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

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Portmarnock Beach
~Dublin, Ireland~
Leo Sullivan

Leo Sullivan must have had some sort of superpower in which he easily pissed off his closest friends. Things between himself and Thomas still remained just as rocky - if not even more so. Despite being told on several occasions he should try reaching out, he hadn't listened in the slightest. He still felt as if he was doing all the work since he reached out last time. A misunderstanding had ruined their relationship and now all they were were strangers with memories. It hurt Leo to think about, but at this point, the ball was no longer in his court. He had come to the conclusion that Thomas needed to make this next move. The next person on his list was Natasha, who he felt was the only one who had any right to be pissed at him. Despite all the signs - the fancy setting, Natasha dressing up nicer than usual - the whole date thing had gone right over his head. Considering he never thought of Natasha as more than his best friend, it was easy for him to ignore the signs. After the dinner with his family, it was clear he was just an idiot when it came to women period. Realizing his mistake, he set out to make it up to her. He wasn't expecting her to accept his date offer, but he was definitely relieved when she had.

Aliana and Rhiannon were trying to give him ideas of where to take Natasha, but he shot them all down. None of them felt authentic to him and therefore didn't warrant him trying. While Ali had given up, Rhiannon had been more persistent, not wanting her stupid brother to screw up yet again. The young girl loved having Natasha around and she wasn't about to let her brother ruin it. When Leo told her what he had planned, Rhi had tried her best to talk him out of it. "A beach picnic?! Are you crazy?" Despite finding the idea ridiculous she was helping him pack the basket Ali got for him. "That's not romantic. Sand is going to get everywhere." He shook his head, looking through their cupboards for champagne glasses. "Will you shut up? I'll have a blanket and it's not like we're eating real food. It's just champagne, that strawberry sponge cake mom made for me, and a few other desserts. Hey, when you put it in there, make sure it doesn't get messed up." He ordered. Rhi rolled her eyes and did as told. "Ugh, beach picnics are so gauche and not romantic. Why can't you be like the guy in 'It's a Wonderful Life'? He offered his girlfriend the moon. Said he'd lasso it and everything just for her." She carefully put the cake off to the side before loading everything up. Leo ignored her, softly pushing her out of the way to close the lid to the basket. "Why can't you be like the little girl from 'Balto'?" He said, walking towards the front door. "The sick one? She nearly died at the end!" Throwing on his jacket, he opened the front door and smirked at her. "Exactly. Tell mom and dad I'm gone." She frowned before slamming the door behind him.

Leo knew his mother and sister wouldn't understand why he didn't just want to make reservations at some restaurant. Dinner was nice and he would take her out any other time. But his picnic idea with just desserts and champagne reminded him of when they were younger, always sneaking sweets and alcohol. It was much more thoughtful than just making a reservation at some fancy place. Plus with this, he was able to get out of wearing something stuffy. Leo made sure to leave enough time for the two of them to catch the sunset, hurrying over to the McCarthy residence as fast as he could. He was sure she would still be angry and made sure to bring out the charm as he knocked on her door.

Natasha ( Bellz )
​

 

[Misty Gray]

The Sullivan Residence
~ Sutton, Dublin ~

Savannah Callahan​

Savannah caught Alex's sarcastic tone. He'd always had an attitude, but when they first met she overlooked it all. Back then, she'd got swept away in her idealistic, romantic nature. They had fun together and her physical attraction to him had been instant. Perhaps even the initial secrecy of their romance from their families even brought more adventure into the relationship. She fell for him fast and put her heart out there for him. She believed his promises and focused on his positive attributes rather than the negative. Obviously, she was kicking herself for it now, but back then she knew nobody could have talked her out of it. People had tried to talk her out of becoming an actress, and her family's enemies could very easily have scared her into hiding away, but she refused to give up. As soft spoken and calm as she tended to be, Savannah always was very set on following her dreams and would stick to her guns. So no matter how many warnings she may have had about Alex back then, she was sure she'd have ignored them in exchange for exercising her own free will and independence. In all honesty, she couldn't exactly regret getting involved with Alex, as without that, she wouldn't have had Callum. She mostly regretted believing Alex could ever have settled down and kept his promises to commit to her.

In the past, she tolerated his attitude, but now, it only irritated her. Regardless of being unsure how to take Alex's comment about her intending to poison him, Savannah couldn't help but let out a short laugh. "Wow. You really didn't bother to het to know me, huh?" She shook her head, disappointed by his comment. She'd spent the last few years holding her tongue and maintaining the fantasy Callum had that Alex was a good person - his hero. Like her mother had done with her, Savannah made a point of not speaking ill of Callum's father in front of the boy. So she certainly wouldn't set out to kill the man and deprive Callum of his father, even if Alex was a pain in her neck.

Savannah had a feeling Alex wouldn't take kindly to her asking about Spencer. Despite his older brother being pushy and intimidating towards her recently, she didn't hate the man and certainly didn't wish harm onto him. The Kings had mostly made her feel welcome up until Spencer's recent attitude towards her. Naturally, she wanted to know he was okay. She lightly nodded as Alex made his outburst about Conor having Spencer beaten up. "Okay... I get that. He has a right to be pissed off and I'm sorry he got hurt," she told Alex. "But as I've said, repeatedly, I did not ask for that to happen. I didn't want anyone to get hurt!" she said, now raising her own voice a little to match Alex's level. "Spencer was making me feel uncomfortable to the point where I felt intimidated around him and that I wasn't even allowed to visit my family. All I did was tell my family that I wasn't happy in London and how he'd been towards me. Who else could I talk to about how I was feeling?! I didn't want to burden Kerry with feeling like she had to take sides, so I couldn't tell her too much. I stayed in London for years, so you could see Callum whenever you felt like it, but I put my own well-being on hold. Why shouldn't I spend some time here with my family?" Savannah took a breath to calm herself down. "You're the one who fucked up, not me! I was happy before you broke my heart. I miss being able to hang out with Shona and Harper. And Bruce was always good to me too. I could have been happy in London, but the place just makes me feel uncomfortable now. Especially when I've got you and Spencer accusing me of ordering for him to be beaten up!"

Melanin-Gxdess (Alex)

 

[Mitheral]

Bodyworks Gym
~ Dublin City Centre, Dublin ~

Katsya (Katerina Grey)​

Business had slowed to a crawl for the Grey family. For the moment the gangs were through killing one another. And it wasn’t often that someone needed to fall off the face of the planet. That’s what she and her father did - make messes disappear.

When she wasn’t disposing of bodies, or beaching a room top to bottom, or worse, she was doing one of several things. Half of her time was spent in training. Training was divided into two parts. The first was a grueling regimen inspired by USMC Force Recon. The other part was “School “. Dad always left her a never ending pile of homework. Not doing her homework just made her physical training harder as he usually quizzed her in the middle of it.

About a quarter of her time was spent at Bodyworks Gym as a fitness and self defense trainer. Over her was a newcomer who probably got her job by way of nepotism. Dad had cautioned her to mind her manners. Considering the surname, Sullivan, it sounded like a good idea. So having been at the gym for ages, she had already put forth an effort to show the girl the ropes - where everything was - and introduce her to the clientele.

Having worked at the gym for several years she had weeded out most of the men in Ireland as ever being worthy. She had been working on a list of rules - Katsya’s Rules. Her Dad did similar for her training. One might have argued that Katsya’s rules shouldn’t be taken as seriously. They were often about the standards any man would have to live up to. For example, a guy would have to be able to carry her up a flight of stairs - honeymoon style, not caveman - without his legs buckling or hitting her head on the walls or railing. Otherwise he would survive the night. Or better yet, any man who wanted a date with her had to make it through one session of her advanced aerobics workouts. Same reason.

She was starting to regret her own rules.

She caught Olivia’s wave and returned it. After two weeks she had decided the ‘kid’ was okay. But she made a mental note to check in on her about weights to see if she needed any help. Likewise she favored Stella with a wave and smile.

Over the years Katsya had built up a wardrobe of shorts and sporty T-shirts stenciled with various words and phrases much to her father’s dismay. Some of her favorites were: Bait; or the most recent Milk, It Does a Body Good; or Dom’s favorite - that was a little worn out - Property of Dad, Do Not Touch (in fine print below - Violators will be castrated, signed Dad). She even had a pair of shorts with stenciled cheeks. The right side said Fe; the left C. It was the composition of steel.

Considering the fact that she looked like She Hulk minus the green skin, her wardrobe had a tendency to draw visits from men who just peeked in to see what the latest shirt said.

Today’s shirt read - Material Girl.

BloodLightning27 (Stella) Misty Gray (Olivia)

**********************

Casino
-TBD-
Xavier Thomas​

Xavier had made all his real money from card counting back in Las Vegas over a period of years. Three years at $2000 a month, $24k per year, $72k. He had supplemented this with Poker, horse and dog race betting. Between the gambling and the money from the life insurance policy his mother had taken out, he had no real need to do so. These days he settled for winning more cautiously or even losing gracefully for fun. Today was an exception to his usual playing style. The man he had been following around today was one he had seen at four different casinos. Xavier knew a card counter when he saw one. Multiple hands, timely higher bets, doubling downs, side bets. This guy was taking every advantage he could - and then some. He was using chips to count.

Now Xavier had no issues with card counting. Truth was, he was counting every card himself. He couldn’t help it. But that didn’t mean he played what he counted. He kept his winnings small. He figured that an income of $100 a day was plenty. A good counter could do that in 2 hours. This guy was going on 4 hours and was raking in a 2% odds as opposed to a more typical 1%. This was his second casino for the day, sixth in a week. Xavier figured the man’s accumulated winnings were now about $32,000 - for a week.

The man had five hands going at once, typical of a counter. He had table hopped for the third time. Xavier had followed him from the last casino to this one - and from table to table. Xavier sat down for the second round at the new table and indicated a single hand. He looked over and stared at the other man. A waitress walked by and asked if he wanted a drink. “Water, rocks. Please.” Absent-mindedly he began rolling a chip over his fingers on each hand.

The other man looked irritable. He had finally recognized Xavier. There was no mistaking the trick with the sleight of hands. His posture altered subtly to protect his personal space. Then he looked over as Xavier kept looking over at him. “What?!”

Xavier had an epiphany. In an instant he developed an accent. It was an amalgamation of several accents - no clue which ones. But the words that came out of his mouth shook the other man to the core. “DAHling! We keep bumping into one another! How deeeLIGHTful! Can I buy you a drink?”

The man gave Xavier a look of horror and revulsion. “No! I … No!”

“Okay, okay … dear heart,” Xavier hammed it up a little. He had tagged the man as homophobic. “Perhaps a little advice then dearie?” He reached out and let his hand fall limp.

The other man leaned away and tried to recoil. “I don’t need your advice! Just play your hand.”

“Okay, okay. Sorry,” Xavier sulked. He really wasn’t a good actor. But the other man wasn’t very observant. The waitress returned with his water. It was complimentary, but Xavier caught her before she left and still tipped.

