their size was something only an arrogant fool would do. "Shame he never got back in business with Cuba. I know how hard he took that loss." There was a subtle sarcasm in his tone now, believing he had lost far more with the murder of his father. "I take it he's given up on that goldmine, or he'd have chained you lot up like dogs. Every insult that comes out of your mouth puts him further away from ever securing that trade again. So, what do you want to do here? Do you want to start a fight for no real reason, or do you want to do your job like Gabriel asked and make sure no harm comes to his family?"

Interactions
Enzyme Jackson, Amato
Misty Gray Jasmine, Ethan
RayPurchase Johnny, Tony

 

[RayPurchase]

Mitchell Van Gerwen


​

How long had it been since Mitch had rubbed elbows with this sort of society outside of the confines of a police station. News anchors and journalists, senior police officers, well-meaning philanthropists, and a smattering of politicians from local council members to the mayor. If it wasn’t for a chain of wayward choices and random chances this should have been his real territory. The Van Gerwens weren’t meant to hide in the shadows, they were meant for high society, to swan about with checkbooks that strained at their pockets, and to drift the social thermals to a level far above the stinking streets of New York. They would have seen him coming in here with some socialite clinging onto his arm, the son and heir to another great New York family that traced their beginnings back to the foundations of Manhattan. That ship had sailed and he had been happily waving it goodbye from the dock, or at least he was eventually, the shock at first had left him passed out in one of the dockside bars.

By the time he swept through the doors the event was already in full swing, a mass of evening dresses and suits, Mitch had gone for a simple black tux himself, his hair slicked back and clothes crisp. He was flying under the radar regardless, they may be his people, but he was just a lawyer to a local businessman, or so the cover went. Of Conor there was no sign at the moment, somewhere amongst the crowds and hopefully staying out of trouble. Instead he sighted a far more familiar face, the one that had given this chance of an independent life away from the clutches of his parents and their ilk. It had taken a little while to adjust to the change of management, despite working with Conor for a great deal of time, a vast deal of it had seen him in prison. Defending someone was far removed from helping them run a business. Under James the business had grown steadily and securely, even with the coming of the Morettis. With the rising of Conor to the plate, he was an instrument of change, now he had faith in him but change for a Lawyer was always bound to create stress, boring continuation was his best friend, and that was in short supply right now.

Mitch swung by the crowds making his way to the back of the room, away from the hustle and bustle. Placing a hand on James shoulder he went to shake his hand.

“Mr Porter, pleasure to see you again. I see the retired life is treating you well, you’re looking more refreshed than I can remember,” He dipped his head in Lucy’s direction. “And Mrs Porter, radiant as ever. You’re looking after him I hope, keeping him out of trouble?”

Mitch motioned his hand towards one of the empty chairs. “Mind if I join you, I was looking for your brother but I gather he’s enjoying himself,”

(Interactions: James Misty Gray , Lucy Bellz )

 

[Misty Gray]

Jasmine Carpenter and Ethan Turner​

Jasmine scoffed at Amato's comment and let out a dry laugh. "All the money in the world wouldn't be enough for me to consider letting any one of you knuckle-dragging fuckers near me," she shot back. There was only so long she could hold her tongue before having to bite back. She couldn't help but think about Jackson's words about what the boss would do and from what she'd heard of Conor in the past, the parking lot would have turned into the scene of an all-out brawl already. However, she was under no illusion that she was built anywhere near the size of that man, so she wouldn't be able to get by with brute strength. Still, she couldn't help but get the distinct impression Jackson was more encouraging them to fight back rather than cower down like sensible schoolchildren. She couldn't help but smirk at the man before he walked off towards the hotel.

Soon enough, Chase was passing the cigarette back to her before he set about walking across the car park towards the other group. Jasmine looked to Johnny to try gauge what he was thinking. Without much hesitation, she took a final drag of the cigarette and flicked it onto the ground before walking forward to stop at Chase's side. She listened as her friend addressed the man, quite enjoying hearing him give the bastards a piece of his mind. She looked straight ahead as Ethan stepped forward to close the gap, but as cold as the man seemed, she didn't let him put her on edge.

Ethan hadn't taken kindly to the suggestion Gabriel was his boss. His orders were from Alistair and if they happened to coincide with Moretti's desires, then so be it. He'd been fighting his way up in New York long before he was introduced to Gabriel Moretti. Still, that didn't mean he didn't respect the Italian's work ethic and success at beating the Irish Mob down. Ethan was just waiting for Moretti to grow exhausted with trying to reason with the enemy and give the word for a less peaceful approach to taking the city. After tonight, Ethan hoped more forceful tactics would be adopted.

"Cuba. Of course," Ethan spoke up after listening to the rest of Chase's words. He was sure of the man's identity but not sure enough to point it out until standing closer to get a proper look at him, along with receiving enough confirmation from the Cuban's own words. "I'm sure Moretti's family are safe and sound inside at their fancy auction." Ethan paused before briefly rubbing his chin. "Anton's son, am I right?" he asked, but his smirk suggested he didn't need confirmation. "Y'know, I think you're right there. I did hear things didn't work out too well the last time Moretti was in Cuba. I don't think he took his loss as hard as you took yours, though. From what I understood, it wasn't pleasant for the poor sod who ended up having to wipe bits of your dad's brain from the walls."

Hearing Ethan's words, Jasmine recalled the conversation she'd had with Chase a few months back. She'd learned then that Gabriel had killed his father. Part of her wanted to hit Ethan whilst the other wanted to encourage Chase to walk away...

RayPurchase (Johnny, Tony)
Enzyme (Jackson, Amato)
Pyroclast (Chase)

 

[Pyroclast]

Tatiana Moretti

“Oh, quit whining, Marcus,” Tatiana grumbled as she turned back to the table. “There’s always something to do. Especially when you feel the power slip out of our grasp. Do you think papa ever slowed down when things looked bad? No. If things are quiet, it’s because you’re busy calculating your next move. If you spent those weeks doing nothing while I was away, maybe you are already crazy.” She paused to take a drink, peering over her glass to check out the pregnant women Marcus had pointed out. She could have said more on the matter, but their mother took over with an embarrassing reference to her sex life with Gabriel. Tatiana cringed with disgust, wondering how on earth she could think that was an appropriate comment to make, and did her best to clear her mind before her imagination could take her somewhere disturbing.

