Realistic or Modern Family Ties: 1980s Gangs - IC (Ended)

[Misty Gray]

The Oak Tree Restaurant
~ Dublin City Center, Dublin ~

Conor Sullivan​

Conor chuckled when Rhiannon turned her nose up at the thought of fast food. "This is what it's like when they get a taste for the performing arts, Ali. I had to grow up with Sinny and her picky eating. It was always chicken and salads," he reminisced. Granted, early in his sister's adulthood her picky eating was less of a problem than the complete lack of appetite the depressive side of her bipolar had brought on. The last thing he wanted was for any of his kids to develop eating disorders. "But you don't need to be so fussy, Rhi. Your Aunt Sinny happens to love milkshakes, desserts, and the odd bit of junk food. It never harmed her figure," he reassured his daughter. He lightly shook his head when she told him she'd be sticking to wine and champagne. "Shady places or not. I'm not budging from 30. Then God help the poor fella who falls for our little diva," he teased her. Conor let out an exasperated sigh and nodded his head when Aliana blamed the fancy schools for Rhiannon's temperament. "Yeah, I think they've helped create a monster."

Conor softly smiled as he listened to Rhiannon talking about her ice-skating, her enthusiasm and pride filling him with a warmth that he wished he could feel more often. He hated that there was always a possibility he'd have to bail out of family commitments. His job meant there was always a chance he'd have to trade spending time with his kids to instead attend to messy, brutal duties. It was always such a huge contrast and at times felt like he was living a double life, albeit, one most of his relatives knew all about. He caught the glance Leo and Aliana shared, but didn't respond to it, instead diverting his attention to gaze around the restaurant.

Sydney had soon perked up again once holidays were mentioned. He turned to his youngest with a curious expression on his face when she suggested Vienna. Aliana asked the girl what was in the destination, to which she responded the State Opera House was. "Jeez, go with your aunt," he joked, wondering if it would be as torturous as the time Sinead had taken him to a Shakespeare play. Rhiannon then mentioned how she would like to go skiing, to which Leo agreed. Then Aliana suggested Bora Bora. Conor let out a deep sigh when his wife told him he'd have to decide, seeing as they were all over the place. "Damn, that sounds like two separate vacations," he reasoned. "Unless, of course, you and I go to Bora Bora," he told Aliana, sending her a wink. "Leo can take the girls to opera and skiing!" he teased his son. In reality, it would have to be two separate vacations, because he wanted the whole family to go away together. Somewhere between the madness that was his business.

Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana, Leo, Rhiannon, Sydney)

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter​

Long gone were the days when Syd would engage in violence for the fun of it - however, he had to admit he enjoyed the way his uncle backhanded Spencer. Given that Peter was Savannah’s father, Syd let him take the reins. His uncle wasn’t the most stable of men, but neither was Syd, and he knew that if anyone ever wronged his children he wouldn’t want to be restrained.

Spencer was keen to assure them that Savannah wasn’t in danger of getting hurt, adding that there was no need to beat him up or slander Alex’s name. Of course, his words meant nothing to Syd. Regardless of the Kings’ individual temperaments, it was Syd’s understanding that any man could fly off the handle if his patience was tested long enough. As far as he was concerned, Alex deserved no say in the matter after the way he broke Savannah’s heart, sabotaging their relationship and severing Callum from his chance of a stable home. Spencer, meanwhile, had already pressured Savannah to the point where she felt harassed; he may well have no plans to exert physical power over her, but that didn’t mean it wouldn’t turn out that way.

If Spencer had chosen to be apologetic instead of defensive, Syd might have softened at his next point. Although he had never cheated on Roxie like Alex had cheated on Savannah, it was still his fault that their relationship had fallen apart, and as a result he had lost both Roxie and access to his children. He had lost access to them again when he wound up serving a two-year prison sentence. Unfortunately Syd knew all too well what rock bottom was for him, and it took all his strength not to make another attempt on his own life while he was separated from them. Yet, he knew that both of those losses had stemmed from severe mental health issues and an undiagnosed personality disorder, something he had very little control over. Alex, on the other hand, had been cheating on Savannah for no justifiable reason. There was no way Syd could feel sorry for the man.

The conversation wasn’t going too badly, with nobody making further threats or any sudden movements. Then Spencer decided to insult Savannah’s character, calling her soft and dramatic and comparing her behaviour to that of a princess, and Syd’s mood switched. As if by Spencer’s command, the driver brought the car to a halt - but the Irish enforcers didn’t let go of him. Instead, they hauled him out of the Land Rover, keeping him in a tight grip. Syd hopped out after them, leaving the door open for Peter, and as soon as he flicked open the extendable baton, the enforcers threw Spencer to the ground and Syd struck him with a heavy blow to the back. After quickly tossing the baton to his uncle, he then dived on top of Spencer to pin him down. One fist grabbed him by the collar while the other delivered a brass-knuckled punch to the man’s face. “When my cousin says you harassed her, then that’s what happened,” he growled, his anger trembling on his breath as he leaned over the man. “Don’t you ever talk about her that way, you hear me? Don’t you ever disrespect her.” Syd searched Spencer’s eyes as he willed him to understand. “Savannah will let Callum spend time with us as and when she wants and there’s nothin’ you lot can do to control her that we won’t know about. You harass her again, and I’ll make sure you regret it.”

Unable to trust himself not to beat Spencer to a pulp, he climbed up off the man and walked back to the car, leaving Peter to inflict any further damage on their target.

Interactions
Misty Gray Spencer
Bellz Peter

 

[High5ives]

Ozzy walked slowly, slower than normal, through the crowded corridors of the cemetery. His head hung low, with his hair tied back and his beard neatly combed. He was wearing the nicest clothes he owned, an old suit that was fading with time and a tie so ugly that it never should have been worn in public. It was all he could scrounge up for the occasion. He was ashamed that all of his money had been flushed away in London’s pubs. He’d done his best to be presentable, if nothing else, he was clean and showered. (Which was an improvement from days prior.)

He gingerly held a small vase of flowers and the nicest bottle of scotch he could afford. Two glasses were tucked up under his arm, accompanied by a small envelope.

The man continued past the headstones, stopping at a small modest headstone that read:

“Private Jamison Harris”

Oz took a deep breath.

“I know I said I would deliver your letter for you...” He mumbled, looking down at the headstone with eyes that were glossed over and distant, as if Oz wasn’t really all there. “I told you I’d give it to your mum face-to-face, proper. Like she deserves...” He trailed off again, taking the time to set the flower vase down and look at the old envelope. “I couldn’t do it Jamie...I knocked on the door, and then I just panicked and ran...I can’t face her.” He went on, anxiously rubbing the back of his neck. “How can I look her in the eyes and tel her I made it back, and you didn’t. How can I somehow make that OK?”

Ozzy paused, almost like he expected an answer, and maybe a part of him did.

“I should have done something...” He stammered, tears brimming on his eyelids before slipping over the top and running down his face into his beard. “I should have...” He choked. Rationally, Ozzy knew that there was nothing he could have done to prevent Jamie’s death. He knew it wasn’t his fault. But every time he looked in the mirror, something deep down inside of him screamed that he should have found a way. He should have laid down his life for his friend. He should have fought through the streets to save the younger man. Something in Ozzy screamed ‘It should have been you.’

Ozzy fell to his knees, holding his forehead in one of his hands as he did his best to regain his composure and keep from sobbing.

“You know what they told me when they sent me home?” He asked the headstone. “They said I was gonna be receiving military honors, medals and all that.” He grumbled, waving his hand dismissively.

“They said I was a hero, Jamie...”

“So why don’t I feel like one?”

Ozzy set down the two glasses and filled each one, setting one by the headstone and drinking the other to keep himself from crying more.

“When I first got home, I used to pray every night I’d wake up and this would all be a nightmare. I thought I would just wake up one morning in the barracks again, and you’d be there to greet me with one of your stupid jokes. I used to think we’d just go to breakfast, spend our meal talking about what pub we wanted to go to that night...”

Ozzy shook his head like he was trying to knock the nonsense out of his ears.

“Jamie, most nights I pray I don’t wake up at all...” Ozzy admitted. He was more ashamed than anything else. In a world where a man was supposed to be strong, a steadfast bastion against all odds, Ozzy felt anything but. In a world where everyone said he needed to be the lighthouse, Oz was feeling a lot more like the fisherman lost at sea.

“God, I was so angry...” He whispered to the wind, as if he were afraid the other coffins and corpses might tell his secret.

“When they took you, I was just so mad. It wasn’t about the army anymore, I just...” Ozzy took a deep breath. “I wanted them to hurt, Jamie. I told myself it was justice, but...”

“Some of them...” Oz took another deep breath. “...couldn’t have been older than 18. Couldn’t even shoulder their rifles.” Oz stared down at his hands. The Army might have called him a hero, but it it was harder for Oz to believe that. Every night, and ever night terror that came with it, seemed to convince him otherwise. He still saw their faces in his sleep. During the day, he swore he saw them around town.

“I’m a fucking mess, mate. Losin’ my mind.” Ozzy grumbled, refilling his glass and then pouring a generous amount on the ground in front of the headstone.

“Shit, at this point, I think it might be better that way, you know?” He reasoned. “Maybe it’s be better to just let go...”

 

[Bellz]

Lucy Porter
JJ Carriveau-Porter

Callahan Residence
~ Sutton, Dublin ~

​

Lucy was glad to hear that her sister was holding up okay. But yet, Sinead fretted over the fact that Peter and Syd were in King territory and about Savannah after the men did what they had to do. Lucy pulled a sad expression as she sympathized with what her eldest niece would have to go through. Before Lucy could offer some reassurance, Sinead was quick to ask Lucy what she wanted to drink. "I'll just take some water. Trying to stay away from day drinking, the doctor says it's terrible for your heart." Lucy said with a small smile. She let her sister get the drinks and whatever else she planned on bringing out and when she returned, Lucy moved to pick up her glass.