The waitress asked the other man if he wanted anything. Typical card counter; he didn’t drink when he played cards. “Your number?”

“21,” she smiled and evaded the question … and the man.

“Smooth,” Xavier commented, “in a caveman sort of way. What do you suppose the odds are that other men have asked her the same question over and over? You want to get a lady’s attention, try something original.”

“And you’re an expert?”

“No, but you might try apologizing - to her. And don’t ask her like that again. I mean if you asked me for MY number like that I’d be insulted.”

The man smirked. “She’s used to it. Goes with the job.”

The last vestiges of Xavier’s smile vanished. His jaw set. “If you say so.”

“Aww, did I hurt your feelings?”

Xavier really didn’t like being a snitch. But this guy had struck out. He was greedy and annoying. He stood up from the table. His accent was gone - not counting the fact that he was American. Okay, fair enough, he had an accent. But at least now he came by honestly. “You should have taken my advice.” He slid a tip to the dealer. “I think I’ll get away from the tables for a little, then go and try my hand at a man’s game - Poker.”

Xavier made his way away from all the racket of slot machines and into the bar. He wasn’t looking to drink anything. But he wanted something better than water. He grabbed a stool and waited for the bartender to come over. Instead he got a waitress. “Do you know what a Virgin Mary is? Bloody Mary without the vodka? Two, one to make disappear fast; one to take my time with. Thank you.” He sighed and half growled. The card counter had put him in a foul mood. Before the waitress left he tapped her arm. “Wait. One more thing. Can you get me someone from security - plainclothes - discreet? You have a small problem here. Thanks.”

Bellz (Harper) Misty Gray (Spencer and Damian)

 

[Misty Gray]

Ginn's Residence
~ Sutton, Dublin ~

George Sanderson-Sullivan​

George was an easy going man, so when he and Finn needed to uproot again in order to move back to the safety of Dublin, he took it in his stride. Of course, he'd miss his teaching job in Queens, but he was sure he'd manage to find something in Dublin. Another perk was that he'd be able to catch up with the Sullivans, especially his former cellmate and now good friend, Peter. He was going to miss Robert and Melissa, the eldest of George's and Finn's adopted kids, but they were now young adults and had their own lives to pursue. Ideally, they would come to stay in Dublin whenever they got the chance to. Overall, the only apprehension he had about returning to Dublin was that surrounding his estranged mother and siblings. His parents had just about disowned him back when he ended up in prison, but that had been nothing compared to the way they completely severed ties when he told them the truth about his sexuality. Whilst he was certain it was unlikely he'd bump into his mother, being back in Dublin still brought back those bad feelings. He was sure they would fade away once he was settled back into his birthplace.

George intended to start looking for teaching work once he, Finn, and Lucas were settled in. In the meantime, he'd decided to spend some time in his favourite room - the library. As much as he loved reading, the current book he had his head buried in was being read with Lucas' own education in mind. With the boy unable to start his new high school until the start of the new school year, in September, George didn't want the boy to lag behind. Ideally, his youngest adopted son would start the school with more knowledge than his classmates.

Deeply focused on his reading and note-taking, George hadn't realised his husband was standing in the doorway until the man lightly knocked. George flashed a playful smile at Finn as he observed he was enjoying the library. "You got me!" he told him, closing the book and placing it down on the coffee table. He remained relaxed back in his armchair as Fiinn asked what he was reading. "Ah, I'm re-reading. 'Frankenstein', Mary Shelley," he concisely confirmed. "I called the Callahans yesterday and had a wonderful conversation with Sinead. She had lots of ideas for how she would design the baby's bedroom and I told her Lucy had taken care of it, to which she got a tad excited about babies and nurseries... Eventually, I managed to find out what Liam is currently studying in school and one particular English Literature subject? You guessed it. 'Frankenstein'. So I decided to do some homework of my own before I set Lucas some essay questions tomorrow." George eventually stopped talking to come up for air, sitting forward and quirking his eyebrows. "You mentioned more books? You always keep me satisfied, but more books certainly adds bonus points," he playfully told him.

When Finn told George he had some goods news, the man sat further forward but in the end just stood up with an excited energy. "What is it?!" he asked. Hearing his husband had been offered the job at the hospital, George clapped his hands together and brightly smiled before returning Finn's kiss. "Of course you got it. You're amazing!" he enthused. "I'm so happy, Finn! This is your dream job and it also means our kids can keep being smart," he remarked. Finn then smiled mischievously before suggesting a celebratory quickie. George took off his reading glasses, in a playfully slick manner, before the moment was lost when the doorbell sounded. "Well, damn. That was the quickest quickie I ever had," he joked, sitting back down in his seat and setting his glasses down on the coffee table. He didn't sulk for long, taking Finn's hand and letting him help him out of his seat again. "Lucas went to rearrange his bedroom again. He wasn't convinced he liked where everything was placed. You know what he's like with big changes to his routine. It'll take him a few days to feel like it's his room and this is his home," he sensitively explained

When they reached the front door, George stood by Finn's side as the man opened it. "Hey, Lucy," George greeted Finn's cousin in return. He then nodded his head and smiled as he was introduced to Shinoa. "It's wonderful to meet you, Shinoa. You're going to love this house - I'm still gushing over it after six days!" he enthusiastically told the pregnant teenager. George stepped aside in the hallway to let the two ladies enter the house, then helped Finn with the bags. "We have so many snacks to choose from," George confirmed, as Finn offered Shinoa food. "Our son, Lucas, will come meet you soon. He's just trying to settle into his new room, so it's best to leave him to it for now," George explained.

BloodLightning27 (Shinoa) Bellz (Finn, Lucy)

 

[Pyroclast]

Bruce King
Syd Porter​

As far as he had made it in life, there remained a few signifiers of Bruce's working class upbringing - his resourcefulness, thick-skinned resilience and fortitude, and perhaps most obviously his strong Cockney accent - but the man understood what it meant to be a gentleman. He knew when it was worth opening his mouth as much as he knew when it was unnecessary to be vocal; he believed that was why his relationship with his nephew Alex had remained strong over the years. It went without saying that he loved his niece and nephews equally, but they each had their shortcomings like anyone did and it just so happened that Alex's flaws often brought about the most trouble. Another man might feel inclined to punish him for his behaviour, but Bruce knew it wasn't worth the risk of driving him away - especially whilst on the cusp of a gang war.

Nevertheless, on the way to the meeting with Conor, Bruce had made sure to remind Alex to watch how he acted and spoke. He understood that it was important for the man to pay a visit to his son, but he felt that the outcome of the meeting not only rested on the discussion between himself and Conor but also on Alex's behaviour, particularly towards Savannah. Having made his message clear, he could only hope that he wouldn't let him down.

On top of his nephew's behaviour, there was another man he was apprehensive about. As Conor's right-hand man, Syd Porter was to sit in on the meeting with them - one of the men responsible for beating up Spencer - and even though Bruce felt no reason to be afraid of him, he didn't exactly trust him to be civil and composed, just like he didn't quite trust Alex for the same reason. So, just in case the visit went downhill at any point, Bruce had brought along one of his most physically imposing bodyguards, Kane, in the hopes of keeping everyone in their place.

When they arrived at the Sullivan mansion, they were greeted immediately by Conor and Syd, both dressed smartly for the occasion. As Alex was guided into the house to meet his son, Bruce caught his nephew's eye with a knowing look, as a last warning.

"Pleasure to see you as well, Conor," he said with a polite smile as he shook the man's hand. "Syd." Syd didn't respond with words, only with a brief, stiff handshake that matched the stony look in his eyes. Although Bruce knew Syd to be a reserved person, there had never been this much animosity between them. He knew what the man was like when he was relaxed and in good spirits, and also what he was like when he was fraught with anxiety and aggression, and in his eyes they were like two completely separate people. After what the man had done to Spencer, however, he wasn't sure he would see much of that duality for quite a while.

“The usual Dalmore’s if you’ve got it,” he requested when Conor offered him a drink. While Syd silently fixed the drinks at the bar in Conor’s office, Bruce took his seat opposite Conor at the large rectangular table. It wasn’t long before Syd passed him his whisky and took a seat. Despite sensing the serious mood hanging over the younger man, it bothered Bruce slightly that Syd hadn’t said a word to him since his arrival. Given that it had been his nephew that had been attacked, he didn’t believe it was right that the effort to keep the meeting civil should fall entirely on his shoulders. Still, he wasn’t about to ask Syd directly for an apology. The man had been following Conor’s orders, after all.

Conor’s snarky comment about Alex finding it difficult to put in the effort to visit his son made Bruce’s eye twitch. No thanks to your niece, he thought. With a small exhale, he took a small sip of his whisky, holding it over his tongue until the temptation to speak back to him had passed. “That’s good stuff, that,” he remarked, placing the tumbler down in front of him. “Well, since there’s no need to explain why I’m here, let’s get right into it, shall we?” Lacing his hands together, Bruce sat forward and looked between the two men sitting opposite him. “For years your family and mine have been connected, but never by blood - not until little Callum came along. I’ll save ya’ the need to insult my nephew and say now that what he did to Savannah was out of order, stupid and immature. He’s got his flaws like we all do, but he loves his little boy. You see, Callum brings out the best in him. When the kid's with us, Alex is a more responsible person, but without that responsibility in his life, he does regress." Glancing at Syd, he noticed the man's expression had softened from an icy stare to one more curious. "I think you’ll both agree when I say my nephew and your niece make a useless team. Good parents, but useless at workin’ together. So, since there's no chance of them workin' things out on their own, I was expecting to have to take matters higher someday, either in your office or mine. What I wasn’t expecting was for you to take matters into your own hands without consulting me first. I’ll be frank with you, Conor - after all this time we’ve worked together, I feel insulted. You thought it was more effective to ambush my Spencer in a vicious attack than to call a sit down with me. Why was that?”

Interactions
Misty Gray Conor, Kane

Melanin-Gxdess Alex (mentioned)

 

[BloodLightning27]

~Chapter 6: Second Chances~

Wednesday 1st May 1985
...12 days later...
Dublin: Early Evening - Warm,, Dry, Clear Skies
London: Early Evening - Mild, Breezy, Overcast
New York City: Early Afternoon - Warm, Sunny, Clear Skies​

~Stella Kwon~Dublin, Ireland | Bodyworks Gym

The last two weeks or so had been relatively uneventful for Stella. Most of her time was spent either working out, collecting smaller level debts or keeping her skills sharp. What left her bummed overall though was not being able to hang out with Emery, who had been busy. Of course, she was also left fuming after hearing about the drive-by shooting. What left her uneasy...and even angrier was that a young pregnant woman had gotten swept up in the incident. Who in their right mind would threaten a pregnant woman? Even with what she did for a living, Stella couldn't wrap her head around something so heinous. There was also the matter of the possibility of Emery being targeted. Her question was why. So far, she hadn't been able to find answers for it yet. Because Emery was busy today as well, Stella wasn't exactly in the best mood. Was she seeing someone? No...no she wouldn't be.