However, she did soften slightly when her mother expressed a level of regret for not managing to have more children. Living in a homophobic society had built up a fierce pride within her, but occasionally it did take more effort not to wish she wasn't different. By this point it was hard to tell if it was by nature that she wasn’t maternal or if she had just convinced herself that she didn’t care about having children since she knew she would never be able to have any anyway. Directing her attention to her brother once again, Tatiana straightened up and said, “Well, you could have at least spent your time here looking for a girlfriend. The sooner you start having kids, the stronger our future looks.”

Her mother’s Romanian caught her attention. In New York, it was almost more useful than Italian, as far fewer people spoke it and they could therefore communicate more openly with each other without being overheard. She sighed when asked to refill her mother’s drink and purposefully didn’t offer to top up anyone else’s, but secretly she was glad for an excuse to leave the table. It was most likely to have been the bad vibe she was getting from the Porters, but she was finding it hard to tolerate just about anything and was in no mood for putting on airs.

Taking Elvian's empty glass into her hand, Tatiana drained her own as she stood, deciding that if she had to be at the auction then she might as well have some more to drink. Teddy caught her eye once again, and she looked him over as his comments about women returned to her mind. “A man who looks for an easy woman is just as easy himself,” she pointed out, patting the man on the shoulder as she began to make her way to the bar. “Maybe you should show my brother where to start.”

~ OPEN FOR INTERACTION ~​

Interactions
RayPurchase Marcus
Melanin-Gxdess Elvian
Misty Gray
Bellz
Enzyme

 

[Misty Gray]

James Porter
​

James was trying to relax and it had been going well until he'd seen Conor and Peter being led to a private table by Moretti. At first he thought it was a good sign that all of the men at been sat together at the table for some time as it meant Conor hadn't just kicked off with the Italian on the spot. However, as time went on and the men remained at the table, James couldn't help but wonder what kind of things they were discussing or potentially threatening. There had been no raised voices or any visual causes for concerns as yet, so James tried to switch off. "What do you think to one more hour and then ditching this place early?" James asked Lucy, flashing a smile. "The kids will be asleep by then so we...."

The former mob boss cleared his throat as he saw the familiar man approaching him. "Mr Van Gerwen!" James said, planting on a big smile as he lawyer put his hand on his shoulder. He let out a chuckle as Mitch said retirement was treating him well. "Refreshed, maybe, but I'm not sure I can get used to living out of the fast lane," he remarked. When the lawyer asked if he could join the married couple James nodded his head. "Sure, sit down Mitch," he lightly commanded him. James looked to Lucy and briefly rubbed her shoulder before focusing back on Mitch.

When Mitch mentioned he'd been looking for Conor, James wasn't surprised. "Ahh. I can help you with that," he said before subtly pointing in the direction of where the table Conor, Peter, Gabriel and Rhys were currently seated at. The longer time went on, the more James had considered ways of rescuing his two family members from the encounter. However, for the same reason he'd kept out of it in the first place, James knew any attempt to do such a thing could belittle Conor's position as the head of the family. It wouldn't send the right message if the former boss was stepping in to take him away from business. "I'm pretty certain Conor is not having much enjoyment at the moment. Moretti and his Consigliere swooped right on in at the first opportunity to pull Conor to one side. Like vultures, if I'm being completely frank. I'm not sure there's a way to break him free without undermining him."

RayPurchase (Mitch) Bellz (Lucy)

 

[Misty Gray]

Sinead Callahan and Adam Harper​

Sinead turned to Aliana and quickly nodded her head when she said the Morettis wouldn't cause any trouble with so many people around at the event. "I guess so. I just know what people like them are like. Spewing cruel words and horrible threats." She sat back in her seat and placed her hand on her stomach as her way of shielding the life growing inside of her from the darkness out in the real world.

When Aliana pointed out that she and Sinead were quite fertile, Adam let out a scoff and quickly shook his head. "Oh, hell no. Fuck that. I've had enough close calls on that front. We'll give it a miss. So, how about it, Rebel?" he joked. Catching Sinead's disapproving glare, he let out a chuckle. "Aliana. I think you just lowered the tone."

"Um. No. I think you did that, Mr. Harper!" Sinead corrected him, but failed to hide the subtle amusement from her face. Expecting Aliana was as concerned for Conor as she was for Peter, Sinead briefly hugged her friend before focusing her attention back to the snacks on the table. She proceeded to tuck in to the first cupcake she set eyes on.

Taking a moment to himself, Adam reached into his pocket and pulled at a box of cigarettes. As he flicked open the box, his eyes peered across the table to see Sinead shaking her head before proceeding to inform him smoking near pregnant women was not healthy. Holding his tongue, Adam closed the box and placed it back in his pocket. He was by now sure the others were having a blast out in the parking lot. Even if they were just standing around freezing their arses off, he was sure it had to be more fun that what he was having. "Sorry, Ma'am," he drily apologised. Knowing he'd made a promise to Peter that he wouldn't leave the two pregnant ladies alone, Adam resigned to the fact his smoke would have to be put on hold for the time-being. "Rebel. You couldn't do me a favour and get me whiskey, could you? Please?" he asked. He pulled out some cash from his wallet and handed it to her. "And whatever you and these two highly-fertile ladies are drinking." Glancing to the bar, he noticed Moretti's daughter standing there, having left the table she'd been occupying - one which Adam had spent a short time observing. "Just watch out for the slimy Italians on your way."

Bellz (Rebel) Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana)
Mentions: Pyroclast (Tatiana)

 

[Bellz]

Roxie Carriveau​

The last few months could only be described as a comfortable facade for how Roxie was feeling about everything. With her father’s passing and her mother’s sudden move out of the country, Roxie was left without any family to lean on although her Uncle and Aunt were still in the country, she couldn’t trust them now. Pregnancy only proved to be more and more uncomfortable as the months went on and now in her 7th month, she felt equivalent to a whale. Syd was doing the best he could with her but Roxie was slowly starting to lose her patients with his suffocating attentiveness and although she didn’t outright tell him, she needed space desperately. During the day, she was finding ways to keep herself occupied now that school was impossible to go to on her own. Reading baby books had become second nature to her and she was sure she knew everything she needed to know about what was to be expected in the upcoming months before the twins birth. Needless to say, she wasn’t looking forward to any of it.