Sinead asked how she was doing before wanting to know why Lucy was staying in Ireland for a while. She then asked about James and Lucy slowly moved her glass from her lips, setting it back down on the table before looking to her lap. "Things are...a mess." Lucy admitted as she shrugged her shoulders. "It's great to be with you all, obviously, but things are so tense staying with Syd. You know he's over the moon to have me stay with them but Thomas has all but told me to leave. James wanted me to come to stay with you all so that I could try to make up with Thomas but I honestly don't see him being civil with me any time soon." Lucy's voice grew strained, feeling just as intensely emotional about the situation with her youngest son as she had when it had first begun.

"He's just as stubborn as his father and Syd...I swear. Though both of them have been able to forgive me for my mistakes, Thomas isn't going to budge." Letting out a slow deep breath, Lucy fanned a hand in front of her face to keep the tears at bay before trying to smile for her sister. "God, I'm sorry. The last thing you need is for me to dump all of my baggage onto you." She apologized before moving to take another drink from her glass, thinking about what she was going to say about James.

"Anyway, James is...okay. Our last meeting had been emotional for me and he seemed secretive. He really pushed me to come back here for Thomas but I couldn't help but shake the feeling that it was something more than that. The meeting ended when he beat the shit out of a guard who bad-mouthed me...I haven't heard from him since then." Lucy was going to express her concern for her husband's safety but once again, she felt that she was unloading all of her anxiety onto Sinead. So she tried to smile lightly, "But I am sure he's doing just fine. Like he always is." In the last few days, she had been collectively worried about her husband and both of her sons. She knew Syd would be okay with Peter but even after all these years of having her loved ones leave for business, she continued to worry. Even though she wasn't exactly old, she was amazed that she had been able to handle the type of stress she had to handle.

JJ was all smiles as he walked with his cousin towards the backyard. But his smile soon faded at the mention of Matthew. He listened as Liam rambled on about heaven and how Father Healy told him so much stuff. "Uh, yea...I'm sure he is too." JJ said skeptically as his brows furrowed together in confusion. "Did you go to church?" JJ asked curiously, "When did you guys start going to church?" JJ wasn't exactly a fan of going to church. The bible classes he had to take at school were torture and although he didn't want to ruin religion for anyone else, he personally thought it was a line of BS. Perhaps it was his mother's influence that made him feel that way, as she constantly slandered organized religion...calling it a cult but he along with his sister didn't like it either. Even when Matthew came into their lives, he wasn't enough to change their minds.

Once they reached the back door, JJ knew exactly where the ball was kept. Noticing the rain had let up a little bit, he moved to put his hood over his head before getting the ball. " How's it going with you? I know your dad is with my dad, you worried about him?"
with: Sinead + Liam Misty Gray

 

[Bellz]

Blake McCarthy

Bodyworks Gym
~ Dublin City Center, Dublin ~ ​

Blake felt so much relief with Adam being able to understand what she thought he wouldn't. She laughed lightly as he joked that if they ended up not working out that she could blame him for it. "Well thank you." She murmured gently. She was interested to know how things with Adam and Thomas were going, so when she heard that things were great, Blake was pleased. Hearing that Thomas wasn't moody with him was surprising, he was pretty moody with a lot of people in the family. Adam made sense of it by saying that it was probably easier for the man to relax with him than around his own family. Blake nodded her head in understanding as he said that it was probably best for him to stay out of Thomas's relationship issues where his family was involved.

Blake's brows raised curiously as Adam said that he may have been trying to give Thomas's love life a nudge. The blonde turned to look at Thomas who was lifting weights in the corner. "Ahhh the barmaid with the cute accent. Now that's interesting." Blake said with a just as mischievous tone. A smirk formed on her face as she turned back to Adam, "That kid needs to get laid but better yet, he needs to find someone who understands him. I saw the way he and that girl were talking to each other...he was all smiling. Before then, I hadn't seen that kid smile since he was in his teens, at least not like that." Blake was saddened that Thomas had lost the sense of joy he had once had in his life. But with Adam nudging the kid towards that barmaid, Blake was sure they would be seeing a different side of Thomas in no time.

"All right, tough guy. You gonna show me a few moves?" She asked teasingly, "Now it's been almost 20 years since I'd last fought a man...but I feel like this old dog still has a couple of new tricks." Blake set down her purse before stepping close to Adam with a smile.

"We can set a wager if you want. If I win, you get to buy me drinks. If you win, I get to buy you drinks and you can sign me up for a membership here. What do you say?" She asked with her brows raised, a teasing smirk stretching across her face as she pushed her hair behind her shoulders.
with: Adam Misty Gray
mentions: Thomas (me) ; Elena Pyroclast

 

[BloodLightning27]

~Dublin: Shinoa Bradford - A Quiet Dinner~

Pregnancy Tracker

Progression: 38.4/40 Weeks

Countdown to Labor & Delivery: 269/280 Days

Weight Gain: 67/68 Kg

After about fifteen to twenty minutes of walking through the City Centre, Shinoa made her way to the Oak Tree Restaurant. It was relatively empty, but she did spot a rather large group, probably an entire family, all sitting together at a couple of tables that were stacked together to make one big one, at least as far as she can tell upon entering the restaurant. Aside from the big family closer towards the center of the restaurant, Shinoa did see a couple of other patrons. Some small families, couples and even some who sat alone. Checking her purse, she discreetly opened her wallet to make sure that she had enough euros to cover Dinner. Seeming satisfied and content, she closed up her purse just in time as a Waiter approached. "Good evening, ma'am, just you tonight?"

"Yes, just me tonight." She responded as she unbuckled the belt on her coat as she intended to take it off as soon as she was seated.

"Right this way, please." He responded before leading her to her table, a menu in his hand.

He proceeded to lead her to a table closer towards the window, where she had a nice view of the City Centre. There were a few neighboring occupied tables, but the young mother did not pay too much mind to them. "Was there anything I can get you started for a drink?"

"Just water for me tonight. I'm in no condition to be drinking." She said before taking off her coat and letting it slump onto the chair as she straightened out her dress.

When the Waiter noted that Shinoa was heavily pregnant, he kept a tight grip on the Drinks menu, having not noticed previously when he first greeted her due to her rain coat and the restaurant had fairly dim lighting at the front door. He then set the other menu, the one with all the entrees and appetizers in front of her before leaving to go get her drink as he adjusted his tie. Now alone again, Shinoa proceeded to look through what her options were for dinner. What enticed her was the Smoked Salmon, though this would probably be her last one for the remainder of the pregnancy. Then again, there was also the grilled salmon, which was probably better suited for her as it posed less risks for the baby. Not to mention it came with a hot potato and Brussel sprouts, though she just needed to be careful not to eat too much. Having her mind set, she gently rubbed her belly once she felt another strong kick. Soon, the waiter came back with a reasonably tall glass of water. "Here's your water. Now what can I get for you tonight?" He asked, ready to write it down on a notepad.

"Grilled Salmon with the Hot Potato and the Brussel Sprouts. Thank you." She smiled a bit, making it fast and easy.

"Alright, I'll go ahead and take that for you. I'll be back shortly." He said before grabbing the menu and going back to the kitchen.

She then proceeded to feel a strong contraction in her lower stomach, prompting her usually calm expression to turn into a pained one. She didn't say too much there, as she was pretty much considered full-term, which meant she could be going into labor and giving birth between now and the next eleven days. Of course, since she was in public, it was not preferred, though she was in no control of when her baby would arrive. According to her midwife, only two to five percent of women gave birth on their due dates. Would she be part of that two to five percent? So far it was likely. But with the strong contractions that she constantly dealt with, Shinoa wasn't so sure. After about five minutes, the contraction subsided, leaving her with a partial stomachache. Taking a deep breath, she started massaging her belly to help ease the pain. Once the aching seemingly disappeared, her dinner arrived. "Here you go, Grilled Salmon with Brussel Sprouts and Hot Potato. Enjoy!" The Waiter said happily.

"Thank you." Shinoa smiled before grabbing her knife and her fork and started cutting into the Salmon as the Waiter left to tend other guests, whether was getting them a refill for their drinks, taking orders for dessert or getting the guests their bill for the evening.

[Open For Interaction]

Ricker's Island: Bradley Beckett & James Edwards - Is The Enemy Of My Enemy My Friend...Or My Enemy?

Bradley took a moment to calm down once Kurt had made eye-contact with him and the fear partially subsided when he remembered that James was right behind him. He was pretty much overthinking it though, as his first thought was getting beaten up...again...for the simple fact he was looking to speak with the Top Dog. This other guy must have been his Bodyguard, if anything. If not though, maybe they were Best Friends at the very least...if not outright related. The semi-awkward silence was then broken when Porter said that he did not know either Bradley or Edwards. If he was being honest with himself, Bradley did not think he would get this far. His first day in jail was spent getting beaten up before Edwards stepped in to help, then they were approached by Ramsey, who told them that it would be wise to make the right friends...and fast. Bradley did flinch a bit when Porter said that he had found him. He asked what was the problem, and then said that if they were after drugs, they'd be wasting their time. "No, not at all, sir." He responded. "We're both new here on Riker's Island."

Because Bradley was getting nervous again, Edwards placed his hand on the young man's shoulder to get him to calm down. "Easy kid, I'll take it from here." He said before stepping in front of the nervous boy. "Sorry, he got jumped on his first day, so he's a little nervous. And where are our manners? I'm James Edwards and this is Bradley Beckett. We're your next door neighbors on the cell block."

Bradley then calmed down again after taking a deep breath, briefly facing away from Kurt before looking back. "We're not looking for drugs, sir. We're gonna be here for a while, so we just thought that making the right friends would make our stay a little easier? Or at least...that's what Ramsey told us." He scratched the back of his head.