Finally, Stella got a call to meet with Olivia. Upon arriving at the gym, there was another woman that she didn't quite recognize. Straightening out her newly-dyed rainbow hair, she walked over once Olivia had waved her over. There were a few people leaving. Must have been having a class going before she had arrived. Although she was happy to have something to do, Stella wasn't exactly in the greatest mood at the moment, but hopefully whatever was in store for her would get her mind on track. Who was the new girl? She was pretty tall...and sexy. Straightening out her hoodie and her pants, she walked up to her. "Hi, you must be Katerina. I'm Stella."

Interactions: Olivia Sullivan Misty Gray | Katerina Grey Mitheral
Mentioned: Shinoa Bradford (Indirectly) | Emery Callahan (Mentioned) | Clayton Byrne (Indirectly) Bellz​

Pregnancy Tracker

Progression: 41/40 Weeks

Countdown to Labor & Delivery: 287/280 Days

Weight Gain: 68/68 Kg

...One Post Remaining Until Labor...​

~Shinoa Bradford~Dublin, Ireland | Ginn's Residence

A week after her due date and the bun was still in the oven. Yes, Shinoa was still fucking pregnant. Very pregnant. While she was not thrilled at passing her due date, she was given a bit more time in finding a more permanent residence. After that terrifying night a week and a half ago, Shinoa was taken in (and practically adopted) by Lucy Porter, a sweet and loving woman who was way more of a mother to her then her own Mother back in the United States. If anything, Shinoa would describe Lucy as a Super-Mom. Since the night they had met, the quality of life had improved greatly for Shinoa and she didn't have to pay a euro. Whatever little money remained, she was able to now set aside and save. The last couple of days, she stayed at a higher-end Hotel. Today, she was moving to a more permanent residence, staying with one of Lucy's Cousins, Finn and George. She would be staying here until Lucy could find a more permanent residence, as she was right now staying with one of her Sons, who she thought was very mean...and paranoid.

Overall, Shinoa didn't mind. Finn and George both sounded like very nice people and she was reassured that she was going to be in wonderful hands. Aside from that, another thing that was confirmed was that the woman who kept her company at the shady bar...was indeed related to Sinead, who also happened to be Lucy's Sister. While that partly made her feel awkward because of how Shinoa first met Sinead, the expectant mother was able to fully move past it. Overall, the thought of being part of a loving family again warmed Shinoa's heart, especially knowing that her Daughter would be able to experience this kind of love as well once she comes into this world.

Throughout the last week and a half though, there had been a few false alarms on her going into labor. On a regular basis, she would deal with both sharp and strong contractions throughout the day and have trouble sleeping at night because of the pain, which did increase with each passing day. There were nights that she wouldn't be able to fall asleep until 2AM, or days she'd wake up at 6:30AM over contractions and back pain. Yeah, being pregnant was hard, but if she were to ever go through it ever again before thirty-five, at least the next time around she would have the love, care and support, whereas this time around, she was alone all the way through until the very end. These thoughts continued to traverse through her mind as Lucy drove her to Finn & George's house. She mostly relaxed because she was worn out by morning due to strong contractions, back pain and having to go to the bathroom every twenty-five minutes. That was one thing she would not miss about pregnancy; having to pee every twenty-five to thirty minutes.

When her Adoptive Mother spoke about how she was going to love Finn and George and how they were very kind...just not as kind as her. "I can believe that. You've been very kind and sweet to me these last twelve days and I'm very thankful for it. And I'm really happy now that I have a Supermom." She responded.

As the car ride neared its end, Shinoa proceeded to briefly hold hands with Lucy, as it made her feel safe. Looking down at the huge belly, she smiled before straightening out her robe and the gown underneath. After the car was parked, Lucy proceeded to help her out of the vehicle and to her feet before going to collect her bags as the two walked to the front door... or in Shinoa's case, waddled to the door. The young Mother proceeded to cradle her belly once Lucy had rang the door bell, they were greeted by Finn and George. Lucy was quick to give them both a hug before Shinoa was introduced to them, blushing as Lucy used the words 'Beautiful' and 'Radiant'. "Its nice to meet you as well. She's told me a lot about you both. It's lovely to hear that I'll be in good hands."

It wasn't long until both her and Lucy were welcomed into the lovely home. At the mention of dinner and snacks though, Shinoa smiled, but then a strong contraction hit her before she could respond. As she felt the pain both in her belly and her lower back, that smile proceeded to fade and was replaced by a look of discomfort...and pain. "Ow..." She took a deep breath as one hand moved to her back, the other gently caressing the huge belly. "Um actually, I...I'd like to rest. I was worn out by contractions this morning and I feel a lot of pain in my back and my feet." She frowned, feeling the contraction subside, but the pain still lingered.

Interactions: Lucy Porter, Finn Sullivan Bellz | George Sanderson-Sullivan Misty Gray​

~Pregnancy Tracker~

Pregnancy Progression: 37/42 Weeks

Countdown to Labor & Delivery: 259/294 Days

Weight Gain: 69/71 Kg

~Shirley Kwon (Cameo)~London, England | Shirley's House

Over the last eighteen days, Shirley had her life turned upside-down following the revelation that her Sister was (likely) working for the Irish Mob and the Kings finding out that she was a Street Doc who treated shady men (and women) from the Criminal Underbelly of London. Things got relatively fucked up there, and she had treated her fair share of injuries. While her friendship with Shona stayed intact, she doubted that Spencer liked her very much because of the brief moment that she had endangered them due to her estranged sister. After things had calmed down, things slowly went back to normal. Well, mostly. Her days as a Freelance Street Doc had come to an end, and she began working almost exclusively for the King Family. Why almost? She still treated other patients too, Shirley just charged them a bit more, having decided to tac on an extra fifteen percent to her usual fees.

A lot of her repeat patients had stopped coming after this. With them slowly being phased out, she could definitely start working for the Kings more exclusively. It was just welcoming any extra cash. Today, she was closed for business. Being in the final stages of pregnancy, Shirley had been taking it easy and was mostly forced to turn away patients as it was taking its toll on her. There was one patient that accused her of faking the pregnancy, only to be surprised when he felt the kicks from her stomach because she got a little too close. He definitely wasn't being treated again...

Having decided to take a nape later this afternoon, it ended up lasting for the next six hours. Closer towards the end, Shirley ended up having a really bad nightmare, where her bedroom was on fire and an unknown figure cornered her and tried to take her babies in a horrific way. This prompted Shirley to wake up screaming. Breathing rather rapidly afterwards, she quickly took off her blanket and slowly started feeling around her belly. Once she felt a couple of kicks and fidgeting, she breathe a sigh of relief. Still completely and utterly terrified though, she proceeded to turn on the lamp and then reached over to the phone and dialed the phone number to the King Family Home as tears began to stain her face. "Please, Shona...Please pick up...I'm scared and I don't want to be alone right now..." She said as she started crying, still very terrified of the nightmare she just had.

Calling: Shona King Pyroclast​

~Harmony Ryu~New York City | Wycliff Residence

The evening she had spent at the La Casa Nightclub with Ricky, Julia, Damien, Jarrick and the Wycliffs was quite a memorable one. While Harmony had befriended Julia (and hoped that they could hang out again soon), she saw that Jarrick had taken a liking to Ricky. Overall, the night on its own very much reminded her of Los Angeles, particularly the nights that her Brother would sneak her into nightclubs so that she could still hang out with him and watch his back, rather then leaving her at home. Those were among the happier days in her life. The next week and a half, she had spent accompanying Teddy or even Valentina whenever they were out of the house. But if she was at the Wycliff Family home, she would help take care of the kids. Although it wasn't much, she could only hope that helping take care of the Don's Grandchildren would help with her current career, even if it was just a little bit.

On top of that, if she was not needed, like when the Wycliffs just wanted to spend a day at home with their children, or were going to take the kids to visit their Grandparents, Harmony had chosen to go to Ava (if she was not busy) to continue working on that new chest piece that she was now getting done. The Tattoo itself was roughly eighty-five percent complete. For today though, Valentina was looking to make a trip to Manhattan. Wait...if Teddy had work today, who was watching the kids of Valentina was out of the house? Hopefully that was arranged. Overall though, Harmony wouldn't mind having the kids come along; for the most part, they were very well-behaved and weren't that mischievous, at least not in public.

After getting dressed for the day, Harmony made the quick and quiet drive to the Wycliff's Family Home to pick up Valentina so that they can go to Manhattan. Whether it was a Shopping Trip or not, one thing that made Harmony fairly happy with her new job arrangement was that she could hold a conversation with the older woman and was treated with respect, sometimes love. Granted that was a little different. During their trip to Miami roughly a few months ago now, she had opened up a little about losing her Brother and how her Father lost his battle to Cancer the year before she had decided to move to New York. But was she ready to go into detail about it? Only time would tell. Harmony wasn't really the type to just tell people about what happened in the past out of sympathy. No, she would only talk about it if asked. Of course it also depended on who asked.

Finally, she had arrived at the Wycliff home. After setting the car into park as she came to a stop by the driveway, Harmony proceeded to exit the vehicle to go greet Valentina. "Hey, hope I didn't keep you waiting to long. Ready for your day in Manhattan?" She asked, a smile beaming on her face.

Interactions: Valentina Wycliff Misty Gray
Mentioned: Ricky Biancardi, Damien Nicolosi, Don Moretti, Cristina Wycliff, Paolo Wycliff Misty Gray | Julia Avoccata Bellz | Teddy Wycliff, Francis Wycliff Melanin-Gxdess | Jarrick Taylor

Bradley Beckett & James EdwardsNew York City | Riker's Island

Having been on Riker's Island for a whole month and a half now, both Beckett and Edwards, with help from Kurt, James and the occasional Nicholas, who was nothing short of an acquaintance at this point. Because of how shady the man was, the Ex-Navy SEAL and his young partner have opted to avoid him whenever they could. Because they had no ties to any gangs, and Bradley probably (emphasis on the probably) pissed off one of them because he basically threw a weapons shipment into Police Evidence, the two were just doing the best that they can to get through their sentences so they could resume their normal lives. Well, Edwards, not so much, because he was gonna be fifty by the time he got out. Bradley would be the same age he is now. Both men would be lucky if they could even get a parole hearing. Because its not like either of them were charged with murder or rape, two of the more heinous crimes.

A few days ago too, both Bradley and James had taken Porter's Advice and proceeded to go ahead and contact their families. Both men were met with quite the reception and had confessed to what they had done to land in prison to begin with. The Edwards Family was a little more sympathetic towards James, but did not condone his actions and reprimanded him for taking part in the robbery. That ended with James' Father saying that he would fly to New York to visit him some time in the summer. Bradley on the other hand, was met with unsupportive reception, with his Mother basically not wanting to talk to him, while his Father was a little more sympathetic and saying that he will do what he can to get his son out of jail and even get the convictions on his record to be removed. Bradley said that he would wait until his Father's upcoming visit to make a final decision, which was also going to be in the summer, coincidentally when James' Father would be visiting from Texas.