Roxie had been nodding off with a book in her hand when the dogs suddenly started bumping into her legs with their wet snouts. Blinking a few times, Roxie looked up at Syd as he asked how she was doing. Her face was neutral but she clenched her teeth slightly in pain. Her stomach had been hurting for the last few days, but it only seemed to be getting worse as time went on. The book she was currently reading talked about Braxton Hick contractions, which were basically just false labor. Convincing herself that’s all it was, Roxie tried to ease her anxiety but it continued to creep into her chest. Moving to prop herself up more on the couch, Roxie made a pained face before shaking her head. ”I think they are fighting it out in there.” She murmured softly as she tried her best to smile at her boyfriend. ”No need to get me anything, I need to use the restroom anyway...I’ll grab something.” She was of course expecting some sort of argument, but she ignored any words of sitting back down as she pushed herself up. The dogs whimpered as she heavily pushed herself into a standing position. Panting lightly as she strained through mild pain, Roxie smirked regardless, ”Piece of cake. “ She muttered and she let out a slight hum. ”That sounds really good right now actually, do we have any cake?” She asked as she shuffled towards the kitchen.

With Syd and the dogs following her, Roxie noticed a strong foul odor coming from down the hall. Looking towards the dogs, she glared slightly. ”They aren’t making messes in the house are they?” She asked Syd before moving towards the laundry room where the smell was coming from. Finding a huge trail of ants, Roxie found the source of the smell. Something seemed to snap then and she wasn’t sure what exactly it was but she whipped around to face Syd. ”Syd! How many times do I have to tell you to stop leaving your wet clothes in the basket? You are 30 years old for Christ’s sake!” The sudden outburst was surprising to Roxie but there was no slowing down now. The shouting only seemed to enhance the pain coming from her stomach and she winced weakly before leaning into the wall beside the laundry room for support. When Syd came to her aid, she swiped his hands away. ”No! No... I’m fine. Everything’s fine. I’m okay.” She was saying it more to convince herself rather than him. Her mind was racing and her skin was burning hot. Groaning out in frustration, Roxie couldn’t help herself. ”I just can’t believe he’s gone. You took him away from me. I know he wasn’t the best father but he was mine and NOW I have no one!”
with: Syd Pyroclast (RUN!)

 

[Pyroclast]

Danny Vaughan

“Damn.” Leaning against the bar, Danny looked his friend up and down. Owen was too young and handsome to appear weathered by all that life had thrown at him, but Danny knew he hadn’t had an easy year. It made sense why he might not have been in the mood for sex, but as someone who lived for pleasure, Danny couldn’t imagine anything taking him away from seeking fun for that long. “Eight months, huh?” As he scanned the room to see who was getting up to what with whom, he gave Owen’s shoulder a squeeze. “Listen, I know I said no foolin’ around but...ah, forget that. Tonight’s your night, man. Go get some.”

He punctuated his encouragement with a light clink of his glass against Owen’s before stepping back with a smile and taking a sip. The suggestion of going behind Savannah’s back in pursuit of some action took him by surprise but he had to laugh. “You’re a good friend, you know that?” He shook his head and looked down into his drink, his expression softening as he thought about Savannah. “Nah, she’s really got me, dude. I’m a changed man.” Blushing without a care, Danny looked up to Owen with the natural smile of a love-struck boy. “It just feels right being with her, know what I mean? Not worth losing her for some superficial fling. When you’ve got a good thing going, you don’t give it up, right?” His smile lingered until he caught Owen’s eye and promptly jabbed a fist into his arm. “You want me to pour my heart out in front of all these people just to watch me blush! You asshole...” Turning away with a grin, he took a hefty swig of his cocktail and waved his hand vaguely around them. "Go bring me customers, manservant," he jokingly demanded, settling himself at the bar. "They need to know where to get their blow."

Interactions
Fletchawk Owen

 

[Misty Gray]

Savannah and Emery Callahan
George Sanderson
~ Ginn's House ~​

With her parents at some fancy auction and her siblings both back living in their city apartment, Emery hadn't felt like staying home bored. Instead, she'd arrange a tutoring session with George. The teenager had never had any problems understanding the things she learned in school, especially when it came to mathematics. Her problem was staying focused when she felt bored, which usually ended up in some kind of argument with the teacher Then George came along and paid enough attention to realise she wasn't unwilling to learn at all. It was quite the opposite, where she wasn't being tested enough when it came to mathematics and the boredom had been a product of finding the work too easy. The fact he seemed like a nice man and was practically family also helped Emery's willingness to accept his offer of tuition.

Emery and George sat across from each other at the dining room table. The man had given the redhead a test to complete and she now sat watching on as he marked her work. As a silence filled the room, they were soon joined by Savannah who had decided to tag along when she heard Emery was going to see Finn and George. Savannah picked out a red apple from the fruit bowl before sitting next to Emery, smiling as she took a bite out of the apple. The blonde peered over at her sister's work, trying to see what George was writing.

"I'd say that's a strong 'A'. Considering this is above the level you're learning in class.." George announced to his student.

"Ah. You're just saying that to make her feel smart. Unless she cheated," Savannah playfully teased, nudging her sister's arm before Emery retaliated by kicking her foot.

"Not at all, Savannah. Your sister is really smart. I keep telling her to get herself on to university as soon as she can," George softly assured her.

"Nah. I won't need a degree to work for my uncle. I could be managing his accounts right now if my parents would let me. I'll be 18 soon, so I can do what I want then," Emery said, her tone as sure as anything. "I mean. What about you, George? You didn't g to university, did you? You're super-smart."

"Well, no, I didn't. But I also committed high-level fraud and spent ten years in prison. I wasn't that smart, was I?" he asked, letting out a chuckle.

"Maybe not, but it all worked out for you. You wouldn't have met my dad or Finn, would ya? Now you're loved up and getting married. We only live once and my life's too short to spend time at university. Savvy's always wanted to be an actress and I've always wanted to work for the family business. The fact I know more about accounting than most of the people in this family means I've already got more skills to offer my uncle."