"Yeah, we were advised to make the right friends and fast. Both of us have only been here for about three weeks." Edwards added. "What we did to end up here probably doesn't matter to you though, so we're not gonna bore you with the details. But we're not asking for trouble or nothin'-" He stopped mid-sentence as he noticed something out of the corner of his eye.

Looking out the corner of his eye, he saw a small group of other prisoners loitering nearby. At least a group of six to seven and at four of them, he had beaten up to take a stand for Bradley. Judging by the Red Bandanas that they had, they were members of one of the Prison Gangs on the Island if he wasn't mistaken; Nuestra Familia.

Kurt Lee Reznik Pyroclast James Porter, Nicholas Ramsey (Mentioned) Misty Gray

 

[BloodLightning27]

~London: Shirley Kwon - A Peaceful Evening~

Pregnancy Tracker

Pregnancy Progression: 34.4/42 Weeks

Countdown to Labor & Delivery: 241/294 Days

Weight Gain: 66/71 Kg

Getting to spend time with Shona again made Shirley very happy, as she never really interacted with any 'normal' people since leaving Ireland and being away from her Sister. Sure, she went to parties in the past, but she never really got close to anyone. Well, maybe except for that one-night stand that got her knocked up. But her Twins' Father was long gone and nowhere to be found even before the pregnancy test came back positive. Then there was the matter of her abruptly shouting 'Because I'm pregnant!' during that last conversation with Stella...Well, maybe not a conversation, but it was certainly an argument. Once she made it to the living room, she was greeted by a rather loving embrace, which did feel a little weird because both her and Shona were pregnant...or in her case, very pregnant. Nonetheless, they weren't that far apart and Shirley hasn't ruled out the idea of them both going into labor and delivering on the same week if not within a few days of each other. But to deliver on the same day? No, that was a one-in-a-million.

She calmed down a little from the embarrassment of her stomach growling after Shona offered her some biscuits, which were sitting on the coffee table in front of her.

“Please, help yourself to biscuits.”
“I swear my stomach’s a bottomless pit these days. This little baby is ravenous, I’m afraid to go anywhere without a snack in my pocket because I just get upset when I’m hungry!”

She smiled a little when Shona said that her unborn child was ravenous and even agreed when she said that she was afraid of going anywhere without a snack in her pocket because she gets upset when she's hungry. Shirley also very much hated it whenever her stomach growled and there wasn't anything to eat in immediate proximity, especially if she was in public. The louder the growling was, the more embarrassed she would be. "Sometimes I can't tell if only one of them or both of them are hungry. Guess it depends on how loud my stomach growls." She said before taking up on Shona's offer and grabbing a biscuit from one of the nearby plates, even taking a quick bite out of it in hopes of satisfying her twins. "But to be fair, I am eating for three."

“So, you must be getting close now.”
“Are you getting nervous? Excited? How are you feeling about becoming a mum?”

"Twins are usually due at thirty-six weeks. So with that in mind, I'm due in two weeks. But only about two to five percent of women deliver on their due dates, so I don't know if my little ones and I are going to be a part of that. But I don't control when they arrive, so I'm playing the waiting game for now." She finished off the first biscuit before grabbing a napkin to wipe her mouth and swipe the crumbs off of her belly and her dress. "I will admit, I am a little nervous because I've gone through this entire pregnancy on my own and the thought of raising two children at the same time. But no matter what, I'll love them both." She said, relaxing into the couch and cradling her swollen belly. "Overall, I do feel confident that I'll be a wonderful Mom." She once more made eye contact with her friend, a smile on her face. "What about you? How are you feeling about becoming a Mother yourself?"

Interactions: Shona King Pyroclast​

​

 

[Bellz]

Peter Callahan

Residential Area
~ Bethnal Green, London ~​

Hearing what Spencer had told Savannah, Peter couldn't help but think that what the man asked wasn't unreasonable. But it was the way he was saying it to her that rubbed Peter the wrong way. Then Spencer said that his daughter was just blowing the situation out of proportion and Peter ground his teeth together. Before he could say anymore, the car came to a halt. The two men with Peter and Syd hauled Spencer out of the car and Peter let his nephew go ahead of him as they climbed out of the car. Peter watched as Syd hit Spencer in the back with the baton before the young man threw it to him which Peter caught with ease. Watching as Syd dove on top of the man, he delivered a forceful punch to his face with the brass knuckles doing a lot of damage.

Peter crossed his arms and smirked as Syd defended his cousin and threatened Spencer before letting the man go. Peter raised his brow as his nephew backed off before heading back towards the car. Peter watched him walk off before he turned back to Spencer. Walking towards him, Peter twirled the baton he was given between his fingers nonchalantly stopping right in front of Spencer but keeping a bit of distance so that the man couldn't try to kick him. "Well, I'm sure you get the picture now. I understand your desire to want to spend time with your nephew, I really do. But perhaps you will think twice about how you present that desire to my daughter next time. Because at the end of the day, lad...as his mother, Savannah can do whatever she wants with her child." Peter shrugged before moving to grab a handkerchief from his coat breast pocket.

Tossing it at Spencer, "Now get yourself cleaned up, don't want to worry the wife." He told the man with a knowing smirk before turning around to make his way back to the car as well. Once he was in the car, the other Irish men let Spencer go before hurrying back to the vehicle as well. Peter leaned back against his seat as the car started to move, his back was already very sore and he was just ready to rest. "Well that went about as good as I expected it to go." Peter said to Syd as he offered the man a smile. "Thanks for helping me set that asshole straight for Savvy. You did good back there. I wouldn't want to be the man that messes with your daughters." He said with a teasing grin.
with: Syd Pyroclast ; Spencer Misty Gray

 

[Bellz]

Braden Callahan

Savannah Callahan's House
~ Islington, London ~​

Braden let out a soft laugh as Kerry said that the situation was unexpected on both sides. Hearing that she was doing well was reassuring and Braden smiled sweetly at her as she asked how he and Hattie were doing. "Ah I've been busy with work lately but little Hattie is a bundle of energy per usual, she's keeping my mother very busy while I'm away." Braden said. Watching as Kerry unzipped her handbag, he raised a curious brow as she pulled out a set of spare keys which she informed him were his sisters. Hearing that Kerry figured that she would return them to Savvy, Braden's smile faded as he wondered if he should tell the woman that himself along with his father and Syd were using Savvy's place to stay in while they were out doing mob business. His smile reappeared as she said that she felt pretty confident that all of Savvy's plants survived her care. "They look great as far as I can tell." He reassured Kerry.

Once again his smile slightly faded as he cleared his throat. Moving a hand to scratch the back of his neck, Braden did his best to try and explain that his sister wasn't home. "Ah well, no. She's still in Dublin but she has allowed myself, my dad, and Syd to stay here while on business." Braden wasn't going to go as far as to tell Kerry that they were here to kick the shit out of Spencer King, so he left it at that.

"I would hold onto the keys until she returns, though I'm not sure she'll be heading back home any time soon." Braden said, wondering if he was pushing the envelope with home much he could tell Kerry. Clearing his throat once more, Braden opened the door wide, "You wanna come in? I got the place to myself while my dad and Syd are out, I've just been watching the news but I'm sure we could find something more entertaining to watch. I stalked the fridge with drinks that I need help finishing before the other men get home." He said with a teasing grin, gesturing for her to join him.
with: Kerry Misty Gray
mentions: Syd Pyroclast ; Spencer + Savvy Misty Gray

 

[Bellz]

Lorelei Costello

The Funky Cat
~ Dublin City Center, Dublin ~​

Lorelei smiled widely as Benjamin stated that he didn't think he was a bad singer but he felt he didn't have the confidence to get up there whilst sober. "Ah then I guess you'll have to come to visit me here when you have the opportunity to not be sober." Lorelei said suggestively before he stated that he could get pictures of both the karaoke happening and the bands that would come on later. The song soon came to an end and Benjamin looked away from the singer to look at her.

Hearing that he had gone to visit his dad during vacation was interesting to hear. She found it sweet that Aidan planned a surprise trip for him to New York. "It must have been nice to see him." Lorelei commented quickly before he said that he'd learned the craziest thing. Lorelei raised a brow, clearly curious to hear what he had learned. He told her that his dad was sharing a cell with her Uncle James and it sounded like they were getting along well. Lorelei couldn't hide the surprise from her face which momentarily made her smile fade. But he smiled at her and Lorelei soon found herself smiling back once more. "Well, talk about small worlds." Lorelei said lightly.

Benjamin then asked if she heard from her Uncle much and Lorelei shook her head lightly. "Not too much, unfortunately. Every time my mom and he manage to talk to each other, I'm usually at work. I have received a letter from him on my birthday and holidays though. Did you see him? Did he look okay? My Aunt Lucy, his wife, is actually in town now with her daughter. I heard they are staying for a while." Lorelei had tried to piece together what that meant for her Aunt and Uncle but her mother reassured her that things were fine, telling her not to be too nosey or she'd end up worrying too much.

"Ah, sorry for firing all these questions at you. I guess I just worry about him...being so far away from everyone else." Lorelei shrugged lightly before turning the subject back to Benjamin's trip. "How was seeing your dad? It must be so nice when you get the chance to see him."
with: Benjamin Misty Gray

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

The Royal Taphouse
~Bethnal Green, London~
Erik Snowden

Erik could tell his actions were beginning to piss Billy off. It was always amusing to him how quickly the man could be wound up from the smallest of things. He waited until he looked at the napkin before grinning widely. He gave a nonchalant shrug before turning back to his drink. "If you don't wanna believe me, then don't. Just tell me what suit you wanna be buried in after Spence kills you, huh?" Erik raised his hand to Billy's collar, pretending to think to himself. "Yeah, I think a nice berry would suit you." He quickly pulled away before Billy could hit him with something. Watching as he stood to go make the call, he watched with a cocky grin on his face. The man's memory had never failed him before and he was sure it wasn't going to start now. The moment the two of them locked eyes, Erik knew Billy had proved him right. Erik bit his bottom lip with a smile, lifting his middle finger to Billy as he walked back over. He seemed relieved to know that a disaster had been adverted and grateful. "Oh darling, there's plenty. But you'll have to get me blackout drunk to ever tell you." While his tone was light and joking, he was being very serious. Erik hadn't been one to go around telling people his past and he never had any plans to do so. Without missing a beat Erik finished what remained in his glass before following the man out the door.