While contacting their parents have brought both men a semblance of peace, it was still a long road ahead. When Prisoners were let out of their cells, both Bradley and James went to their usual spot, just an open space by the fence. Over the last two weeks, James had been teach Bradley unarmed combat, mainly some of the combat techniques that were taught to him in the Navy SEALs. The two just sat down on the ground by the fence, once more talking about sports and their plans for when they get out of prison. Within reason of course.

After a couple of minutes, the duo noticed that Porter was sitting down by himself several feet away. Looking at each other briefly, the two began to wonder on whether or not to approach Porter, because he definitely looked agitated and not in the mood for small talk, which they did frequently throughout the week if they weren't kept in their cells the entire time. Perhaps today was not one of those days. But only time would tell the boys.

Mentioned: James Porter, Nicholas Ramsey Misty Gray | Kurt Reznik Pyroclast

 

[Misty Gray]

Royal Casino
~ Whitechapel, London ~

Spencer King and Damian Nicolosi​

The meeting with Gabriel Moretti had seemed to go well, with the Italian even sharing pleasantries with Alex towards the end of the discussion. Moretti wasn't the kind of man Spencer enjoyed on a personal level, but he was certainly of a similar type to some of the businessmen he had to deal with often enough. Granted, the Italian was more powerful and dangerous. Overall, Spencer trusted his uncle's judgement where the Morettis were concerned and he could see the many benefits of having the mafia on side. For now, no agreements had been made, leaving the decision riding on how the meeting between Bruce and Conor went. Spencer wanted it to end amicably and with Callum returning to London where the Kings could continue to see the boy often. In reality, Spencer was under no illusions and doubted the Irish would play fair. In his opinion, they'd already shown their true colours by having him attacked. He's biggest frustration was that he couldn't have gone to Dublin with his uncle so he could give Sullivan a piece of his mind.

Despite nothing being set in stone with the Morettis, Damian had arrived in London four days earlier to familiarise himself with the city and the Kings' territories. If he were to lead a team with Tatiana, at short notice, he wanted to be fully prepared to organise them in London. With Bruce in Dublin, Spencer was in charge of the business, which also included making Damian feel welcome and showing him around. The previous day, he'd given the man a tour of the city and given him a short visit to the more public areas of King Remedial. After stopping by various hospitality businesses tied to the Kings, Spencer and Damian eventually found themselves in the family's casino.

After a brief walk around the place, the two men made their way to the bar and ordered drinks. Spencer knocked back some of his bottled beer whilst Damian took a few sip of his orange juice. Most men would have been on the receiving end of sarcastic joke from Spencer for ordering a soft drink, but that didn't seem appropriate with Moretti's employee, so Spencer decided it was best to make no comment at all. "Your boss seems like a serious bloke. What's that like for you?" Spencer curiously asked. As he waited for Damian's response, he retrieved his pack of cigarettes and lighter from his pockets. After Damian declined the offer of a smoke, Spencer lit one up for himself.

"Mr. Moretti is extremely professional; highly business-focused," Damian informed Spencer. "He tends to keep personal chatter to a minimum and respects those who do the same. He has a family at home he can be personal with." Damian had another quick drink before continuing. "I was clinging on to the last year of my teens when he put his trust in me to follow my father's loyal footsteps. I found as long as I worked hard, I was rewarded for it. He respects hard work and loyalty, and gaining Mr. Morettis' respect goes a long way. I know you'll think I'm bound to speak positively of my boss, but he will keep to his end of any deals you might agree to, as long as your family does the same in return. Don't cross him. It really is as simple as that."

Spencer nodded along as Damian spoke, taking the man's words on board. He doubted Bruce was planning on pulling a fast one with the Morettis, so he could see the benefits to having the Italians on side. Spencer unfortunately had a strong sense of pride that made it difficult for him to get fully on board with accepting outside help and letting the Morettis in on the King Family's business. "I guess this place ain't as extravagant as some of the casinos back in America, right?" the Englishman asked.

"This place looks better than some of them, I can assure you. There's also nothing missing here that I would expect to see," Damian told the man. He was being on his best behaviour, making sure not to say anything disturbing in front of Bruce's nephew. Still, his words were genuine. "There is certainly great potential to make this an even bigger cash cow. Higher stakes, more income. On the streets, you can assert your dominance to steer more of those smaller gangs to pledge loyalty to your family. In here, you use your resources to take advantage of the fools willing to throw their money away. If your uncle and Mr. Moretti do go into business, I can help you expand this casino..." Damian trailed off as they were joined by a young woman who made it clear she was Spencer's sister.

"If you wanted to avoid us that much, you'd have avoided our family business premises," Spencer pointed out to Harper. "Does that mean you're avoiding Billy too?" he remarked. Spencer then cocked his head towards Damian. "Harper, this is Damian Nicolosi. He works for Moretti and is here for a tour of London," he informed her.

"Good evening, Harper," Damian said, reaching his hand out to shake hers. After briefly observing her as she looked around for an escape, Damian reached for his glass again and took a small sip.

"We are talking business, Harper," Spencer gave her a not-so-subtle hint. "So, unless you've got some great ideas for running this place, don't let us keep you. Especially if you'd rather be somewhere else," he added, figuring she was keen to get away from them anyway.

Bellz (Harper) Mitheral (Xavier)

 

[Bellz]

Clayton Byrne
Industrial Estate
~ Dublin Docklands, Dublin ~​

Clayton found himself in a bit of a pickle, to put things lightly. He hadn't been able to pay back the Sullivans as he had said but to his surprise instead of beating him to a pulp, they put him to work to pay off his debts. He wasn't exactly thrilled about it but it was better than waking up to a horse head in his bed or something like he'd seen in all of the classic mobster movies. Although he would have rather just been able to pay off the debts and not do manual labor, the fact that he got to see the fiery redhead from before excited him. Something about the way she bossed him around...he didn't like anyone bossing him around, but it was like music to his ears when it came from her lips.

Currently, they were seated in a parked car with a view of the docks with a man named Aidan in the front driver's seat. Clayton was once again surprised that Emery had chosen to sit in the back of the car with him but he figured that perhaps it was more for safety reasons rather than anything else. Emery was barking off orders about keeping his mouth shut and only telling the people they were exchanging the diamonds with the password. He would only give them the goods if they said the correct password in return. "God, passwords? This sounds like an exchange between kids." Clayton commented sending the redhead a teasing smirk before his smirk fell as he gave her a firm nod of his head. When she explained that he needed to head straight back to the car and there would be no funny business, Clayton rolled his eyes. She warned that they wouldn't hesitate to put a bullet in his pretty head and Clayton moved a hand to his chest, his mouth forming an "o" as he sucked in a breath. "Wait a damn minute, you think I'm pretty?" He asked, batting his eyelashes at the woman. "By golly that's the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me. I'd like to keep my gorgeous head intact thank you, it's a real winner with the ladies." Clayton said, once again a smirk forming on his lips as he winked at Emery.

Her pager went off and Clayton raised an eyebrow as he watched her look at the text before returning to look at him. When she told him the passwords, Clayton and Aidan seemed to laugh, but Emery turned on Aidan asking what was so funny. Hearing his reasoning made Clayton laugh a little harder before forcing himself to be serious once more before Emery turned her wrath on him. Instead of scolding him, she smiled at him genuinely and Clayton found himself smiling back lazily. "Ready." He confirmed before Emery went on to ask if anything was confusing.

Clayton was just about to clarify that there was nothing to be confused about when she stated that she would explain everything again in slow motion if there was something he needed to ask. Clayton scoffed at her and crossed his arms over his chest. "I'll have you know, love, that I was at the top of my class in high school. Just because I have a god-like physique doesn't mean I'm an idiot." Clayton said. "Smart enough to evade paying off your debts for some time now and smart enough to know when I need to just throw in the towel and do it. Hell, I'm even smart enough to know that although there's probably enough cash in the briefcase to last me the rest of my existence I'm not going to place a bet on whether I can outrun two snipers. And I'm pretty good at betting."
with: Emery + Aidan Misty Gray
Nearby: Rexford Fletchawk

Ani Parker
The Parker Residence
~ Islington, London ~​

There was a time back in the early 70s when Ani was almost completely sure she'd never make it out of New York City. After meeting Maddox, she had seen a future with him but that quickly faded as they got tangled in a war that wasn't necessarily theirs to fight. After everything though, Conor Sullivan had been gracious enough to let her, Maddox and Kerry go and together they headed to London to start their new life. It wasn't easy in the beginning, Ani lived in a state of constant fear for quite a few years but once it was proven that they were no longer in danger, she finally felt free. Ani had fallen back into work once more, working full time as a Surgeon at one of the city's busiest hospitals for a long time. Once they were married, Ani had decided that it was time to ease up on her busy schedule to allow time to think about starting a family. Two children later and Ani felt her heart couldn't get any fuller sharing a life with her family.

Ani had decided to take a couple of nights off to focus on the kids as Riley was getting over a small cold. Ani was in the kitchen, cleaning up the mess the kids had made trying to bake cookies with her earlier when she heard the front door open. Having let them have full reign on the cookie making, they hadn't turned out very good and she had to dump them in the trash. Turning off the sink, Ani wiped her hands on a washcloth before moving to go greet her husband. Smiling widely as she slowly walked to where he was getting situated, allowing the kids to greet him first. Ani smiled sweetly watching her husband interact with their children. Listening to their daughter explain her fall, Ani nodded in agreement with Maddox's words about ice cream and hugs after dinner before he sent them off to finish their homework. Watching as he hung his jacket and set his briefcase down, Ani took a few steps forward to meet him as they embraced. He kissed her sweetly and she returned it before pulling back to smile at him. He asked how her day was before suggesting takeaway. "That sounds like a lovely idea, you'll have to still find a way to make it up to me though." Ani said with a wink. As they let go of each other, she followed her husband into the kitchen, leaning against the archway to watch him wash his hands. "My day was pretty uneventful besides Amara's little tumble. Poor girl is as klutzy as I am, I'm afraid. She was horribly upset but I was able to patch her up quickly, the easiest procedure I've ever encountered..." She said with a small chuckle. "Riley's feeling much better today, thankfully." She was just about to ask him about his day when he informed her that Kerry was wanting to leave London.

Since they had left New York City together, the three of them remained great friends and Maddox helped the young woman through her trauma. Ani was very surprised to hear that she wanted to leave London and had quit her job with the Kings. Ani's brows furrowed in confusion, "She must be...this all seems so sudden." She wondered what had possessed Kerry to want to leave especially since she wanted to go to Dublin. "I worry about that, the poor girl doesn't need to be ostracized any further. Perhaps we can persuade her to stay somehow? I know it might seem selfish of me but I'm going to miss her terribly and so will the kids."
with: Maddox Misty Gray (I'VE MISSED THEM SO MUCH! )

 

[Mitheral]

Bodyworks Gym
~ Dublin City Centre, Dublin ~

Katsya (Katerina Grey)​

Then she noticed Stella headed her way. She looked sort of like a human stringbean - with legs that seemed disproportionate to her torso. For some reason Katsya found this amusing. It reminded her of a newborn fawn trying to walk. Of course, Stella was considerably more agile. Katsya couldn’t help but smile - especially when she saw the hair. Not quite innocently she lifted a pair of 20 kg weights left out by some of the weightlifters that had been working out, one in each hand, effortlessly and made a brief bodybuilder pose before placing the weight back in the rack. Every little muscle she had rippled as she forced herself not to laugh. It was showing off for the new girl, flirting a little. But that was Katsya’s way. There was rarely ever anything subtle about her.