Savannah slowly shook her head and let out a soft laugh. "There's no point trying to reason with her, George. She's too stubborn!" She sat back in her chair as she began to think of her own life. She was in the middle of rehearsals for an upcoming musical; still modelling; and in a relationship with Danny. If anyone told her she couldn't follow her dreams or be with the guy she'd fallen deeply for, it would practically kill her. She'd suffocate. Perhaps that was how Emery felt about working for the family business. Savannah, like Sinead, just wished Braden's and Emery's goals were safer ones than working for the mob.

"Well, Savannah can be my witness that I told you to go to university and steer clear of prison," George lightly confirmed, holding his hands up in defence. "I don't want Peter and Sinead on my back."

Savannah softly smiled as she observed George for a short time. Finn's proposal at Thanksgiving had given the family a much-needed boost and she was quite excited for the wedding. She'd been a child when George first came into Finn's life, but she remembered at the time how happy it had made her cousin. Unfortunately, she also remembered it had led to her grandmother falling out with Finn. As she held the partly eaten apply idly in her hand. Emery snatched it from her and proceeded to eat it for her, instead. Savannah didn't seem to care as her mind had wandered elsewhere. "I talk to my Grandma Shannon quite a lot. She keeps telling me to come to London for a vacation, then I keep telling her to come here," Savannah began. "She, um.. She seemed pleased to hear that you and Finn are getting married. I keep telling her she should reach out and call you guys some time."

George awkwardly looked down to the papers on the table before eventually clearing his throat. "I think that's something for Finn to decide," George told her. He had first met Shannon back in Dublin and when she found out about his relationship with Finn, she didn't take it at all well. George hadn't really spoke to the woman since that altercation. He was a peaceful man and not one to hold grudges, but he had no desire to speak to Finn's aunt unless his fiance wanted him to. Where Shannon was concerned, everything was Finn's choice and George preferred to keep his distance from the matter.

"Ah, Gran's missing out if she doesn't attend the wedding of the decade," Emery casually shrugged it off, not wanting George to dwell on it. "Now I've finished with work. How about we grab some snacks and relax in front of the TV?" she enthusiastically suggested.

Mentions: Bellz (Finn) Pyroclast (Danny)
[No reply necessary. Just writing for the fun of it.]

 

[Bellz]

Lucy Porter​

Lucy was nervous about the evening they were about to spend in the same room as the Moretti’s but didn’t voice her concerns, knowing that it would be good publicity for the business. Thankfully, Lucy didn’t have to sit through a business talk because James had chosen private table for them away from the “action”. The auction went on for a while and Lucy was amused at her little brother getting into it. A server offered the pair champagne and Lucy smiled and said thanks before taking a sip. There was a break in the auction finally and Lucy turned away from looking at her brother just as James put his arm around her. Kissing her cheek, he expressed his hope that Blake was alright with the children.

”Oh she’s a tough one, probably putting those little terrors in place.” Lucy spoke with a smile on her lips but as she noticed where James was looking, it faded slightly. Although she was relieved that James was retired, she soon found herself getting more and more anxious about her brother. ”As long as he controls his temper, I’m sure he can handle this. Besides, he’s got Peter with him.” Before she could say anymore, Mitch was headed towards them. A smile returned to her face in greeting and she waved her hand at his compliment. ”Oh, you’re too sweet!” She replied, listening as he went on to ask if he could sit with them. James invited him to sit and explained where Conor was. Once again, Lucy was looking in her brother’s direction, biting her red stained lip softly as James spoke about who her brother was dealing with being like vultures.

Staring for a long moment, Lucy knew she wouldn’t be completely worry free now that James was retired and it may have been foolish to think that in the first place. As the eldest of the siblings, she carried an unspoken responsibility to make sure her younger siblings were safe. Over the decades, it seemed like that was getting harder and harder to do. Conor took over for James and for her but now he is in the same position James had been. Even though he’d taken over months ago, seeing him speak with Mr. Moretti and consigliere was a reality check.

Looking away from Conor and the other men, Lucy turned to look at her husband with a worried expression on her face. ”They wouldn’t try anything tonight would they, James?” She wondered with good reason, seeing as similar events in the past ended in many gunfights. This was suppose to be a neutral ground event but Lucy didn’t trust anyone here.
With: James Misty Gray ; Mitch RayPurchase

(sorry if its shit, I’m not very focused tonight!)

 

[Pyroclast]

Jason Costello

This time around, checking into the rehabilitation centre hadn’t seemed so daunting for Jason. As a voluntary patient there he felt a lot more in control than he had when attendance was a condition of his probation, and on top of that he had the added benefit of knowing what to expect. Three months in, however, the main reason why he hadn’t already checked out was because Gwen was also living there. Although his alcohol problems stemmed from longer ago than he could remember, Jason didn’t believe he had all that much more to learn. He had received help and guidance for long enough and ultimately felt ready to live back in the outside world. Losing his job had been a low point but he had since regained his determination to get out and start auditioning again, so with that no longer a trigger, he figured that the only threat to his sobriety would be if something bad happened to Gwen. She was his world, and as long as she was living in the rehab centre then he might as well stay with her.

Nevertheless, that didn’t mean he was exempt from attending therapy sessions. Listening to everyone else share their stories and struggles made Jason feel somehow even stronger. All the things he had done for money, the exploitative cons he had pulled, the people he had sent to hospital after a meaningless bar fight, the hearts he had toyed with and broken. All the times he had disappointed Gwen. His life had never been pretty, and alcohol had always dragged him further off the rails, but for the most part he felt like he had finally put it behind him. The temptation to drink his problems away would likely always remain to some extent, but being with Gwen gave him the motivation to stay strong. Despite his most recent relapse, he had never felt so sure of himself in all his life.

Sensing someone come up behind him, Jason looked up from his seat and smiled warmly when he saw Gwen. Everybody knew by now that they were a couple, but during group therapy meetings he tried to keep to himself a bit more so that people wouldn’t automatically tie all of their problems together. Still, he reached out and gently held her hand for a moment as she sat down. “You alright?”