Had Erik known they were going to be hit with rain on their walk he'd have told Billy to go by himself. Rain was nice when you were inside where it was warm and sleeping in. Walking in it? Absolutely not. He hadn't even had on a proper jacket nor an umbrella leaving him soaked from head to toe. The black t-shirt he wore was clinging to his body uncomfortably as were his jeans. The part that was driving him crazy had been his wet socks and the squishy feeling they had. When they arrived at the storage facility he had been in a sour mood because of it. Billy at least had on a proper raincoat while Erik sported his brown leather jacket. The weatherman said 'light' showers not heavy rain beating down on them. He shook out his curly hair of the water, though it still felt sopping wet. Across from the two men stood Mary, no doubt judging them for their wet appearance. He stood next to Billy while trying to get as much water off his body as possible.

When she spoke, he looked up and smiled at her as if he wasn't just irritated. He too caught the way she was looking at them as if she wanted to eat them up on the spot. It was flattering to be looked at by an older woman and Erik was going to roll with it. Once her feet started moving they joined her. Billy smiled at Erik, who playfully glared at him. "I blame you for this." He stated, gesturing at his wet body. The faster they got this done the faster he would be able to change. "I'm soaked from head to toe and you look reasonably dry!" He harshly whispered. Hearing Mary stop he turned his attention back to her and the red metal door behind her. "Well, what kind of torture are we talking? The fun kind?" He joked to her, following the wink she gave them. He gave Billy a moment to gather the necessary information while he took a look at the unit. It was larger than he expected with plenty of room to store what they needed.

Erik happily took the keys from the woman, spinning them on his index finger. He then watched as Mary disappeared down the corridor and turned to further examine the space. Looking at Billy lean against the wall he had a right mind to shut the door down and get up to some mischief, but that would have to wait. He listened as Billy explained what he would want to do with such a space. "And have women think you're about to kidnap them?" He shook his head before wagging his finger at the man. "Now I see why you're still single!" Erik's examination of the place took him closer to Billy, who was asking him about his memory. Erik tilted his head from side to side as he looked up at the ceiling for no particular reason. "It does, but I have to look at it first. You snatched up the old lady's card too fast. What, you trying to get with her before I can?" He joked, laughing as he glanced to him. If his friend had missed the way the old lady was looking at them he was going to have a fit.

Billy went on to confirm that he owed Erik twice now. Granted, Erik was only teasing him about it and didn't really want anything in return but he wasn't going to tell him that just yet. He had the lingering suspicion that the man didn't know what he was saying. Billy was just giving Erik open opportunities to tease him and he was going to use them all. "Anything?" He repeated as if deep in thought. He walked over to him, hearing his wet shoes squeak as he did so. The moment he was in front of him Erik reached out to place his hands on his cheeks. "Billy. Oh, Billy. I'm the wrong person to owe favors to, my friend." He gave him a mischevious grin as he lowered his voice to a whisper. "You'll see soon enough."

Billy ( Pyroclast )​

 

[BloodLightning27]

~New York City: Harmony Ryu - New Week, New Ink~

Out of the corner of her eye, Harmony noticed (and felt) Ava's gaze on her hair. She didn't mind as Harmony was rather accustomed to it. Because she got a lot of looks and turned a lot of heads whenever she was in public. Soon after, Ava asked Carter to bring in a few shots. Wasn't it too early to be drinking? Surely one shot wouldn't hurt. Once she returned, Ava took a moment to sanitize the chair she was about to sit on. Harmony waited patiently before getting relaxed while holding her breath for a few minutes to let the smell of sanitizing solution...or whatever it was...to subside a bit, as inhaling it was hazardous. This was a normal procedure, so Harmony wasn't too bothered or anything. After all, this was pretty normal, at least from what she remembered, when she lived in Los Angeles and first started getting tattoos. She then heard the sound of wheels rolling across the floor and the next thing she knew, an album was in her lap.

Alright, little lady. Usually, I know everyone who sits in that chair an' they know me; seen my work."

Almost immediately, Harmony would open the album to get a better idea of what to expect, having not worked with Ava yet. Soon she went to go answer the door, leaving Harmony to look through the Album, while piecing together what she wanted. Finally, Ava returned with two shot glasses and a bottle of Whiskey. After a couple of minutes, Harmony closed the album, thoroughly impressed by the Artist's work. Hopefully Gabriel wouldn't be too unhappy or dissatisfied with her volunteering to be his Daughter-In-Law's Canvas. But as long as Ava was happy, Harmony didn't mind.

Finally, Ava explained that she usually freehanded her work, which Harmony was a little surprised to hear, since stenciling was what she was accustomed to, given the more complex designs she has taken over the years, namely the one on her back and the ones that were on her arms. This would be the first time she allowed an artist to freehand on the tattooing. After being shown a red ink pen as well as a blue. Harmony was then given a whiskey-filled shot glass, which she drank rather quickly to get it out of the way and then setting the empty glass aside.

"So, do you have an idea of what ya want?"

"Yeah, I think I have a clear idea of what I would like to have." She responded happily, as she relaxed a little, the effects of the Whiskey kicking in a little bit. "A collection of flowers on my chest with a skull as the centerpiece and a butterfly on my throat." She said with confidence, ready to get her first tattoo in over a year. "And how much do you charge by the hour?" She asked, already thinking about how much the tattoo was going to cost. "I also believe an Artist of your level should be well compensated."

Interactions: Ava Moretti Melanin-Gxdess​

​

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Burger Joint
~ Manhattan, New York City ~
Theodore 'Teddy' Wycliff
Reina Richards

Teddy had been holding his breath when Roxie mentioned Gabe's reservations about her. He wasn't sure what exactly to expect when it came to this meeting, so it was only normal for him to feel nervous. Once the waitress came back with their drinks Teddy smile at her and lifted his cup to drink. He watched in slight amusement as Gabriel took his time to prepare his coffee the way he liked it - something he was sure the man could have done while talking. He was always one for theatrics, so it didn't surprise him any. The moment he was finished he immediately told Roxie how he felt. He held back no words or thoughts about the entire situation. Teddy didn't expect him to and was glad he hadn't. Everything needed to be put out on the table to move forward. With her being here, he figured she had made up her mind completely to take over the business.

There was a moment of silence at the table as Gabriel invited them to speak. Reina and Teddy looked at each other, but neither said a word. Teddy himself wanted to wait until Roxie spoke and aired her own grievances before saying anything. She spoke about her background of being a lawyer and doing her own version of unethical work. Though she may not have had to do anything physical, going against her own set of morals was difficult to do as well. Teddy himself had to do the same a decade ago so to see she had such a quality was a good thing in his eyes. There would be plenty of tough decisions to be made in the future and it was important she understood that. He believed she would be able to make those tough choices if it came down to it, but he wasn't sure if she would be able to do so if the Sullivans were on the other end. To be quite honest, only time would tell but Teddy wanted to know beforehand.

Roxie had been fully aware that she should have had a meeting as soon as the will had been read. Acknowledging her mistake was the first step in repairing the relationship with the Moretti's and he had to applaud her for that. He wondered if Ricky had given her advice on how to handle Gabriel beforehand seeing as it sounded like she was saying all the right things. He may have been iffy on the Sullivan thing but everything else sounded good. Once she finished speaking, he looked to his boss then back at Roxie. "I know you've said that things will remain neutral with you and the Sullivan's, but I can't lie and say it's not a bothersome thought. You may not want to step on toes so you resort to walking on eggshells around them. Next thing you know you're favoring them and don't even realize it." He cleared his throat looking to Reina, seeing if she were going to chime in at any point. At the moment she was busy dipping her fries into her milkshake and observing the conversation. "They could end up putting you in a precarious situation that you aren't prepared for." He sat back in his seat and smoothed out his tie. "Honestly, if you could ease my mind on that front then maybe I could see this working." He wasn't harsh with his words, but he was serious. Ricky knew what it meant to be completely neutral which is why Teddy felt more comfortable with him. Neutrality was the man's middle name at this point and he did a damn good job. But, Teddy wasn't blind to the fact that the man made some very questionable decisions of his own.

Reina had remained quiet during the conversation simply because she didn't think it was her place. After the confrontation with Julia and Ricky, Reina realized that she may have been out of line. Roxie hadn't said anything to her about it but that could just be because of her current mental situation. Reina was a bodyguard, not her advisor - Ricky was. Or, so she figured. "They're all fair points. Ties with the Sullivans is concerning and having you put your faith in Roxie is also concerning, but there is and always will be one irrefutable fact: Giovanni put her in charge for a reason. The old man wasn't stupid so I'm sure he knew what was going to happen once it was revealed. She just needs a moment to prove herself to you." She turned her attention back to her fries as she leaned back into her seat. Teddy hid his grin behind his glass as he waited for someone else to speak.

Ricky, Gabe ( Misty Gray ) Roxie ( Bellz )​

 

[Misty Gray]

Callahan Residence
~ Sutton, Dublin ~

Sinead and Liam Callahan​

Sinead frowned sympathetically when Lucy told her things were a mess. Her sister told her how bad things were between her and Thomas. "Maybe I need to go give that boy a slap and tell him to treat his Mamma with love and respect!" she grumbled about her nephew. "Why are the men in this family so moody?" she lightly complained. Despite trying to keep her tone light for her sister's sake, there was a sad familiarity to the situation. Although circumstances and relationship to the men in question were different, Lucy's situation with Thomas did bring back memories of her own issues she'd had with Peter in the past. It had been well over a decade ago, but Sinead never forgot how Peter was after his release from prison. Whilst Thomas' PTSD stemmed from his suffering in the marines, Peter's traumas had come from his time in prison. For a long time, she struggled with her husband. The arguments, the avoidance, and the emotional distance, had been heartbreaking torture for Sinead, so she had some idea of how Lucy was feeling now. "Is Thomas seeing a counsellor? And does he have someone to confide in outside of you and his siblings? Petey couldn't open up to me, but I'm sure he had friends and colleagues it was easier for him to be open with. He can't be like this with you forever, but for now he needs help getting his head back together."