When Stella introduced herself Katsya nodded, “Yes I am. But my friends call me Katsya.” Her eyes locked onto the hair. “So how did the tie dye blender fare? Looks like you lost.” She opened her mouth as if to say something else, then suddenly glanced around the room nervously thinking better of what she was going to say. “Maybe I better not say the other thought I had. I’ve lived here a few years now, but I am still unsure what people might take offense at. It’s just ….rainbows … short … pots of gold … Lucky Charms.” She grinned. She was, of course, thinking about leprechauns - and every cliché there was.

“Anyways, you look like you need a sort of pick me up.” She suddenly laughed at that thought. “You know what I mean, cheering up. I could pick you up EASY.”

Then Katsya turned a little more professional. “Seriously though, how bad is the bad mood? If it is a workout until you drop, that is easy. I have yet to meet anyone who can keep up with me - not even Dad. I even out stubborn him. If you need to destroy something we have punching bags. Or I also teach the advanced self defense class.”

As she spoke she continued picking up the loose weights, stacking them on one hand before walking over the rack to put them away. At one point she had to have stacked about 50 kg on one hand.

“To be honest I am sort of going stir crazy. Work is slow. Dad is busy. He left me a pile of homework, but I need a break from that. It isn’t often that he is out.”

BloodLightning27 (Stella) Misty Gray (Olivia)

 

[Misty Gray]

The Sullivan Residence
~ Sutton, Dublin ~

Conor Sullivan & Kane Stenberg​

Whilst Syd was making the drinks, Conor put in a request of gin for himself. It was far from his favourite drink, being merely tolerable, which was good as it meant that no matter how frustrating the meeting could get, he wouldn't be inclined to drink that particular alcohol too quickly. Granted, alcohol hadn't been a problem for him for years now, but that was partly due to Conor maintaining caution and control. Much of his life these days was about retaining control.

Conor flashed a bright, closed-mouth smile when Bruce spoke out about his whisky being good. The Englishman then sat forward to address the matters at hand. Conor couldn't help but nod his head in agreement when Bruce gave his own assessment of Alex's immature behaviour. As much as Conor had planned to point out the younger man's flaws and pathetic behaviour towards Savannah, Bruce had made sure to get in first and prevent him from feeling the need to voice his own thoughts. Bruce clearly understood what Conor thought of Alex's actions already. Hearing how Callum had a positive effect on Alex caused Conor to send a brief smile. "He's a good kid. Thinks the world of his dad. Granted, Savvy helped maintain that illusion about your Alex," he couldn't help but remark. Regardless of his comments, Conor understood where Bruce was coming from and how much it hurt for a father to be separated from his kid. Conor had spent a few years in prison when Leo was a kid, and the thought of Aliana taking his son away from him back then was torture. Conor had been reckless and immature back then, but Leo had been a major driving force for him to get out of jail and sort out his behaviour. "You're right, the pair of them are a useless team," Conor agreed about Alex and Savannah. Granted, he was bound to put most of the blame for that on Alex, especially as he thought his niece was a pushover and tended to compromise too much.

As expected, the conversation soon turned to him having had Spencer attacked. That was a subject Conor wasn't inclined to be so agreeable on. He sat up straight and leaned forward himself so he could tell Bruce directly why he'd done what he had. "I'm sorry you feel insulted, but let's fact it... Our business relationship has always been a volatile one and the reason we've stayed amicable for so long is because Savvy got knocked up by your nephew." Conor reached for his glass tumbler and had a sip of gin. Placing the glass down, he let out a small sigh before continuing on. "Spencer has a giant chip on his shoulder. My Mam, Shannon, she always got along well with you lot. It was because I knew she was in London with my niece that I trusted Spencer wouldn't be able to go upsetting the lass."

In some ways, Spencer reminded Conor of how things were for himself over three decades ago. The Sullivans had been a small-time gang, trying to build their business in the back yard of the powerful Romanos. Conor had proved to be a pain in the neck for Vinnie Romano and for a while, the Sullivans had to face the consequences of overstepping their boundaries. But in the end, the Sullivans grew in power and were eventually able to wipe out the Romanos and take Chicago for themselves. As horrifying as it was to think of himself being similar to Vinnie in terms of his current position, Conor had to admit that Spencer was now the cocky small guy trying to stand up to the powerful Sullivans. Only this time, Conor wasn't going to give Spencer or the Kings the chance to grow strong enough to challenge the big guys - the Sullivans. The 60s in Dublin hadn't worked out for the Irish Mob, either. They'd allowed the IWU to evolve and gain power, which resulted in Conor's loved ones being hurt and killed. He'd be damned if he gave the Kings opportunity to become that kind of a threat, even if it did mean becoming like the monsters he'd had to battle with in the past; Vinnie Romano and Gabriel Moretti.

"Again, I am sorry you feel insulted, Bruce, but I won't apologise for having Spencer put in his place," Conor firmly told the man. He paused as he caught the cold stare Kane was sending him, clearly not impressed with his employer's family being disrespected. Still, Conor ignored the big guy and focused back on Bruce. "Spencer was intimidating my niece. He made her feel like she wasn't permitted to leave London to visit Dublin. I will not have him dictate to her when and where she can go. I take it as a personal attack on my family. So, as far as I'm concerned, if Savvy wants to stay in Dublin, then Callum is going to be living in Dublin too. Alex will have to work with her to come to a compromise."

Conor hadn't yet got to the fact Emery had been shot at and how some suspicion was naturally on the Kings. For now he continued to hold back that can of worms.

Pyroclast (Bruce, Syd)

 

[Pyroclast]

Elena Velazco​

Elena had expected to be haunted by the bloodbath of an incident that had seen her extract a bullet from Adam’s arm. It wasn’t just that she was undeniably squeamish, nor for the fact that she had never had to do anything like that in her life, but also because the injured man happened to be someone she cared more about than she knew how to express. In a moment of weakness during the procedure, she had admitted to Adam who she was - but it quickly became evident that he was too out of it from the blood loss to take in what she had told him. Although she wasn’t sure how she would figure out another time to tell him, she thought in the end that it was probably for the best. When she did eventually tell him, she didn’t want the memory to be tainted by their sitting in a pool of Adam’s blood.

Despite her expectations, the shock of the incident had worn off fairly quickly and left her without a single nightmare to date. She had actually slept like a baby that night, exhausted from the outpouring of emotions. The only thing she couldn’t quite shake was her concern for her father - seeing him in such a bad state had been deeply upsetting, more so for the fact that he had no idea who she was. He would have remembered things very differently. It was likely that he had felt nothing for her but awkwardness when she had burst into tears and wrapped her arms around him. She knew that she meant nothing to him compared to what he meant to her; why she should mean anything to him when she was just a bartender in his employer’s pub wasn’t even worth questioning. Maybe someday, once the secret was out, he would look back on that night in a totally new way.

Nevertheless, whether reciprocated or not, Elena did feel closer to Adam after what they had been through. Not only that, but she felt unexpectedly more confident in his presence. Through helping him out with the fragments of medical knowledge she had somehow retained for her brief time in nursing school, she had managed to gain some respect. It didn’t seem to matter that she had cried her way through it or vomited at the sight of all the blood - people now treated her like she belonged there. Finally, after sticking by herself for so long, she realised she might have found people she could rely on.

The downside to finding her place was that she now had to put up with more banter from Martin. Elena was just clearing one of the tables when she heard the man loudly announce to a customer that it was her birthday, prompting her to roll her eyes. Wondering who he thought would even be interested in hearing it, she turned to see who he was talking to and saw Jasmine and Chase. With the tray of empty glasses in her hand, she made her way over to the bar to join them.

“Hola!” she greeted them with a beaming smile as she set down the tray. Jasmine wished her a happy birthday, which made her blush slightly. “Thank you, Jasmine,” she smiled. “I am twenty years!” After ordering a glass of wine from Martin, the woman then turned to her again and inadvertently praised her for helping Adam out when he was shot in the arm. Elena didn’t know Adam very well but it didn’t surprise her to hear that he was well loved, clearly important among the people she had come to know since moving to Dublin. “Please tell him, don’t be shot again,” she joked back. However, despite her words and the fact that she couldn’t stand gore, there was no doubt in her mind that she would do it again for him.

“Don’t worry, Elena, I gave him hell for you,” Chase assured her with a wink. “You just enjoy yourself and forget about that patoso.” He got Martin to pour him a Guinness, and just before following Jasmine to their table, he smiled at her and said, “Feliz cumpleaños, heroína.”

Soon after they had left, the door opened again and in walked Adam. Elena’s face naturally lit up in a bright smile. Though his nickname for her made her blush, it wasn’t out of embarrassment so much as it was getting the attention she craved from him. “A pint of Guinness for you,” she repeated, not hesitating to grab a glass and pour him one. She was getting good at pouring pints. “¿Cómo está el brazo?”

Her question was drowned out by Martin once again announcing that it was her birthday, naturally placing her back in the spotlight. Adam’s response made her giggle. “It’s my birthday, I do what I like,” she assured him. “And I like to be here.” Still, Adam teased Martin for not letting her have a day off and insisted on buying her a drink. Elena placed his Guinness in front of him and tried not to blush too much when he wished her a happy birthday. “¡Ve a tu mesa!”

A moment passed as Elena watched Adam join Chase and Jasmine’s table before she heard Martin ask, “You sure you don’t want to go home, Elena?”

She turned around to face him, leaning back against the bar. Her smile had faded and she gave a small shrug. “I like to work here,” she told him, to which he responded with a puzzled look and a small scoff.

“Alright,” he said. “Let me get you that drink, at least. What d’you want?”

She asked for a pint of Carling Black Label, but she wasn’t sure how well she would do at drinking it. Alcohol had been hard to come by back in Cuba and it wasn’t like she could afford it here, either - not that she had ever been invited for a drink. Unless of course she counted the many men who bought drinks for her while she was at work in hopes of getting something in return, but most of them were just drunk old men looking for action and she couldn’t be less interested. What she would have loved was to be someday invited to sit at Adam’s table, or to sit down at a table with Thomas - though she understood he didn’t drink much these days. Regardless, the idea of having someone to hang out with outside of work was something she thought about a lot. If she had more of a social life, perhaps she would have asked for the day off work.