The pair didn’t have much opportunity to talk between themselves as the room was very quiet, most small talk started by the group therapist, Ron Wheeler. With his bedraggled appearance and casual attire, he didn’t exactly give off a professional aura. He was just a regular middle-aged man, the lines in his face deepened by some facial scarring and framed by a thick grey beard. Yet, although he looked weathered, there was calm among the sadness in his eyes, suggesting that he had risen from a life of pain like a phoenix from its ashes. It gave him enough credibility for Jason to trust his guidance.

Deeper into the session, Ron turned to the topic of life beyond therapy. “Because that’s what we’re all here to change, isn’t it?” He looked around the room, but didn’t expect an answer. “We all know what it’s like to reach rock bottom, and that was the pivotal moment that led to you coming here. Some of us have reached rock bottom more than once, and unfortunately for some, it might happen again. But while it’s useful to remember and recognise what it was that pushed you to that point, it also can be useful to form some kind of idea of what life could look like after you check out of this place. A life where the control is in your hands, and not in the substance that landed you in here.”

The therapist turned his attention to Jason then, prompting him to raise his head. “I’m interested in hearing from you, Jason,” he said, pointing a finger in his direction. “You’re a voluntary patient here, that right?”

“I am.”

“You’ve spoken pretty candidly with us about your past, and your relationship with alcohol. That takes a lot of courage - especially when it’s something we know you’re not proud of. If you don’t mind me makin’ an observation here, I’ve noticed you seem more willing to remain a patient than most. Not a lot of folks as calm and self-assured as yourself choose to stay here three whole months. What I’m wonderin’ is, is there anything on the outside puttin’ you off leavin’? Do you think a lot about what life will be like for you after you leave this place?”

Jason heaved a thoughtful sigh as he mulled it over. Of course he had thought about it a lot, and he knew what his answer would be, but he wasn’t sure if admitting it could lead to him being dismissed from the centre against his will. He turned towards Gwen with a tender look in his eyes. “I think about what life will be like after Gwen leaves this place.”

“Well, that’s not the same thing, Jason,” Ron pointed out. His grandfatherly smile took away any judgemental tone from his voice. “Say if you checked out tomorrow. Where would you go? What would your first move be?”

He exhaled another sigh and finally shifted his gaze from Gwen to the therapist. “I’d go get my keys from my neighbours. Say hi to the cat. Take Rory out for a pizza. And then I’d come check myself back in here.”

“Is that because you’d start drinking again?”

“He’s not an alcoholic, he’s just obsessed with his fucking girlfriend!” cried one of the patients. She was easily agitated and often lost her patience when the attention wasn’t on her. Jason shook his head and looked to the floor.

“Marianne, that’s not helpful,” Ron calmly spoke. “You’ll get your turn to speak in a minute.”

“It always turns to marriage counselling with these two!” she ranted, throwing a vicious glare at Gwen and Jason. “I’m so bored of hearing about it. You’re in love, we get it, we’re forced to see it all the fucking time. Nobody gives a shit! Your codependency is pathetic!”

Ron let a silence fall over the room to allow time for the tension to simmer down. Jason wanted to look at Gwen to make sure she was okay, but thought it best to keep his eyes safely fixed to the centre of the floor. “I don’t think I would drink, no,” he finally replied to Ron’s question. “I guess I’d look for my next job. But Marianne’s kind of right...Gwen and I are on this road together. She’s the reason I wanted to get better in the first place, she’s my motivation to stay sober. If I want a future with her, then I want to be here for her now, in the present. You know, we share a goal...so, we’re working together, helping each other through the hard times, to get to the good.” He finally looked towards Gwen again, but he wasn’t smiling; though he was being honest, he didn’t know whether he was making her uncomfortable or speaking too much on her behalf.

“And what do you think of that, Gwen?” Ron asked her. “When you think about life after rehab, what does it look like for you? How does it make you feel?”

Interactions
Bellz Gwen

 

[Bellz]

Rebel Holt​

These types of fancy schmancy events made Rebel feel out of her element. Definitely not the dress up type, Rebel had been forced to wear a black and white dress by Mrs. Porter because she said that Rebel had a "darling figure." The red boots had been more of a rebellion choice, she had them in the closet for ages but never had an occasion to wear them out until now. Overhearing Sinead worrying, Rebel looked to her with a small smile, "Don't you worry Sinead, we won't let anything happen to them." She reassured, placing a hand on her thigh that wasn't exposed by the slit. The holster was secure with a small pistol inside, in case of emergencies of course. Rolling her eyes at Adam, Rebel let out a short laugh when he winked at her before turning her attention to the room around them. Getting the feeling that eyes were on her, Rebel scanned the areas around her slowly before a familiar face appeared before her.

The woman was staring straight at her with a softness in her eyes that Rebel couldn't explain, given the table she was sitting at. Rebel stared back holding a look of confusion back as she lifted her glass of champagne to her lips and took a small drink. The woman looked away quickly but Rebel continued to watch as she spoke to the others at her table. It made Rebel wonder what the Moretti's were like if they weren't to be hated by the Irish. For some reason, she wanted to think they were probably just normal human beings...and there she is again, staring at Rebel for a short second, a glare on her face.

"Looks like we've got a lookie Lou." Rebel mumbled under her breath to herself before turning back to look at Adam and the rest. Getting back into the conversation, Rebel found herself laughing at Adam and his "close calls." "Better safe than sorry, I always say. I can't imagine having any children now...I've been dealing with the Porter bunch recently and its enough to pull my hair out!" She teased. Adam then asked if Rebel would get him a whiskey to which she made a face but proceeded to stand up. "Making me walk in this monkey dress, I bet you are just waiting for me to trip and fall or something embarrassing." Rebel mutter before looking towards the women. "What are we drinking ladies?" She asked and once she had the order she made her way towards the bar, slowly down slightly as she approached it seeing that Tatiana was standing to the side of it. Leaning against the bar, Rebel ordered the drinks like asked of her before turning to look at the entertainment playing in the center of the room. Once again, she felt like someone was staring at her so she finally turned around to face Tatiana. "Okay seriously, I know who you are and what table you come from, why do you keep staring at me? It's the dress isn't it?" Although Rebel despised the enemy, sometimes you had to level with them in order to understand what they want. Clearly Tatiana wanted something. "Is there something on my face? Or is it the fact that I'm your enemy?"