Hearing James had hit a prison officer caused Sinead to gasp. She couldn't imagine anyone lashing out of the guards, as from what she'd seen when visiting Peter and other family members in prisons, the staff always looked scary. Then again, James and the other prisoners there weren't skinny, 5'2" women. "I'm not discounting him sticking up for you, Luce, but James is a smart man. He must have known what he was doing and the consequences of his actions when he hit the guard. I know I'm just encouraging his 'I'm fine' attitude, but I'm sure he is okay. After the awful things our family has been through, I'm sure he can handle jail," she reassured her. "Everything will work out. Hey, maybe I should tell Liam to say a little prayer for you," she said, a small smile lingering. "Oh no, but, I'm not making fun. I think it's really sweet that Liam is so interested in going to church. If it keeps him out of trouble, then I'm happy to attend those services with him."

*****
​

When JJ asked him if he went to church, Liam slowly nodded his head, "Yeah, I've been going there since a few weeks ago." He fell silent for a time as he zipped up his jacket in preparation for the rain. He followed JJ outside, but remained standing underneath the gazebo for the time-being, keeping sheltered from the rain until they were ready to start playing with the ball. "I didn't just decide to start going to church," he began explaining himself. "You know Daryl, yeah? Idiot in my class who always goes around picking on other kids. Well, after I hit him a few weeks ago I got put on a week's detention at the church. Father Healy is actually alright, y'know. He's been telling me a lot and I haven't been zoning out like I used to in religious studies and assemblies," he admitted. "So I've started going to church whenever I want to now, not just for detention. Michael has also been coming sometimes. Hey, you could come too," he offered, sending JJ a smile. "It's not as boring as I thought it would be. And it's helped me with my Gran dying as well as Mr. Moore."

Liam let out a troubled sigh when asked if he was worried about Peter being out on a job in London. "Yeah, I'm real worried about my Dad. Brady too. I'm worried they're off doing sometimes dangerous that could get them hurt real bad. But also... I'm afraid they might do something bad. I wish they'd stop doing these jobs now. I don't want them to go to Hell, but if they don't stop and..." he trailed off, stopping himself in case JJ thought he was preaching at him. He looked to the other boy and shrugged his shoulders. "What about you? Aren't you worried about your dad?" he asked, referring to Syd.

Bellz (Lucy, JJ)

 

[Misty Gray]

Savannah Callahan's House
~ Islington, London ~

Kerry Patrick​

Kerry couldn't help but take in Braden's smile. Despite him being a member of a dangerous gang, there was an enticing sweetness to his smile which made her feel comfortable in his presence. Then there was the way he spoke of his daughter, which only added to the good impression Kerry had already formed of Braden. The moment soon faded when Braden cleared his throat and scratched the back of his neck in a seemingly awkward manner. She was surprised to hear that Savannah was still in Dublin. "Oh..." she uttered, hoping she hadn't embarrassed herself by showing up at the house. She nodded in understanding when Braden explained he and some others were there on business. Although one of the names was very familiar to her, she hadn't yet processed what that meant for her. She figured the business was no doubt related the the Kings, but she didn't suspect the true nature of the Irish Mobs presence. Instead, she figured it was just official matters relating to the ongoing, albeit strained, business relationship the two families had. "Oh, of course!" she said, quickly nodding her head, flashing a smile to show she understood, even if in reality she was off the mark.

When Braden told her to hold onto the keys until Savannah returned, Kerry tucked the set of keys back into her handbag. "That's a shame," she said of Savannah not returning home any time soon. "I hope she's okay... Is she okay?" she asked in concern. "It can be quite difficult to make friends around here. At least, it's hard to find ones as good as Savvy is," she told him.

When Braden invited her inside it was like her mouth answered him before her brain could think about what she was doing. "Sure, I'd like that," she answered, but let out a small laugh as she realised she may have been a little too quick to accept his invite. Then she registered him mentioning his father and Syd again, this time she couldn't quite ignore the relevance of Syd's name. Having known Maddox for some years now, Kerry knew more than enough about the things the counsellor had done back in New York City in order to get his revenge on the Irish Mob. Those things included the man betraying Syd's trust as his counsellor and going as far as to pushing Syd to the brink of suicide. Although Maddox had long since changed his ways and in the end backed the Sullivans against the Morettis, Kerry didn't expect Syd could ever forgive Maddox for what he'd done. Then there was the matter of what she herself had done. Although she'd been tortured and threatened by the Morettis into betraying the Irish Mob, she had never been able to forget that people died because of a lie she was forced to tell the Sullivans. She understood that one of the men who had been killed was Syd's godfather.

Although she followed Braden into the house, there was now a nervousness about her. "Oh, I'm sure there's something more entertaining than the news," she weakly joked, now tightly folding her arms. "I-I can help you finish the drinks," she told him, making a conscious effort to return his grin. Realising he wouldn't be blind to her awkwardness she unfolded her arms and motioned towards the door. "If the others are due back soon, I'm sure they'd rather finish the drinks with you. I don't want to get in the way or anything. I mean..." She cleared her throat and looked Braden in the eyes. "You, Savvy, and your mother. You've all been very kind to me, but... I'm not sure if everyone in your family could be so forgiving," she said, hoping Braden would pick up on what she was getting at.

Bellz (Braden)

 

[Pyroclast]

Elena Velazco​

Three weeks on, Elena had settled into a more structured shift pattern at her job at the Sullivans Pub. Getting the hang of counting change and interacting smoothly with the customers was decidedly the most challenging work she had ever done in her life - even more than nursing school, which she had dropped out of not far into the course. However, as difficult as it was to make her way in Dublin, she never once thought about giving up and returning to Cuba. In her mind, this was the place where all her dreams would come true. Many of the customers were rude to her for myriad reasons but she was thick-skinned against their taunts. It was worth putting up with them just to come across Adam’s associates and friends who came into the pub - her ears were tuned to Adam’s name such that she could hear it even from across the room and so she would be extra friendly towards them. As a 19-year-old girl from Cuba who spoke little English, Elena stood out enough that everyone returning to the pub remembered her, so it was easy enough for her to become friendly with the regulars.

One person she wished would make a more regular appearance was Adam’s young apprentice, Thomas, whom she had met on her third shift three weeks ago. Of all of Adam’s friends, he was the one who had made the best impression on her. Even though he had come to the pub with a group of people, he had chosen to keep her company at the bar as she served customers, which had really helped her to relax after the shock of meeting her father for the first time. She had kept Thomas’ cute, coy smile in her mind ever since, hoping to see it again. Unfortunately, he hadn’t come back to the pub during any of her shifts.

Adam was around more often, but she was still so shy of him, especially knowing he was busy. Elena couldn’t help but feel like he must have more important people to talk to than her. Still, whenever she saw him she did her best to impress him; by now, she had grown used to his presence enough to not completely lose her composure when he was around. She had been told that he owned a gym in Dublin and even though she could barely afford to feed herself let alone pay for the hotel room she had been living in, she was desperate to join in hopes of getting to know her father in another setting.

Never having been to a gym before, Elena had had no idea what to expect. It turned out that the first session was free, which she was relieved about, though she still had no idea what to do there. Upon entering the room, her eyes immediately drew towards Thomas, who was on his own working with the weights. Seeing him working out put a deep blush on her cheeks and she had to avert her eyes as a smile erupted on her face. When she looked up she spotted Adam, but seeing him outside of the pub somehow felt more nerve-wracking. It suddenly dawned on her that he might think it was strange to see her there, and that she must be stalking him. She supposed she was, but it was only because she wanted him to see her as being a part of his life.

For now, thankfully, he was busy engaged in conversation with a woman whom she recognised as one of the women who had been at the pub the night she had first met Adam and Thomas. So, leaving him to spot her - and hopefully come over to greet her himself when he had a moment - Elena decided instead to approach Thomas.

“Hello, Tomás,” she spoke up from behind him. When he turned to face her, she gave him a beaming smile, bouncing on her heels slightly. “It’s Elena of the pub. You remember me?” Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, she took in the sight of him. Since he had mostly been sitting down when they met, she had forgotten how tall he was - but his handsome face was something she couldn’t forget. “How are you, Tomás?”

Interactions
Bellz Thomas

Nearby:
Misty Gray Adam
Bellz Blake
BloodLightning27 Stella

 

[Misty Gray]

Residential Area
~ Bethnal Green, London ~

Spencer King​

It was clear to see that Syd and Peter didn't like anyone speaking at all negatively of Savannah, even if Spencer had held back on his words. When the vehicle stopped and the men restraining him didn't let go, Spencer once again struggled in their grip. "Get the fuck off me," he growled as the men dragged him out of the Land Rover. The rain had slowed significantly, but still persisted to linger. Being thrown to the ground, Spencer didn't get much time to react to one of his hands landing in a small puddle as it collided with the wet ground to break his fall. Instead, Syd attacked him again with the baton, striking his back hard and forcing a winded groan to escape the Englishman's mouth. This was followed by Syd pinning him to the ground so he could punch him in the face. The punch dealt a particularly painful blow as the brass-knuckle collided with the side of his jaw and below his eye-socket. The man let out a deep-toned cry as the heavy pain radiated around the left side of his face. The painful throbbing persisted as he and Syd locked eyes, the Irishman leaning over him as he forcefully warned him against disrespecting the blonde woman again. Given he was in no position to defend himself against the men, Spencer held back from returning a counter-argument or further comment on Savannah. Instead, he took in a deep breath to block out the pain, as well as to silence himself from vocalising issue with any of Syd's warnings.