However, she would rather let people think her strange for wanting to work on her birthday than to know the truth, which was that she was trying to escape a precarious situation she had found herself in. The manager of the hotel she had been staying in for several months finally decided that she was no longer eligible to stay. He had reminded her rather harshly that it was a hotel, not a permanent residence, and that if she wanted to continue living there she would have to pay triple the price. No matter how many shifts she picked up at the Sullivan Pub, she knew that that fee would leave her with nothing left. Terrified that she may be forced to give up her life in Dublin if she didn’t come up with a plan, the manager came up with one for her: for no cost at all, he would let her stay in his apartment with him. It sounded suspiciously generous to her, and sure enough he soon revealed the condition that she would have to share his bed.

Coming from a life of poverty, Elena wasn’t unfamiliar with such exchanges. Although it was never talked about explicitly, she knew her mother had paid debts with sexual favours, as had her friends growing up, and so it wasn’t completely unnatural to her that when it called for it, she would have to do the same thing. This man was over twice her age, rough around the edges, with bad personal hygiene and the loudest snoring she had ever heard. But finding it within herself to pleasure him sexually was easier than finding the money to pay him for a secure place of her own, so she didn’t really have an option.

Her work was the best distraction she could find from the grim situation that would otherwise be playing on her mind. She sipped on her lager as she waited for her next customer to come and talk to her. Even the rude ones were more pleasant to deal with than thoughts of her new roommate. Thankfully, however, she caught a glimpse of her next customers and all her worries instantly fell from her mind. With a fresh smile plastered on her face, her eyes followed Blake and Thomas as the pair made their way over to Adam, Chase and Jasmine. Once done greeting them, Thomas approached the bar and Elena immediately felt herself growing slightly flustered. She hid her pint of Carling behind her so he didn’t think she was slacking and set her attention purely on him.

“I am doing well, thank you,” she smiled, and as she looked into his eyes, she actually believed her own words for a moment. “Adam has an arm, and now you are here, so…”

“And it’s her birthday!” Martin sang as he walked past, patting her on the head.

“Martín!” Elena fired a glare at him before turning back to Thomas and softening her gaze. “I work today because I want to and Adam already buys me a drink, so...it’s a happy birthday.” She smiled at him. “And I make you a drink, too? Do you stay here and drink now? I want to salud with you!” She took two empty glasses into her hands and lightly clinked them together to demonstrate what she meant. “And you, Tomás...are you doing well? Tu cara is better now?” She reached out and pointed at where he had been scratched, only just stopping short of grazing her fingertips upon his cheek.

Bellz Thomas

* * * * *

Chase Zegarra​

Seated at their table, Chase draped an arm around his wife as she rested her head on his shoulder. His mind briefly went to their children, but only because he was no longer used to having evenings without them. When Jasmine expressed relief at having a night of purely adult company, Chase gave a contented sigh. “Let’s make the most of it,” he said, dropping a kiss on the top of her head. “Nights like this always go too fast!” Jasmine then brought up Blake and how keen she was for Adam and Blake to get together. “Oh, it’ll happen,” he assured her. “As long as Adam doesn’t rush her into anything, those two would work like a dream. The chemistry’s there, and that kind of chemistry doesn’t just go away.”

Just then Adam walked through the door. Chase raised his glass to him when the man waved, before stopping by the bar to order a drink and chat to Elena. “Do you think Blake will want him to quit the business?” he asked Jasmine, keeping a low voice. “After what happened to Jackson, I mean...he’d probably wanna stop getting shot.”

When Adam approached their table, Chase sent him a smile. “Hey, asere,” he greeted him. “Well…” He took a second to check himself and Jasmine. “We still got all our arms, so we’re doing better than you.” After cracking a smile, he took on a more serious facial expression. “Seriously though, how’re you getting on? It’s good to finally see you out of the house. Pub ain’t the same without you, asere.”

Just as Jasmine had hoped, Blake soon entered the pub, with Thomas following along behind her. Chase couldn’t help but flash his eyes at Jasmine at how enthusiastic Blake’s greeting to Adam was. It was painfully obvious how into each other they were and Chase was hoping as much as his wife was that they would start dating soon.

Interactions
Misty Gray Adam, Jasmine
Bellz Blake

 

[Pyroclast]

Billy King​

Erik’s aggressive reaction to his question made Billy flinch. He wasn’t sure what he had been expecting, but it wasn’t this. The unfortunate truth was that he had become less certain of what to expect from Erik these days. The man had always seemed so stable and calm - even when he had killed a man in front of Billy, he hadn’t appeared the least bit shaken. Of course, he had then retreated for a week or so, but Billy thought it was just the way he dealt with things. Now he was less sure. Now, he wondered if the reason Erik was apparently so angry at him was because Billy had misunderstood him somehow. Because he had always seemed to stable, Billy had assumed that the bag of cocaine he had found in Erik’s pocket a few weeks ago was leftover from one of his particularly crazy nights out, or that he was making a direct visit to one of the Kings’ customers for whatever reason, perhaps someone one of their drug dealers had missed by accident while doing the rounds.

Those possibilities went out of the window as soon as Erik reacted defensively. It was suddenly obvious then that he was ashamed of being caught with it. Billy looked at him for a moment, unable to hide the worry in his eyes. He knew he had to say something before Erik left - despite their friendship, the way the man was acting now made Billy fear that he was about to walk away for good.

“No,” he said. “I'm not gonna leave it alone. You're hiding something from me, Erik…” Conscious of how easily he seemed to offend people, Billy was careful to keep his tone free of any aggression. The last thing he wanted was a fight - especially when his friendship had become so precarious. “When I was sorting out your clothes at my brother's house, a gram of coke fell out your pocket. I was gonna ask you about it but you kept pulling away from me. You think I’m gonna start something with you but I’m not, I swear, I just…” Billy shook his head, his eyes growing more desperate. “Look, if this is about me calling you queer the other week, please just forget about it okay? It was stupid and hurtful and I didn't mean it. I'm really sorry I turned on you…and for getting hammered the other night, too...I've been a twat and it won't happen again. You understand that right?”

As he took in his friend’s washed out appearance, Billy wished he could express how worried he was about him. He wanted to take him home and sit down with him, really get through to him, get the honest truth and end the day as best friends again. But the way things were going, it seemed those chances were a thousand to one. If the future of their friendship had to rest on this conversation, he had to be extremely careful how he handled it. “Erik, mate,” he said, keeping his voice deep and earnest. “I can tell you're hiding something and I can't stand it, being shut out by you like this. I thought we told each other stuff. I thought we were mates… don't you want that anymore?”

Interactions
Melanin-Gxdess Erik

 

[Pyroclast]

Jason Costello​

To say that things had been tense between Jason and Lorelei after her evening in jail would be an understatement. It wasn't her that he was mad at so much as her date, though he did find it infuriating that she continued to defend Benjie rather than try to see the situation from Jason's point of view. He recognised her stubbornness as a trait she had inherited from her mother so he knew what he was dealing with, but it didn't make it any less frustrating. He had never met the young man who had apparently captured Lorelei's interest, so he hadn't expected to form a first impression so early, but unfortunately, the fact that their first date had ended with the two of them behind bars had completely ruined it. He still wanted to meet him, of course. Having spent 7 years of his life behind bars, Jason was determined not to let Lorelei anywhere near such a place - since nothing like this had ever happened until she started seeing Benjie, it was pretty clear to Jason where the problem lay.

After lecturing Lorelei with a heavy warning against dating a bad influence, Gwen then started arguing with him. It was clear she was torn on who to side with so after a brief shouting match, Jason gave up trying to deal with the two of them and put the argument on hold so they could all just calm down. Despite his hot-headed nature, Jason had gone through anger management classes as part of his rehabilitation and knew how to better control himself. These days he didn't hold onto his anger for so long, so in the couple of weeks that followed he had tried to focus on other things and treat Lorelei and Gwen as though nothing had happened. He knew it wouldn't be resolved until he was able to talk to Benjie, though. The longer it took Lorelei to introduce them the harder it was to maintain the peace he had tried hard to restore in the household.

Between looking after Cian and trying to smooth things over with Lorelei, Gwen and Jason had barely found time to pay each other any attention. So he was grateful when Lorelei offered to take the small boy off their hands for a night and allowed the couple some time for a much needed romantic escape. The spark between them was constant, whether they were cuddled up on the sofa, having a heated argument or simply sharing the housework. Out on a date, however, that spark exploded like a firework, free from all its restraints. They came home much earlier than they used to but Jason had a strong feeling he knew why; sure enough, Gwen suggested exactly what he had been hoping for.

“Oh, you know I can’t say no to you, Gwen,” he replied, giving her a squeeze with the hand that rested on her waist as she unlocked the door. “Besides, don’t ye’ know it’s bad luck to end a date before the sun sets?” Hot on her heels, Jason leaned in behind her and kissed her on the ear. He was so focused on her that he didn’t spot the letter waiting for them on the front step. She stooped to pick it up and then turned to face him, naturally pulling herself out of his grasp. The glow had faded from her cheeks and she looked serious all of a sudden, which caused Jason to quirk an eyebrow.

Gwen seemed disturbed by the fact the envelope had no writing on it and as he followed her into the house, Jason wondered who it could be from. “It’s probably just a note from the milkman or somethin’,” he suggested, trying to ease her mind. “Or maybe a late birthday card from Kathy down the hill - ye’ know how she is, slow as a lame horse, that girl. But she always hand-delivers these things.”

His suggestions didn’t seem to put Gwen’s mind to rest, and he knew she wasn’t going to be able to relax until she had read it. He came and sat beside her, resting a gentle hand on her back while she opened the envelope. It wasn’t a note from the milkman, nor a birthday card from Kathy. A photograph fell into Gwen’s lap when she unfolded the letter; it wasn’t a face that Jason recognised, but it didn’t take him long to work out who it was. Their eyes both returned to the letter, which read, ’I know what you did in September 1964…’

Jason remained silent when Gwen looked at him with tears hanging from her eyes. There was nothing he could say or do that would magically make everything better. He let her pass the photograph and letter over to him and he found himself staring down at them again while Gwen launched herself from the sofa, particularly transfixed by the face of her ex-husband. The couple both had dark pasts that had taken them a long time to fully open up about, but Jason felt that they both knew each other inside out now, down to all the gritty, haunting details. Still, the lives they had each led before they had met or during their 11 years apart remained completely separate from their life together. Jason had only heard about the torment her ex-husband had put her through and everything she had done to protect her and Lorelei. It hardly even came up these days, making him feel yet more distant from her dark past. Now, for a reason they couldn’t comprehend, it was back to haunt her, and Jason would be damned if he wasn’t going to help her through it.

“Okay, Gwen, here’s what we’re gonna’ do,” he gently asserted, keeping his voice soft and low. He placed the letter and photograph face down on the coffee table, made his way over to her and took her hands into his. “First thing tomorrow, we’re goin’ t’get in touch wit’ someone you trust with this - Lucy, Conor, someone who helped you out back then. Unfortunately calling James is a bit risky, wit’ all the cops around...But we do be needin' someone who was there for you at the time. Now remember, all this is is a letter - whoever's after writin' it's made no demands or real threats, and there’s no ransom...it’s just a sick bastard with a pen trying to scare ye’. So I’m gonna take it and I’m gonna put it away, save ye’ lookin’ at it all night. I’ll call security guards to our house, make you somethin’ to eat and then…” Jason hesitated, one hand idly caressing her cheek. “Would it make ye’ feel better if I brought Rory and Cian here with us for the night?”