If it had been a man, she would have called him a pig for staring but the way the woman had glanced at her before didn't strike her that way.
with: Tatiana Pyro
mentions: Adam & Sinead Misty Gray ; Aliana Melanin-Gxdess

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Aliana Cartwright-Sullivan

The light conversations at the table were proving to help Ali keep her mind off of what was currently happening with her husband. They had been gone for some time and with subtle glances had seen the men's conversations get a little tense. She was trying to stay positive, of course, but with the Moretti family taking their own subtle glances it was making her tense. "Oh, I agree. But most of their threats are empty and scare tactics and this family doesn't scare easy, Sinny." Ali's reassurances were an attempt to keep Sinead's stress levels low. While the Moretti's had shown, time and time again, that they meant serious business, they had also said they were going to take the family business by force, kill more of them, and they had yet to do so. She was aware that something like that could come in the future but that wasn't going to help her with her friend. Responding to Adam's statement was. "Oh, come on Adam. One kid wouldn't hurt!" She joked, before popping a grape into her mouth.

Sinead's slight hug was warm and it made her smile as she hugged her back. It was nice being here with her best friend since they hadn't been able to do anything together for a while. They had their own things going on in life. Even though they had made a promise to each other to have some time for each other, it was proving to be difficult. Sinead's marriage was back on track, she was pregnant and she was a happier person than she had seen in a long time. There was a lot of work being done there, so she understood. Ali was in counseling, both for her marriage and for herself, had also gotten her marriage back on track and was pregnant. It was nice to have someone who was going through the same things she was. This was probably the best, and one of the only times, she would be able to even catch up and talk with her. She'd try to include Adam, of course, to the best of her abilities. As Rebel dismissed herself from the table, she asked for water as she had met her one glass of red wine quota for the week. If she indulged in another, Conor was sure to be upset with her. Considering where her relationship with her husband was now, arguing wasn't something she wanted to do.

Turning to Sinead, she nudges her as she also went for a cupcake immediately heading for the icing. Her desire and craving for sweets were at an all-time high, which is strange considering she was never a huge sweets person. "So what is Sinead Callahan up to these days? Besides, you know, turning Adam off to the idea of children and growing a person inside of you?" She couldn't help but chuckle at herself as she teased the man at their table.

Sinead, Adam ( Misty Gray ) Rebel ( Bellz )​

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

Given all the pain and stress she had been suffering, even the slightest of smiles from Roxie had great value to Syd and so he automatically smiled back. “That’s a shame,” he said as he continued to fuss over the dogs to keep them occupied. “I was hoping they’d be the kind of twins that are best friends.” Seeing Roxie heave herself up off the sofa, Syd instantly reached out to support her but she brushed him off. She looked so uncomfortable all the time and even though he had watched her gradually grow bigger, he still couldn’t get used to it. Every time he saw her wince with pain, he winced, too.

“Uh, I don’t know,” he answered, trying to picture what was in the cupboard. He playfully growled at Arrow as he parted her jaws to check her teeth. “What kind of cake? You want me to go to the store?” There was no response. Rubbing down the German Shepherd’s thick black mane, Syd tilted his head towards the door, already slightly concerned. “Come on, girl, shall we go find Roxie? Let’s go find her, come on. Come on, boys.”

With all three dogs plodding along beside him, Syd let his concern lead him down the corridor. To his relief, Roxie was still on her feet. “Did you hear what I said? I asked do you want me to -” But she interrupted him, and when she turned to glare at the dogs, Syd couldn’t help but feel defensive over them. “Roxie, they’re all perfectly trained. None of them have done that since they were puppies.” After a second, he crouched down beside Arrow, observing the grey around her eyes. “Unless someone’s getting a bit senile, eh?” At 8 years old, she was starting to approach the end of her expected lifespan. It would break his heart to lose her, but he knew her time would come eventually. Speaking softly, he looked deep into her brown eyes and stroked her ears. “Have you been making a mess, old girl?”

Suddenly Roxie spun around and shouted at him, surprising him and all three of the dogs. Syd blinked at her, at first not registering what she meant. Even after her words had sunk in, he didn’t feel any less confused. He couldn’t remember the last time he had done a clothes wash, but with his affected memory retention and overload of work and chores there was no way to tell whether it had been a day or a whole week since. The fact that she was so angry suggested that it could have become a habit of his that he hadn’t been aware of. “Oh God...I’m sorry, I-I guess I lost track…” He dragged a hand down his face, annoyed at himself for causing her stress. “I’ll sort it out, okay? I’m sorry, Roxie.”

When he moved past her he half expected her to smack him but when he heard her wince, he wondered if he had hurt her instead. “Hey, hey, are you -” He reached his arms out in alarm when she leaned into the wall. Once again, Roxie brushed him off, but he wasn’t convinced. “Please, you look like you’re about to collapse…” Syd stood close and anxiously watched her, ready to reach out and catch her if she started to fall. What he wasn’t ready for were the words she threw in his face.

Again, it took a few seconds for him to be sure that he had heard her right. He opened his mouth to speak, but when no words came to him he clamped it shut again. Every day since he had killed Stefano, Syd had been anxiously waiting for it to come up in conversation. On top of being a difficult conversation to start, he felt that the ball was in her court and so had never dared to instigate it - after all, as tender as it was for him, it was always going to be harder for her. The fact that it had burst out of her now made him wonder if she had been silently resenting him all this time. He had never even seen her grieve.

He could have justified his actions. He could have reminded her of what she had said to him in the hospital, when she had justified them for him - but it didn’t seem like the right thing to say. Nothing did. Syd had killed her father, and whether or not that had been necessary to save her and the twins’ lives didn’t take away her loss. Doing his best to keep his gaze from falling, he almost hoped that she would start crying just so that the tension would break. He could handle a crying woman far better than an angry one. “Roxie, I, uh…” he quietly spoke up. “Shall we...Why don’t we sit down and talk about this?”