Syd stepped away from Spencer, allowing the man a moment to turn to his side and spit out the mouthful of blood that had accumulated from the cut flesh on the inside of his mouth. He coughed up the blood and spit that had collected at the back of his throat, before looking to see Peter approaching him. The older man stopped before getting too close, but Spencer had a clear view of him nonetheless. Savannah's father proceeded to show some understanding for Spencer's need to see Callum, but he followed it up with a reminder that he needed to address Savannah differently in the future. Despite being furious with the Irish for the attack, he at least nodded his head in understanding not only of the threats that had been made but also Savannah's position where Callum was concerned.

Without inflicting further violence, Peter tossed a handkerchief to Spencer and told him to get cleaned up. Despite now being able to reach for his pistol and knife, the fact he was injured and outnumbered meant Spencer let the Irish bunch to drive away. He spat out another chunk of blood before pressing the handkerchief to the side of his face. The brass-knuckles had ripped the skin under his left eye, stretching down towards his ear. Judging from the amount of blood, he figured the cut was quite deep. It was at least enough to block out the older pain in his nose, but the dull pain in his back intensified as he climbed to his feet. After wiping the rainwater from his hands onto the bottom of his coat, he set off walking towards the pub. With one hand gripping his concealed gun and the other keeping the soggy handkerchief pressed against his face, he soon reached The Royal Taphouse pub. His eyes landed on the familiar man standing outside the pub keeping watch.

"What the fuck happened to you, Robbie?" the security guard asked Spencer.

Spencer peered past him and into the pub, soon enough catching a glimpse of his cousin inside. "I'll let you know another time. Get Oz out here. And bring me a clean towel from behind the bar," he ordered his friend. As he waited, Spencer took a moment to move his lower jaw around, glad to still have motion despite the deep pain. Once the security guard returned, he took the towel from the man to continue pressing against the wound, throwing the soaked handkerchief aside. He then looked to Oz, with a clear sense of anger in his face, beneath the blood and bruising. "Oz, I need you to drive me home," he told his cousin, never once entertaining the idea of getting checked out at the hospital. "And we need to grab a takeaway on the way," he added, in a feeble attempt to soften Shona's reaction by presenting her with food! As they walked to the car, Spencer's frustration soon kicked in. "This was those fucking Irish pricks," he angrily confirmed to Oz.

High5ives (Oz)
Mentions: Pyroclast (Syd) Bellz (Peter)

 

[High5ives]

Ozzy​

Oz had become a regular at The Royal Taphouse, especially after the bartenders had learned of his familial relations and had stopped charging his tab. Besides that, it was nice to be a regular somewhere. It gave Oz some sense of routine and normalcy, and generally speaking, the pub was peaceful enough for his liking. It might’ve been a little more popular that Oz would have preferred, but he was willing to overlook that for cheap (free) drinks.

“Aye, Oz! Need you outside right quick.”

A meaty finger tapped on his shoulder, and Ozzy turned to look at the bouncer. Before he could even ask why, the large man was hurrying back behind the counter for a towel and then right back outside. Oz sighed and finished what was left of his drink before pushing himself up off the barstool and heading for the door. Fortunately for Spencer, he’d caught Oz right before he began heavily drinking for the night.

Spencer looked, well, like absolute shit. For a brief moment, Oz found it kind of funny. Not that his cousin getting jumped was comical, Oz just assumed that the other guy probably got it worse. The smirk on his face quickly disappeared when he saw all the blood though. At that point, Oz was more concerned than anything. He knew what kind of business his cousin ran, and that meant Oz knew the risks of it too. Spencer should consider himself lucky to even be walking right now.

“Just don’t bleed in my car, dickhead.” Ozzy pleaded as they walked towards his vehicle. Oz drove an old BMW that had been on its last legs when he first bought it. Now, after Oz had poured his heart and soul into the engine, Oz often boasted it was the fastest car in London. Not that you’d be able to tell from the look of it. Oz was a mechanic, not a painter, and the rust eating away the exterior made it clear. Oz hurried around to the passenger side to open the door for Spencer, just as Spencer mentioned the Irish.

Oz sniffed his nose and cleared his throat, but he didn’t say anything about it as he helped Spencer into the car and then got in the driver’s side himself.

Oz only spoke again when they’d made it to some local burger joint and the BMW rolled to a stop at the end of the drive through line. “So you gonna give me names then?” Oz questioned, abandoning the joking tone he’d had outside the pub. “Or you expect to just stack every Irish fuck between here and Dublin?” He went on. “Don’t expect you’d’ve mentioned ‘em being Irish unless you wanted me to do something about it...” He trailed off. Oz had adamantly refused taking part in any of Spencer’s business before. He didn’t think of himself as a criminal or a gangster. However, he didn’t look beating up Irish punks as a crime either. In his mind, they already deserved it.

Misty Gray

 

[Pyroclast]

Billy King​

All too quickly, Billy’s long-held dream of converting a storage unit into a den was destroyed when Erik pointed out it’d make women feel like they were being kidnapped. Billy smirked at the silliness of the idea, especially at the suggestion that it was why he was still single. “Hey, I don’t see you trying to settle down!” he shot back with a playful grin. “You probably hope I stay single forever so no one takes your place at number one.”

As soon as the words left his lips Billy’s smile was replaced by a look of slight uncertainty and he scanned the blank walls of the storage unit to give himself an excuse to break eye contact. It was too late now to take anything back, but Billy wasn’t sure if he had just confessed something a bit awkward. Maybe Erik would just take it lightly and not find it weird. Billy had decided that he did consider Erik his best friend. He didn’t have a girlfriend nor any children, and while he had always felt strongly attached to his brothers, Harper and Uncle Bruce, it was Erik with whom he spent most of his time. More and more recently, it was Erik whom he thought of first when he needed an opinion, some advice or a helping hand. It was Erik who came to mind when Billy wanted company. Nevertheless, he didn't like the way he had expressed it.

Billy was still in awe of Erik's eidetic memory. His own memory wasn't bad - it only took him one journey to remember a route, and he could more or less trace blueprints in his mind after studying them closely. But to remember a random number from three weeks ago without even trying? That was a rare and special skill that Billy had never encountered. "I've never met anyone like you, Erik Snowden," he told him, a soft look of awe in his eyes. "Believe me, if the old fox is looking for fresh meat, it's you she'd go for." His soft smile broadened into something more mischievous and he sent the man a wink. He hadn't missed the way Mary looked at them but to him she had just had a general flirtatious and confident air, something she probably showed to everyone. She may have been in her 70s, but Billy could tell she still had it - whether or not Erik was joking about pursuing her, he couldn't quite tell.

"That's not ominous at all, mate," he retorted with a laugh, when Erik placed his hands on Billy's cheeks and whispered to him. "Do I have to start watching my back around you?" Gently peeling Erik's hands away, Billy shivered at the sight of his friend. "Your hands are bloody freezing," he said, noting the way the man's t-shirt was clinging to his abdomen. A tingling sensation spread across his face and he felt a strange tightness in his gut, but he assumed it was just the chill of having been out in the rain. "Soaked to the bone, you are. If you wanna come back with me for the debrief, I'm sure my brother won't mind lending you something to change into. I'll go get us a taxi, anyway - you just stay here and drip."

* * * * *

Shona & Spencer's House
~ Bethnal Green, London ~

Shona and Billy King​

It still saddened Shona that Shirley was having to go through her pregnancy alone. "Two weeks!" she exclaimed, placing a hand over her heart with a tender smile. "Oh, you're on the last leg now!" As excited as she was to meet her friends twins, however, she was worried about how the woman would cope without a partner or family already there to support her. By comparison, Shona had more than enough family from Spencer's side, all of whom treated her with kindness and respect. It felt wrong to have all of that support and for Shirley to have nothing.

"Shirley, I want you to call me if you ever need anything, yeah?" she offered. "Moving around is getting harder for me now, but I'm surrounded by big strong boys who can pick up supplies for you, give you lifts and that. They won't mind - not if I ask them. They'd do anything for me."

On the subject of becoming a mother for the first time, Shona beamed at her friend's confidence in herself. "I can't wait 'til you're coming round here with the little ones. They're lucky to have a mum who loves them as much as you do." She then took a deep breath when asked how she felt about her own journey into motherhood. "I do feel ready," she admitted. "I've always wanted to be a mum. Carrying this precious thing for so long, I already feel like one!" She stroked her belly, and a light kick from the child put a loving smile on her face. "And Spencer's been working hard to put a nursery together upstairs, which is looking very cute. I'll show you in a bit if you -"

"Ugh!"

The clunk of the front door followed the stomping of boots turned Shona's head. Seconds later, Billy burst through the door, raindrops dripping down his face. "Hello, sweetheart," he greeted her, stooping to kiss her on the head.

"Ew, Billy, you're soaked!" Shona ducked away from him before reaching up to playfully swat him on the arm. "Go and get dry, darlin', there's some warm towels in the airing cupboard."

"Spencer here?" Billy asked. "Erik was an idiot and didn't dress for the weather."

Shona looked up to see Erik and greeted him with a smile. "Hi, love," she said. "No, he's out running some errands right now, and hopefully getting takeout on his way back. Erik, darlin', you help yourself to whatever you need."

Billy wasn't really listening to her answer - instead he was busy taking in the sight of the new face in the room. She had a noticeable beauty that not even the late stages of pregnancy could hide, and he had a feeling that once she could stand up properly she would have an elegance about her, similar to Shona. "Hi, you alright?" he said, flashing her a sweet smile. "Oh, are you the friend Shona's been telling us all about?"

"This is Shirley, yeah," Shona told him, her cheeks colouring slightly. "Shirley, this is my brother-in-law, Billy."