Interactions
Bellz Gwen

 

[Misty Gray]

The Sullivans Pub
~ Dublin City Centre, Dublin ~

Jasmine Zegarra and Adam Harper​

Jasmine wasn't typically a gossip, even if her retirement from the mob's activities had meant she was now exposed to more of it when in the company of the likes of Sinead. So when she'd started talking to Chase about Adam's love-life, there was a brief moment when she wondered if she'd just got sucked into instigating the kind of talk she wasn't usually the one to start. Thankfully, Chase had echoed her words, going as far as to say there was enough chemistry between Adam and Blake. She lightly nodded her head when her husband mentioned it being dependent on Adam not rushing into anything. "See, that's a weird one..." she said, looking Chase in the eyes. "Adam is being unusually slow on this one. I like to think it's a sign of his maturity, but it's freaking me the hell out," she joked. Chase would know Jasmine didn't think Adam was immature. Since she'd first met Adam back in the sixties, the man had always been extremely serious and focused on his work; certainly a colder and even more relentless man when it came to taking down the enemies. He'd had the training and composure of a soldier, despite his wars being fought for the mob rather than for his country. With that in mind, Jasmine had looked up to Adam when she first started working for the Sullivans. The immaturity she was referring to was reserved for Adam's reputation with women, back then. Having worked in a position that was male-dominated, Jasmine had sat in on many conversations with her teammates; talk which often included Adam's stories of sleeping with women. They were never stories of being in a relationship or dating, simply sexual escapades. These days, Jasmine believed Adam had changed, where his behaviour with women was concerned, and she hoped he wouldn't waste this chance of settling down with someone he actually cared for.

Jasmine looked to towards the door in time to wave at Adam, flashing him a knowing smile seeing as she was in the process of talking about him. Jasmine looked ahead again and returned to resting her head on Chase's shoulder. When her husband asked if she thought Blake would want Adam to quit the business, she remained silent as she thought about it. It had been very difficult to quit the business herself, but once she entered the later stages of pregnancy, Jasmine knew she couldn't keep taking risks. It was a difficult decision to make, but she had to think of her family. She wasn't sure if Adam would find it so easy. "I guess I hadn't really thought about that," she admitted. "Adam was there when Jackson died and so he understands what Blake lost, but do you think he'd know how to quit? I struggled to make that decision, even with our three sweet little incentives. Adam's a stubborn man..."

When Adam sat opposite them, Jasmine moved from resting on Chase to sit up straight. She laughed along when Chase pointed out their arms were in tact so they were doing better than Adam was. "I was starting to worry you'd get used to sitting around on your arse and turn into a recluse. I'm honestly surprised you've shaved and got dressed up tonight," Jasmine teased Adam.

"Yeah, alright, you cheeky fuckers. For the record, I've still been working out, as well as fixing up the car in my garage," Adam dismissively waved his hand at their jokes. "I'm doing alright," he assured Chase with a same serious tone his friend had used to ask about him. "I've spent enough time resting," he said. "Conor seemed to think giving me time off for doing my job is a reward, but I'm just ready to get back in the game already. My job or not, I wasn't going to let Pete's kid get hurt," he said, referring to Emery. He then flashed a smirk as he made his next comment. "Although, I figured a couple of weeks away from this place was long enough for someone to clean the men's room. Apparently I made a bit of a mess in there," he recalled.

Well, luckily for you, Elena was around to stop you from bleeding out even more," Jasmine pointed out. Adam nodded his head before pinching the bridge of his nose and closing his eyes tightly as he fought to push back the blurred memories of that night. Jasmine caught on to the action and chose to lighten the mood. "She seems to be doing well, mind you, and she looks happy to be working here on a birthday. Twenty today... Twenty years ago is pretty much when I first started working for the Sullivans," she recalled. "Damn, I was so young back then... What were you up to, Adam?" she asked.

Adam took a sip of his beer and shrugged his shoulders before allowing himself to think back. "That'll have been '65. I think I'd already spent most of that year travelling between New York and Cuba. Bless the man's soul, but Liam Sullivan was exhausting. I thought I knew how to party before then, but Liam was a whole new level, which I'm sure Chase can back me up on," Adam commented, thinking back to his old boss. "I don't think I'd have the heart for it all now, but I do miss those wild parties in Havana," he reminisced.

Blake arrived at the pub before Adam's subconscious had chance to threaten him with thoughts that would cast his mind back to a few particular nights in 1984, where he'd slept with a stunning woman named Isabella. Adam turned to look at Blake, his eyes remaining on the woman until she reached their table. Adam greeted Thomas, but the young man soon walked away to head to the bar and speak with Elena. Adam's focus instantly shifted back on Blake, shuffling up in his booth seat a little to ensure she had enough space to sit next to him. Adam grinned when the woman made her comment about what was left of his flesh. "Yeah, the piece of shit got me right here, and here," he said, pointing to his bicep and the side of his neck where he'd been wounded. "I like to think I managed to retain my handsome good looks, though," he commented, running his fingers down the sides of his face to prove his point. Adam didn't immediately react to her comment about him scaring her half to death. He looked ahead, past Chase and Jasmine, to gaze out of the window. He took a long drink before setting the bottle down and turning back to Blake, a softer smile returning to his face. No matter how casually it was said, hearing Blake express she'd been worried did affect him more than he could ignore.

"I'm glad you're here, Blake. I thought I was going to be a third wheel all night," he said, pointing to Chase and Jasmine. Of course, he was fully aware of the irony in his comment, given the times he and Blake had actively flirted in the presence of others. Frustratingly, he felt like there was presently an invisible force between him and Blake. As much as he wanted to engage in flirtatious banter, he was being held back. Adam took another sip of his beer, before idly placing the bottle down on the table. "I need some fresh air," Adam suddenly spoke up. "Blake, love, could you--" he awkwardly asked, waiting for his friend to let him out from the seat of the booth. Once standing, Adam was able to leave the pub, but he stopped after just a couple of steps forward. The man prided himself on not being a coward,and something about walking out of the pub leaving Blake confused felt like a cowardly thing to do. He'd faced many problems and battles in the past, so he knew he couldn't run away now. He turned back to the table, sending Chase and Jasmine a nod to assure them they didn't need to intervene, the then looked directly to Blake. "Actually, could you come outside and talk with me for a bit?" he asked the woman.

When their two friends left the pub, Jasmine turned to Chase with a wide-eyed expression. "Wait. This isn't Adam rushing her, is it?" she suddenly asked her husband.

Once they were outside, Adam led Blake to the parking lot next to the pub. He stopped once they were away from any other people and studied Blake for a moment. "Where are we at, Blake?" he asked her. By his serious expression and his conflicted tone, it was clear he wasn't asking a geographical question, but instead, one regarding their 'relationship'. He cleared he throat and was quick to speak again. "You said you were scared because I'd been shot, but how do you feel now? I mean, the thought of you being afraid, it just got to me," he said, unconsciously placing his hand to his chest. "Maybe you were joking, I don't know. But I don't have many people out here worrying about me," he admitted to her.


With Adam: Bellz (Blake)
With Jasmine: Pyroclast (Chase)
Nearby: (Elena and Thomas)

 

[Misty Gray]

The Wycliff Family Home
~ Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn ~

Valentina Wycliff​

Valentina had been glad to have some company for her shopping trip into Manhattan, especially as she was able to look beyond the idea of Harmony being her babysitter. She wasn't sure what Gabriel had been smoking the day he gave Harmony the position, but she was glad her father had pushed aside his sexist way of thinking on that occasion. The first stop had been to a store in Greenwich Village so she could collect a dress she'd had altered for a friend's upcoming wedding. The stop off was as brief as possible, with Valentina feeling anxious in the specific area of Manhattan. She knew she wouldn't feel better until they were back in the car and her former university was out of sight. It wasn't until they were back in the car and Harmony had set off driving that Valentina felt she could breathe easy again.

"I used to study at the university back there," she finally spoke. As she did, she clasped her hands together to conceal her trembling whilst she waited her to nerves to calm. "I was close to completing my degree, but after I was attacked and taken from the campus grounds, I never went back. I couldn't face it and the place still makes me feel sick now," she explained. She took a deep breath before deciding to change their next destination. They had been heading to Times Square to one of her favourite restaurants, but instead, she decided she'd feel better going to one of her family's regular eateries. "Actually, can we head to Murray Hill, instead? There's a restaurant just across the street from my Papa's main office," she said, figuring Harmony was fully aware of the tower block in question. She wouldn't admit it, but it wasn't just the familiar atmosphere and good food she was seeking. The fact the place was close to where Gabriel and Teddy were having their meeting, as well as in heavily guarded Moretti territory, made her feel much safer now memories of her brutal attack were circling her mind.

Once they were seated at the table, Valentina ordered herself a salad for lunch, along with a cocktail. She told Harmony to order too, confirming it was her treat. "You know, I was told there was a shop near here that sells make-up and hair accessories, but I can't recall the name. Apparently, the place sells these clip on hair extensions and I was going to get some colourful ones for Cristina to wear. Do you know of the shop? I figure that option is less permanent than hair dye and means it won't cause a stir during Sunday dinners at my parents' place."

Valentina's mind was still struggling to block out the stressful memories, so she tried to think of another topic to steer her thoughts. "Did you enjoy yourself at the club the other week? I know Ricky doesn't have much of a filter, so I hope he didn't make you feel awkward. He's a nice enough guy, and from what he told Teddy and me, he enjoyed meeting you."


BloodLightning27 (Harmony)
Mention: Melanin-Gxdess (Room for more at the table)

 

[BloodLightning27]

~Stella Kwon~Dublin, Ireland | Bodyworks Gym

Stella could feel her heart beating faster and it did not take long for her to start blushing when she looked down at Katsya's abs when the taller and more muscular woman posed with the weights she had briefly picked up before putting them back where they were supposed to be when not in use. Subtlety was definitely out of the question, this woman looked like she can lift an entire building! Stella's train of thought came to a halt when the woman introduced herself as Katsya before she made a comment about Stella's hair. While it wasn't rude or mean, it caught her off-guard. Because the hair-dying was purely her choice and it wasn't like her Colleagues hazed her by dying her hair against her will. Although she braced herself for a more off-hand comment, Stella was still caught off-guard with the leprechaun references. Was Katsya planning to make jokes about her hair the entire time? First the Rainbows...then her height, followed by the pots of gold...and now the cereal brand which also happened to be her favorite. Well...this is awkward.

Of course, it also didn't take a wizard to see that Stella wasn't in the best of moods. While she wasn't overly sad, she wasn't angry either. "Well, nothing that a workout could fix. Releasing anger is one thing, but a slowly breaking heart? Nah, usually the motivation goes out the window and I don't even wanna look at all the weights if we're being honest here." She said before putting her hands into her pockets. "I was called here on business as well." She said, getting straight to the point.