Interactions
Bellz

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Elvian Moretti

Tatiana's annoyance and her brother's words were obvious, her sudden chastisement of him being present. Though, she would have to agree with her daughter's words. However, both of them were just as restless as the rest of the family. Their attempts were working, that much was sure but they were also failing and the Moretti family wasn't too keen on failure. It was taking a toll on all of them and they needed a success. Otherwise, she feared they'd kill each other before they killed the Porters. "Now Tatiana," she started, "Your brother is doing just as much as you have been so don't be so harsh." Looking to her son, she tapped the table with her finger. "Although, your sister does make excellent points, no? If you want something to do then find something to help. Teddy did it and so did your sister, Valentina. Crying about it isn't going to fix anything." She knew to choose her daughter's side of things was going to upset her son, but it was the honest truth. "I encourage all of you to do whatever is necessary to help your father do what he needs to do, do what he has sought out to do. Then, this whole thing will be over and I can sleep better at night. Your father coming in at all hours of the night keeps me up." She said, scrunching her face up. It wasn't just that she was worried about her sleep but she was worried about her husband as well. The failures were taking a toll on him and she worried about his health. They weren't old but they sure as hell weren't young either. It was partially why she had changed their eating habits around the house, wanting to make sure they lived long enough to have grandchildren. Speaking of grandchildren, at the mention of it from her daughter's lips and her departing tease, Elvian perked up at the topic.

Turning to the men she was now left with, she laced her fingers together and nestled her chin in her hands. "Grandchildren." She said in a sing-song voice. "Teddy, you're like one of the kids to me and you're the eldest so don't you think it's about time you've settled down? Found someone to have legitimate children with? Not just the girls who claim to be pregnant with your child then end up suddenly without child again." El raised her index finger to the tip of her nose, giving it a quick swipe to let him know she knew how that was even possible. She watched as Teddy responded with raised eyebrows, claiming he didn't know what she was talking about.

Theodore "Teddy" Wycliff

If Teddy were to be quite honest, he didn't much care for the conversations going on at the table. He'd much rather be somewhere else, outside with the rest of the fun bunch or at the bar. But, he knew where his place was and he was going to abide by it. His attention was grabbed when Tatiana got up to leave, patting his shoulder and saying something about easy men going for easy women. "Just to be clear, I prefer easy women for fun, not settling down." He shouted after her, shaking his head and downing the last swig of his drink. That seemed to be the further tone of the conversation as Elvian got giddy about the idea of grandchildren. She even eluded to knowing that some of those women had back door abortions, but he shook his head. "Wouldn't know anything about that." He had thought about it if he were being honest. He had the night he almost died to thank for that. It wasn't for lack of trying that he hadn't found anyone but simply because his attention couldn't be kept. The day he found someone capable of doing such a thing would be the day he settled down. "I'm trying my best, El, but the women are boring and lack... Something. I'm afraid it'll be up to Marcus to keep the family name going. He is the blood son of the big man himself, so all responsibility shouldn't fall on me." He defended, receiving a slight glare from Elvian. "It has nothing to do with that. Young children running around are so exciting! I miss the days the kids were in diapers and getting into things. Meaning, I need as many of you as possible to have children, please. Marcus, you could get started too."
​

 

[Misty Gray]

Sinead Callahan and Adam Harper​

Adam couldn't help but smirk as Rebel called him out for making her walk in the dress. "I hadn't imagined for you to fall, but you should definitely do that. Liven this place up a little," he teased.

"Careful, Adam. Karma might come to get you and you'll be the one to end up falling on your butt before the night's over," Sinead lightly warned him. When asked by Rebel what she wanted to drink, the redhead smiled warmly at the woman. "Oh, just a lemonade, please, honey," she sweetly requested. As Rebel walked away, Sinead briefly watched her, admiring her outfit. "I love her dress, it's so pretty," she told Aliana and Adam. When Adam replied with a "me too", Sinead turned to see him admiring more than just the dress. "Oi, Mister! Don't be a perv!"

"Calm down. I was just trying to wind you up. You're too easy." Adam assured her. "I know better than to get involved with colleagues - especially when such attempts would be destined to fail," he remarked. With Aliana's comment to Adam about him just having one kid, it seemed like the tables were suddenly turned against him. "I'll take your word for it, Ali. I think I'm happy as I am right now."

"That's probably for the best. You shouldn't go having kids with someone you don't love and Adam doesn't stick around long enough to get that close to a lady." Adam's eyes widened at the redhead's insight, briefly wondering if Peter had told her all about him. "No, Petey doesn't tell me such things, before you blame him. I'm just nosy, Adam. I know all kinds of things just by gossiping," she said, with a small laugh.

"Christ. I hadn't prepared for this level of bullying tonight," Adam feigned offence. He didn't feel the need to protest or defend himself, even though for once he could kind of contradict Sinead. He'd spent the night with Brooklyn three times to date and he considered that progress, especially considering he hadn't seen anyone between those 'dates'. Having offered himself up enough for the ladies' amusement, Adam decided to go back to observing the environment around them whilst Sinead and Aliana spoke with each other.

"What am I up to? Oh, well..." Sinead began, trying to think of the least boring parts of her life. Considering she had decided to stay out of harm's way whilst pregnant and let Scott manage her jazz club, there wasn't much she could report, having spent most of her time around the house. "I've been playing a lot of piano and I started up painting again. I only pop into my businesses once a week now. Scott's looking after the jazz club until I've had the baby," she said, figuring Aliana understood her past miscarriage was the reason she was being overly cautious. "But it's still so exciting. We've got so many bookings through to the summer already. The club is doing so well," she beamed. "Guess I've got some uses, after all, eh?" she joked. She then sent Aliana a soft smile. "How about you, sweetie? What have you been getting up to? Are things still good with my silly brother?" she asked.


Bellz (Rebel) Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana)

 

[Bellz]

Peter Callahan ​

Peter wasn't surprised at what he was hearing from Gabriel, he had been there with James when he'd asked for the same. Conor looked at him, shaking his head with disbelief but Peter found himself smugly smiling at the pair before them. He had only said a little in the conversation and until Conor was finished with what he had to say, Peter was ready to step in. It was interesting for Gabriel to once again lay down what they had done to his family without taking any blame for what his own had done to theirs. No remorse, not even an excuse. Pitiful. Peter let out a short chuckle as Conor said that Gabriel should have left Dr. Parker on his payroll saying he needed psychological help.

Moretti looked to Rhys and Peter's eyes shifted to the man who watched them like a hawk. Man didn't seem terribly powerful with his lanky physique, so Peter was sure he could take him on in a fight but perhaps not when it came to psychological warfare. Peter was traumatized from his time in prison and it left him weak minded. Luckily Conor was beside him to give Peter enough confidence to dare smile at the man as he claimed that they were rats.