"Pleasure to finally meet you, Shirley," he smiled. "I'd come and shake your hand but I don't wanna drip on you, so I'll stay back for now. I'll come and say hi properly once I'm all dried off!"

Turning to Erik, he gave him a pat on the back to usher him out of the room. Once upstairs, he showed him to Spencer and Shona's bedroom, grabbing some warm towels on his way. Draping one over his own shoulders, he reached up with the other and rubbed it over Erik's head, letting out a mischievous giggle as he purposefully messed up his hair. "There," he said, leaving the towel with him while he rifled through Spencer's drawers. "Here you go, mate - a black t-shirt just like the one you're wearing. And…" He pulled out a pair of jeans and held them up. "Will these fit? You're about the same size as my brother." He tossed them to Erik for him to try and then moved his own towel over his head, breathing in the warmth. It only took a few seconds for him to get reasonably dry, so he decided to repurpose the towel and used it to whip Erik across the chest, letting out a laugh as he deliberately made it difficult for him to get dressed.

Interactions
Melanin-Gxdess Erik
BloodLightning27 Shirley

 

[Misty Gray]

Burger Joint
~ Manhattan, New York City ~

Gabriel Moretti and Riccardo Biancardi​

Gabriel sat back and allowed Roxie to speak without interruption, as he often did. He believed interrupting others was not only rude, but also had the potential of cutting a person off before they could say 'too much' or reveal information that was useful to him. Some people had a habit of letting their mouths run and that often gave away more detail than originally requested. Although the unpleasant decisions she had made were of a different nature to Ricky's, Roxie explained how she'd had to defend disturbing people in her work as a lawyer. Gabriel knew of such people, as his lawyers had got his men off on charges in the past and no doubt they would continue to do so. If he put his money and mind to it, he was sure he could get someone like James Porter out of jail or on a reduced sentence. Obviously, he had no intention of that as the Irishman was exactly where Gabriel wanted him to be.

When Roxie looked to him, Ricky quickly nodded his head. "Ah, she's right there. Even I've been appalled by some of the men she's kept out of prison. I mean, letting murders and rapists walk free to offend again..." he said, shrugging his shoulders. Whilst it may have helped strengthen Roxie's point, he was sure it didn't help the woman's conscience. Then again, he was sure she knew that by now.

Gabriel frowned at Ricky, briefly wondering if the man's comment had been aimed to disgust him given what had happened to Valentina. He quickly decided it hadn't been Ricky's intention. But his distaste was obviously laced with hypocrisy, as he continued to employ twisted men who were likely capable of the same depravities as Steve Kelly had been. He focused back on Roxie, sending an agreeable nod when she assured his she would be just as dedicated leading the Biancardis as she was a dedicated lawyer.

As the food was brought out to him and Reina, Ricky smiled brightly at the sight of his burger. He wasted little time in taking his first bite, but that didn't mean his mind wasn't still focused on the discussion around him. He figured having food in his mouth would stop him from saying too much before it was his turn. For now, he wanted to let Roxie and Gabriel exchange words without him trying to mediate between the two families. Still, he briefly lost his appetite as his cousin expressed guilt for Matthew's death.

Not wanting to get caught up in the woman's grief and guilt, Gabriel decided to speak up. "I must echo Theodore's words. I trust you have good intentions where being impartial is concerned, but I do hope you can stick to that when you are in the position of making difficult decisions. There's a possibility the Sullivans could bring your children into this and make things complicated," he told her. She seemed to be telling the truth about not wanting to take the side of the Sullivans, but Gabriel always reserved judgement. He could probably count the number of people he trusted on one hand. Even then, he was always open to the idea of them betraying him too. "I appreciate you taking accountability for failing to arrange a meeting sooner. As for whether or not staying would have saved Mr. Moore's life, then that's just wasted thoughts of ifs and buts when you have no ability to change what happened. You have no guarantee that events would have been altered, even if the time and location were shifted," he attempted to reason with logic in hopes of steering away from the woman's building emotions.

Gabriel listened to Reina as she emphasised that Giovanni had put Roxie in charge for a reason. He wasn't sure what the man had been thinking, but he hoped he was right about it. The last thing Gabriel needed was having to deal with incompetent business partners. It was bad enough having to deal with the Sullivans. "It is promising to hear you have taken steps to secure a more frequent presence within New York. Not only for me, but I understand your own organisation were concerned about your lack of presence in this city. I am willing to reserve judgement on this, Roxanne. I will give you time to settle into the position and see how you run things." He glanced to Ricky, noting the man looked quite shocked to hear he was willing to give the arrangements a chance. He looked back to Roxie with a serious expression. "But if things aren't working out and you're struggling, it will show - there's no hiding it. And what about Riccardo?" he asked her. "What is Riccardo's position in this new arrangement?"

Bellz (Roxie) Melanin-Gxdess (Teddy, Reina)

Residential Area
~ Bethnal Green, London ~

Spencer King​

Spencer noticed the smirk on Ozzy's face, but didn't react to it. In his lifetime, he had learned to grow a thick skin and that extended to being wound up by his family. Hell, he was usually one teasing or getting a rise out of others, so he knew he had to take a joke given he dished so many out. Even in his present state, he let his cousin's brief moment of humour go over his head. He walked to the vehicle with Ozzy, nodding his head when told not to bleed inside the vehicle. Giving the exterior of the worn BMW the once over, he looked to Ozzy. "Yeah, I'd hate to make a mess of your car," his gruff voice sarcastically remarked. Still, as his cousin helped him into the car, he nodded in appreciation. "Thanks," he told him him.

Once they reached the burger place, Spencer started trying to think of what they should order but was faced with a mental block in that moment. He was certain he could just get away with ordering a large selection of food and he was sure between them all they could eat everything. Before he could settle on the idea, his thoughts took a detour as his cousin asked him about the attack. "Oh, I've got their names," he assured Ozzy. Still, his focus wandered to the view ahead of them, listening as his cousin said he wouldn't have mentioned the Irish if he didn't want him involved.

"It's not that simple," he admitted and turned to Ozzy. He released some of the pressure he was putting on the side of his face so he could talk properly. "It's the Irish Mob. You know, the Sullivans? They didn't take too kindly to me telling Princess Sav to show more courtesy when it comes to messing us about with little Callum." He cleared his throat and shook his head. "Aside from risking them not letting us see my nephew again, it's not as simple as us just fucking up those who did this to me. Not that me getting revenge on those pricks is off the table. Had I not been held back I'd have done worse in return. But... As I was just now, we're outnumbered, Oz," he reluctantly admitted. "I don't think we're in the position yet where we can fight them."

Spencer was broken off when it was their turn to place the drive through order. He ended up just ordering a selection of meals, figuring there would be something for everyone. After paying and getting back on the road, he continued with their conversation. "I can't keep being civil with those Irish fucks for the sake of business and Callum. Nobody does this to me without expecting a fight on their hands," he complained. "If I can get more fighters and firepower, are you in?" he asked his cousin.

High5ives (Ozzy)

 

[High5ives]

Ozzy​

As Spencer explained the situation, Oz just soaked the information in. He’d done his best to distance himself from London’s underbelly, and as a result of that, he was often out of the loop. He knew who the Sullivan’s, vaguely, but he had no idea what kind of influence the family had. Furthermore, Oz hadn’t been aware of Sav’s connection to them either. Oz just knew she was Callum’s mother and Alex’s ex. Past that, he’d never cared to know anything more about the woman. If Spencer said they were outgunned though, Oz had no reason not to believe his cousin.

When Spencer finished by asking if Oz would join the fight, Oz stiffened. His jaw clenched and his hand tightened around the steering wheel, with his free hand flexing rhythmically, open and closed.

Open.
Close.
Open.
Close.

He’d intended on getting involved whether Spencer asked him to or not. Hell, Oz was going to step in even if Spencer had told him not to. But Oz couldn’t say the words. His throat felt like it was on the verge of seizing every time Oz thought to tell Spencer ‘I’m in.’ There was something about committing himself to another fight that made his stomach lurch. In a way, it felt like enlisting again, only a different army now.

Oz dodged the question.

“Why are you going about this like it’s gonna be a fair fight?” He asked. Sure, men and weapons were infinitely useful, but so were car bombs. Two men who knew how to wire explosives could make hell for an entire garrison. Oz knew that, and he reckoned the Irish bastards knew it too. If the King’s and the Sullivan’s were going to come to blows, it wouldn’t be bar brawls and muggings. It would be midnight bombings, and rifle barrels peering from every shadowed nook. In Oz’s mind, it would be just like Ulster all over again.

Oz’s shoulders squared, rolling back and sitting straight, like Oz could hear his Sergeant yelling at him to fix himself and stand tall.

“Why don’t you kill the whore and be fuckin’ done with it.” Oz spat the words. “The dumb, patty, fucks won’t understand anything else. They beat you, so now we blow the matter out the back o’ her fuckin’ skull. You make those coward sacks of shite regret ever stepping foot from whatever fucking hole god saw fit to pluck them up from!” Oz went on and on, his temper taking a firm grip on him.

Irregardless of whatever Spencer said, the wheels in Oz’s head were already turning. Only, Oz wasn’t just mad about his cousin getting jumped. All of Oz’s anger and regret had just found a new target, and now it was bubbling and boiling. Thinking up all the ways he could drive every Irishman from London, how he could terrify them into fleeing back the Emerald Isle. Oz’s hatred for the Irish was there all along, only now he had someone to direct it all at.

And her name was Sav.

Misty Gray (Spencer)

 

[Misty Gray]

Rikers Island Prison
~ Rikers Island, New York City ~

James Porter​

James was glad to hear the two newcomers weren't bugging him for drugs, because he wasn't in any mood to be telling them where to shove that idea. When the youngest informed him they were new on Riker's Island, James looked to them and smirked. "Well, that figures..." he remarked. Not only would he have seen their faces already if they weren't new, but one of them, namely Bradley, was giving off the strongest of newbie vibes. If not that, then his young age and inexperience was giving off similar signs.

When Edwards stepped in to relieve Bradley temporarily, James looked the man over again. Although he was new to the jail, there still seemed to be some kind of experience behind him, perhaps that of a soldier. Of course, the man's tattoo was all the confirmation James needed anyway. Hearing Bradley had got jumped on his first day wasn't surprising, but was irritating nevertheless. "Next door neighbours, eh?" he repeated, flashing Edwards the briefest of smiles. "Listen, if the kid got beat up on his first day, then that wasn't under my orders. I guess they saw an opportunity and an easy target, so took it. I can't say it won't happen again, but that shit won't happen under my watch." James didn't tend to give other prisoners special treatment, but Bradley was practically a kid and didn't look like he'd have invited the challenge. Perhaps he was taking pity on him on account of him being around the same age as Olivia.

James was surprised to hear that Ramsey had suggested the two made the right friends, evidently putting his name forward. He looked past them to see Nicholas in the distance. That man didn't do anything to help James and certainly wouldn't have any concern for prisoners he'd only just met. He was suspicious as to what Moretti's guy was up to, but for now decided to roll with it and keep a close eye on Ramsey. "Whilst I'm not putting my own character into question, I would warn you against trusting Ramsey. If he does something for you, there's every chance it's for his own benefit.

When Edwards explained he and Bradley would be in jail for a while, James nodded his head. "Well, it's not a rule that you have to tell other inmates what you're in for and I tend not to ask unless I need to know. Besides, there's a lot of ways we can find out what a man is in here for. So, as long as you're not in here for harming kids, then you'll be fine. Though I'm also not keen on those who abuse women," he said, looking each man in the eyes to see if it struck a chord in either. He let out a deep sigh. "I'm glad to hear you're not here to cause trouble. Listen... I'm not exactly sure what it is you want from me? I mean, I might have the odd jobs for you both and I can put word out to lay off the kid," he said, referring to Bradley. "But making friends in here isn't a fast process, especially in my position." He glanced to Kurt, wondering what the man thought of it all. It had been easy to make friends with Kurt as they already had so many mutual links and shared loyalties. He wasn't sure where the loyalties of the two newcomers rested. "Tell me more about yourselves. What did you both do for work on the outside? Any family?" he asked.

Like the others, James noticed the nearby loitering gang. They weren't allies of his, but they should by now know their place. "Friends of yours?" he remarked, sensing it wasn't the first time Bradley and Edwards had met the men.

BloodLightning27 (James, Bradley)
Pyroclast (Kurt)

 

[Misty Gray]

Bodyworks Gym
~ Dublin City Centre, Dublin ~

Adam Harper​

Adam couldn't help but let out a dry laugh when Blake said Thomas needed to get laid. He then seriously nodded when she added that it would be even better for the young man to find someone who understands him. "Oh, I know how that can be. I've always struggled to find a woman who understands me. Granted, that's because I've always been hiding the nature of my employment from them, so never felt like I could be completely open..." he trailed off. At least with Blake, he didn't have to hide that part of himself. Whilst it would be easy to blame his secrecy for the reason he never pursued a long-term relationship, he knew that wasn't the main reason. It was more often immaturity and pleasure-seeking that had guided him in his younger years. "Tom did seem pretty happy with the barmaid, though. We all know being in the presence of a gorgeous woman is enough to plant a firm smile on a man's face," he said, making a point of maintaining a bright smile for Blake's benefit.

Adam had noticed a familiar woman enter the gym and after a short moment he realised it was Stella, one of his colleagues. When the woman emerged from the women's locker room, she avoided any eye-contact and put her hood up, giving a clear sign she was there to focus on her workout, which was quite normal. He turned back to Blake and raised his eyebrows when she asked him to show her some moves. "20 years, huh? Is that your way of telling me to go easy on you?" he teased her. "A wager... Well, either way, I get to have drinks with you, so it's a deal!" he agreed. "I'm going to need you to do some warm-up exercises first. I want some push-ups and squats from you, Ma'am," he instructed Blake, before flashing her a wink.

Adam's attention was once again directed to the entrance as he saw Elena enter the gym. She looked like she'd entered the place ready to exercise and he was briefly tempted to approach her to ask if she was there to join. However, he noticed the young woman was approaching Thomas, so he decided not to interrupt or cause her to change her intended path. "Hey, Blake. Look who's here to see Tom?" he playfully commented, using his eyes to signal towards Elena. "Maybe that smile will be planted on his face sooner than expected."

Focusing his attention back onto Blake, Adam felt a little guilty for dividing his attention. "Hey, Blake. I need to come clean about something that I'm not sure how you'll feel about... I'm not here tonight to work out or help my employees. I'm on a job for Conor. I'm expecting a package here soon and it's probably better I don't tell you much more than that. It's nothing dangerous, but I just have to warn you I might need to disappear for a short time," he explained. Although she was fully aware of his part in the mob, he didn't want her to feel like she was going to be tied up in the illegal job he had going.

Bellz (Blake)
Mentions: Pyroclast (Elena) Bellz (Thomas) BloodLightning27 (Stella)

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

The Oak Tree Restaurant
~Dublin City Centre, Dublin~
Aliana Cartwright-Sullivan
Leo Sullivan
Rhiannon Sullivan
Sydney Sullivan

"Yeah, you can have it all in moderation, you know. Look at me and your aunts and cousins. I used to eat a ton though that's back when your father cooked more." She paused to turn to him with a mischievous smile on her face. "Though I'm sure he was trying to make me fat so he could have me all to himself," she teased, lifting her wine glass to her lips. Rhiannon shook her head. "Sure, that makes sense, but greasy foods are far worse than junk food." Leo laughed to himself before deciding to tease his little sister. "Oh don't act like you don't have a secret stash of Opal Fruits in your room." Rhiannon gasped, curious about how he had found out about that. She reached to slap his arm while he tried avoiding her with a smile on his face. "They're called Starburst now, and shut up!" The candy in question had been hidden in her room for months, mostly so she didn't have to share with anyone - especially Sydney. As much as Rhi loved her younger sister and would give her anything she asked for, her candy was out of the question.

"Mom! Help me out here." She stated, to which Ali shrugged her shoulders. "I mean, if he doesn't see it, it never happened, right?" She gave them both a smile before quickly taking it back. The thought of her daughter doing illegal things because of what she just said suddenly went through her mind. "I'm kidding, by the way. Please don't develop that mentality. I'll talk him down later." She shot her daughter a wink before turning to her husband. "We've got one who likes figure skating and another who loves classical music. The only one we have like us is Leo; what happened?" Leo couldn't help but throw his head back as he laughed. "Should I remind you I grew up in a different time than them? And, not only that, but I grew up listening to rock and island music - because of Dad and grandma." Ali nodded her head in understanding. "Forgot about that."

Sydney nodded her head with a smile on her face. "I plan to! I like spending time with Auntie Sinead." Ali made it a note to schedule a date with herself, her sister-in-law, and Sydney. The two older women would be able to catch up on things while her daughter was able to see her aunt. It was no secret that Sydney favored Sinead at times. They shared similar interests and were the rays of sunshine in their respective families. "Well, remind me to call her and we can schedule it."

Ali then turned to Conor and returned his wink with a playful grin. "As much as I would love to go to Bora Bora alone with you, I would like our family to go on at least one vacation together this year." Leo nodded his head in agreement, though it was just because he didn't want to take Sydney to an opera house. "I agree. Which is why we should go to Switzerland!" There was a slight pout on Sydney's face when she heard they wouldn't be able to vacation in Vienna, Leo quickly picking up on it. "I mean, what if we went to Vienna for your birthday, Syd? A whole weekend in Vienna just for you?" The moment he mentioned it, Sydney's face lit up again causing Ali to smile before looking at Conor. "I'm willing to forgo the warmth for the cold if that makes things easier."




Conor ( Misty Gray )​

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Maverick's
~Queens, New York~
Ava Moretti

Ava could tell the young woman was shocked with her technique and chuckled. "Don't worry, I've been tattooing since I was like... Twelve and doin' art even longer. I won't put needle to skin until you take a look." The woman had been a perfectionist when it came to art and tattoos, therefore she wasn't going to ink until it was perfect. She listened as the young woman told her exactly what she wanted. It sounded simple, but the idea she had in her head had been an intricate one. With her permission she started drawing shapes where the main pieces would go and the smaller details after. "Ah, pricing. Such a fickle thing. For something of this size and what you're asking for, we'll definitely be here a long ass time." She took a pause as she tried to think about it further. "A thousand is what I'd usually charge, but since you're a newbie here we'll go 800." She clapped her hands together before finishing up her design work. "I should give ya a disclaimer; this is going to hurt like a bitch." She gave her a playful laugh as she handed her a mirror. "We'll do three sessions. This first one will be the outline, the second will be shading, and the third will be more clean up work. I say three 'cause you're kinda tiny and I don't wanna send your body into shock, huh?"

While Harmony took her time looking at the messy linework of what Ava wanted to do, she set out the black inks into their small caps. Napkins were already out for her to clean up while she worked. She waited for the go ahead and patted the girl's thigh in encouragement. "You got this. If ya need me to stop, go ahead an' say so." Ava had all sorts of people in her chair; crybabies who acted tough before getting in her chair, people with low and high pain tolerances, and those who didn't want to speak when the pain was too much. Making sure Harmony knew it was okay to do such a thing was her main goal during this session. When Harmony was ready to get started, Ava began her work starting with the chest piece first. "So, tell me 'bout yourself. How'd ya end up working for Mr. Moretti?" Though she had been his daughter-in-law, Ava found it difficult to call him anything other than Mr. Moretti. It wasn't necessarily out of respect either. It was more so because the man still intimidated her and she wanted to make sure she stayed on his good side.


Harmony ( BloodLightning27 )​