Once Rhys had stopped speaking, Peter looked to his drink and took a sip before letting out a soft sigh. "Well, gentlemen, like the similar conversation from before, you warnings are going to fall on deaf ears. You so called generous offer will not be accepted." Scooting back his seat abruptly, Peter stood up.

"From one family man to the next, I know what yours means to you yet you continue to put them in harms way all for what? Some territory? Money? It goes both ways, but you preach this whole idea of protecting our families by handing our 10 years worth of work in this city over to you?" Peter laughed curtly and lifted his glass again.

"We may be rats, but remember, you can't get rid of us. Only two animals who survived the atomic bomb were: Rats and cockroaches. So the Porter's are the rats, which makes you two," Peter pointed directly at the pair with two fingers, "Dirty, filthy, cockroaches."

"When ever I see a cockroach I step on it. Do you gentlemen want to be stepped on? If not, then you best get out of our way and enjoy your evening with your family while you can." With that, Peter looked to Conor. "Pests." He nodded his head at Gabriel and Rhys before excusing himself from the table.
with: Gabriel & Conor Misty Gray ; Rhys Enzyme

 

[Misty Gray]

Gabriel Moretti and Conor Sullivan​

When Rhys started to speak and asked Conor if he felt in charge, the Irishman felt the other's eyes refusing to break contact. It didn't take long for Conor to decide that he didn't like Moretti's Consigliere despite the brief few seconds where he gave him the benefit of the doubt. As the man continued on, listing the things the Irish Mob had lost, Conor stopped himself from interrupting or flying off the handle. As much as he resented the shady little bastard being held in one of the Porter safe-houses, Conor couldn't help but channel the techniques Maddox had taught him to remain calm. To listen to everything the prick had to say before responding. To take a moment to consider the words he'd just heard. Though he managed to stay calm, it was difficult. Gabriel and Rhys each had a face Conor wanted to smack into the nearest wall. Necks he would happily break. Such thoughts remained hidden beneath a smile; one that was almost provocative. As the words continued from his mouth, Rhys seemed to take on a cold presence. A malice was reflected from within.

"Your city?" Conor asked, letting out a scoff. "You must be lost because this isn't fucking Miami," he hissed at the two men. As Peter spoke up, Conor turned to his brother-in-law, pleased to hear him speak up and reject the offensive offer to sell off Sinead's beloved club. As Peter continued on, Conor leaned back in his seat, allowing his eyes to fix firmly on the two men seated across from him. When Peter got up to leave, Conor looked up to him and nodded his head as if confirming he had no issue with the man's reaction.

"He will grow to regret those actions. As will you with yours," Gabriel calmly told Conor. Despite the calmness, Gabriel was losing patience with them.

"Your brother already tried to take this city and look where that got him. There's still plenty of body bags for the rest of you, Moretti. Peter was right; that you should think of your own family. They may all be old enough to understand this world, but nobody is immune to its pain and suffering," he pointed out. Conor knew of Gabriel's son and daughters, but he'd rather not have to bring harm to them, not after seeing his own family suffer at their enemies' hands over the years. However, Conor knew those were the hesitations that had stopped him taking Romano down two decades ago and there would come a time he'd have to shut off his conscience to make difficult choices, as James had been forced to do.

As Conor did, Gabriel also stood from his seat, refusing to let the Irishman tower above him. "My brother was ill-equipped to take this city... You should put your arrogance to sleep and realise I would not be challenging you in this moment if I were not confident I would be victorious."

"We're done here," Conor said, quickly shaking his head as he refused to be dragged into reacting with so many people present to become witness. "Congratulations on getting the boat, Mr. Caddel. Perhaps you should take it back to Miami with you. Or better still," he began, pointing towards Gabriel, "use it to take Moretti and his family back to fucking Italy!" With that, Conor walked away from the table. Although Peter had returned to their own table, Conor didn't follow suit, but instead headed out of the hall to take a breather on the corridor. He was sure if he had to look at another Italian he'd end up punching them.

With both of the Irishmen gone, Gabriel turned to Rhys and smoothed out his tie. "So be it," he flatly commented. "I expect they will remember this day when--" Gabriel was silenced as a familiar woman approached them. Gabriel instantly straightened up and plastered on a warm, charming smile. "Ah, Miss. Dorrance. We meet again," Gabriel pleasantly greeted her, almost as if the tense altercation with the Irish had not just happened. He looked to Rhys as he went on to introduce the lady and his Consigliere to each other. "This is Rhys Caddel, my trusted 'right-hand man', so to speak," he said, avoiding making the nature of criminal organisation quite so explicit. "Rhys, this is Elisabeth Dorrance. Her father owns one of New York's greatest distilleries and her family owns their own fashion line."

"Now now, Mr. Moretti. That's not quite how we know each other," the woman began. She looked Gabriel up and down, then placed her hand on his shoulder whilst taking a closer look at his attire. "I happen to own the clothing store your boss buys many of his suits from. I'm honoured to see he wore one of them this evening."

Gabriel had been quick to subtly brush the woman off. "May I have a moment with Mr. Caddel in private?" Gabriel said before moving with his Consigliere out of earshot. "The Dorrances would prove to be lucrative business allies moving forward. As much as I would like to converse with Miss. Dorrance, I don't think it would look good for me to be seen spending my time in the presence of a woman young enough to be my daughter rather than with my own family who are seated a short distance away." Gabriel glanced over his shoulder to his family's table before turning back to Rhys. "It would be a mistake to turn her away this evening and risk her ending up in the hands of the Irish lot. I would appreciate it if you would occupy Miss. Dorrance for a short time. Enough to keep us in her family's good books."

With that, Gabriel excused himself and returned to his family's table, casting his eyes on Elvian, Marcus and Teddy before taking his seat at his wife's side. He placed his arm around her shoulder and placed a kiss on her cheek. "What did I miss?" he asked those at the table, his neutral expression giving little away about the conversation he'd had with Conor and Peter.

Enzyme (Rhys) Bellz (Peter)
Mentions: Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana, Teddy) RayPurchase (Marcus)