Once Katsya said that work was slow, Stella was inclined to agree because she hasn't seen too much action outside of playing debt collector. While she did not enjoy it, orders were orders. And telling her Boss 'no' was asking for trouble. At least today would be a nice change of pace, because she could do what's in her job description. "Anyway, I think work is about to pick up for us, so you'll have more of a legitimate reason to be out of the house or not attending whatever your Dad needs you to do. This morning, Mr. Sullivan told me that three of our people were targeted in an attack and asked me to track down who was responsible and bring 'em in. But before we go, I'd like to talk to Olivia." She said, maintaining a more serious demeanor in sharp contrast of Katsya's more carefree one. "After that, we can take my car. You'll just have to move the seat back all the way."

Once their conversation was wrapped up, Stella went ahead to approach Olivia.

Interactions: Katerina 'Katsya' Grey Mitheral Olivia Sullivan Misty Gray
Mentioned: Emery Callahan (Indirectly) Bellz​

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Sullivan Residence
~Sutton, Dublin~
Alexander King

"Oh, I got to know you alright," Alex stated, narrowing his eyes at her. Savannah was a genuine woman - nice and sweet and the sane part of Alex knew this to be the truth. However, ever since the attack on Spencer he couldn't help but believe she had been fooling him the entire time; had been fooling everyone. He believed that she knew what she was doing when she ran to her family about him and Spencer. As if a family dominated by manly men would let their princess be upset. Alex had come to know the Sullivan's as a violent family and he was pretty sure they knew about their own reputation. Of course the first thing they would resort to was violence. If she didn't know this that meant she was either naive or stupid and Alex was hoping it was the first.

Alex took a moment to let her speak, pacing the room. He was getting upset and since he promised Bruce he wouldn't act out of turn he needed to let off some steam. His hand ran across his face as he looked from the door to Savannah the moment she raised her voice. Alex had been unaware of whoever else was in the home and who may have been listening. Quite honestly he didn't care, but the last thing he needed or wanted was her family to butt into their business anymore. "And you couldn't have come to me? This is our business, Savannah. Not your family's! You got a problem, you take that up with me, darlin'." Granted Alex hadn't been the easiest to talk to but he couldn't help but think that maybe he'd be able to talk Spencer down and get him to butt out a little. "Oh, come on Sav, you really think he would try to keep you from your family? You want to visit them then go right ahead so long as you understand that my son comes back home." His voice was stern and almost menacing as he stared at her from across the room.

Again he paused to let her speak and yell at him while chuckling at her statement. It would always come back to him and his indescretions, didn't it? He walked closer to her until he was inches from her face. "You knew who I was before that, darlin' why act surprised?" Standing there for a moment, he smirked and backed up to give her space. Really, hearing those words made him angry but not with her. He was angry with himself that things had gotten this bad all because of him. Had he been able to change and keep his promises to her then perhaps none of this would happen. Of course, he wasn't going to tell her this and he wasn't going to let it show while they were arguing. "If you really wanted to go and see Kerry and Shona and Harper and Bruce then you fucking would so don't put that bullshit on me. Grow up, Princess."

Savannah ( Misty Gray )​

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Victoria Park
~Tower Hamlets, London~
Erik Snowden

Seeing Billy's reaction to being yelled at made Erik feel horrible. The last thing he wanted Billy to see of him was the dark side and it looked like he was getting a front-row seat. The moment he started talking to him he wished he would just stop. He didn't want to get into this, get into explaining everything. He just wanted to get high and back to the way things used to be; when he didn't know Billy was gay. Rolling his eyes and groaning Erik stared at him with an unamused look on his face. "Hiding something from you? What are you, my boyfriend?" Just saying the word 'boyfriend' caused his chest to ache but he wouldn't acknowledge it until later. With his mind, all fuzzled focusing on his emotions and containing them was far below the list. Billy had hurt him and what made matters worse was that he didn't even know how he had done it. It wasn't just anyone thing it was multiple things; some Billy hadn't even realized he was doing. Erik knew it was irrational to be angry at someone who didn't even know about themselves but logical thoughts were the last thing on his mind.

He brought up him calling him a queer a few weeks ago causing him to scoff and roll his eyes. Was that one of the reasons? Yes, but it wasn't even the big one. All his life he had dealt with homophobia but when it came from someone he thought was better than that it hurt. And here he was trying to blow it off as if it weren't important. Seeing the lipstick on Harper's face a few nights ago basically told Erik she was gay as well and made him wonder; if Billy knew about his sister he should have known better. "Forget about it? I thought better of you, Billy. You're a judgemental putz just like ev'ryone else, huh?" Erik frowned at him and shook his head. Somewhere deep inside Erik knew Billy hadn't meant to say any of it nor offend him. No one knew Erik was gay - that he knew of - so how could he still blame the man? All he had done was shown how much of an idiot he was.

Hearing that Billy wanted to know what he was hiding was probably his last straw. Why he had gotten so angry about it was beyond him but it did cause him to grab Billy by his jacket. "You want to go back to the way things were? How would that go, Billy, would you stop trying to fuck me in the backseat of taxi cabs?" There was a wild look in his eyes before he started chuckling. "Could you really be friends with a man who likes to fuck around with other men?" The moment he spat the words out he let go of Billy's jacket and pushed him back. "There you go. Now you know everything so what are we gonna do about it, huh? You- you- you gonna keep on callin' me a queer? You definitely can but remember you're one too." Somewhere in this Erik found the humor and started laughing. It started off as a chuckle before growing into one of hysteria. The lack of sleep, proper meals, and the fact that he was currently in withdrawals attributed to this. He could even blame it on the irony of it all, Billy not even realizing he was gay. "I'd have loved to see the look on your face had we both been drunk that night at your place." Raising his hand to caress his cheek he smirked. "I wonder. What does lil 'ole Billy look like with his face up against a pillow?" Erik was being cruel, taking things too far and his only reasoning was Billy did it so why can't I?

Billy ( Pyroclast )​

 

[BloodLightning27]

~Harmony Ryu~New York City | Brooklyn Heights

During the Shopping Trip, Harmony couldn't help but wonder what her predecessors were like. So far, she only assumed that they weren't as easygoing like she was. Probably weren't very social either. That would make the job very boring. Nonetheless, Harmony was happy, because she could easily be doing other things for the Mob that she would not likely enjoy. While Don Moretti was sexist (at least when they had first met a year ago), at least he wasn't a racist. Even then, its not like racism was a step up from sexism and neither of them should be condoned. Same with homophobia for that matter... No, no, today's supposed to be a happy day. Of course with that being said, such issues in society do need to be addressed, hopefully sooner rather then later.

When they arrived at a Dress Shop in Greenwich Village, Harmony noticed that Valentina was more anxious, but didn't understand why. She didn't even know if she should ask about it or not, because privacy was something that everyone in this organization valued, one way or another and neither her or Valentina were different. If the other woman were to open up to Harmony, sure. But given that they have only known one another for a couple of months and the first thing that happened was a trip to Miami, she thought it was better to ask herself maybe within the next year and a half at least. Once they were back in the car and started driving again, Valentina broke the silence and spoke about how she used to study at New York University and got close to completing her degree, but hasn't gone back since she was attacked and kidnapped. The thought of it broke Harmony's heart and made her want to cry. That was the last thing that she thought the two women would have in common; dropping out of University, albeit for different reasons. "Until I'm in the morgue or a body bag, I won't let anything happen to you." She said with conviction, in hopes that it would bring Valentina both comfort and feeling safe and protected.

Before they got close to Times Square, Valentina requested to have a change in destination. Thankfully, Harmony was a good driver, which was mandatory with living in California for several years. Soon, they found themselves driving to Murray Hill. The name sounded familiar. It soon clicked in her mind that they were gonna be closer to Don Moretti's Office. Wasn't Teddy meeting with him right now? Well it wasn't like the women were going to interrupt this meeting and had no pressing reason to. While it took her slightly longer to find a good parking spot, Harmony was able to find it and soon went with Valentina into the Restaurant across the street from where Don Moretti's Office was. For lunch, Harmony ended up ordering a ribeye steak after much contemplation. After her workout yesterday evening, she figured she needed the protean anyway. Nonetheless, she was mindful of the amount of red meat she consumed, having heard in recent years that consuming large amounts of it can lead to heart disease. The silence was broken once more when Valentina mentioned that there was a shop nearby that sold make-up and hair accessories. While she wore her fair share of make-up, Harmony wasn't the biggest fan of hair accessories, unless she was using a hair tie to get her hair into a ponytail whenever she was working out or doing chores. "I know what place you're talking about and where it is, but I don't remember the name either. Think I went there when I first moved here last year." She smiled a little when the older woman said that she'd be getting hair extensions for Cristina. "Hopefully Grandma and Grandpa won't mind that as much as actual hair dye. But at the end of the day, I think what matters most is if Cristina loves them herself."

Her Blood proceeded to run cold when asked if she had enjoyed the outing at the club almost two weeks ago. And of course, the first person mentioned...was Ricky. "Yeah, he is a kind gentleman all around, and I'm sure there was no ill-will, but there was an instance where he...made my Blood run cold and, well...almost made me cry." Harmony frowned, remembering how casually he spoke about drive-by shootings. "When I said that I didn't condone drunk driving, he talked about how this city had its fair share of pot holes, which would make Drive-By Shootings difficult. And since he didn't know, I didn't get angry at him for it, but that's how I lost my Brother. A sports car sped up the street we were on and...sprayed bullets at us. He took the brunt of it and...died in my arms that evening." Her mind then went back to Ricky. "He also said something about me not dwelling on death and that it's a good thing. I'd agree with him, but after my Brother died in my arms and my Father died holding my hand, I don't. And I can't." She shook her head, at this point, trying not to cry as she maintained eye contact with Valentina.

Interactions: Valentina Wycliff Misty Gray
Mentioned: Ricky Biancardi, Don Moretti Misty Gray | Teddy Wycliff Melanin-Gxdess​

 

[Bellz]

Julia Avvocata
Gabe's Office/Apartment
~Tower Block, Murray Hill, Manhattan~​

Despite the meeting Roxie had with Gabriel, it didn't exactly feel like anything had really changed in terms of her stepping up to the plate to be in New York, which annoyed Julia greatly. But knowing how much that would upset Ricky if she said anything about it, she kept it to herself. Things were going with the flow as far as business was concerned and Julia just sat idly back and let the men do their work. Ricky and her's relationship was becoming stronger with every passing day and Julia felt that soon she would be able to use that leverage to get Ricky to make his cousin bend to his will. Faint whispers of what needed to be done had made their way to Julia and she understood the assignment well, but good things took time and she was willing to give Ricky the time he needed to process everything that had gone on since his father died.

She hoped that not just as his girlfriend but also as his closest advisor and friend, Ricky would see that this whole back and forth between who was in charge just wouldn't work out. What company had two CEOs? What country had two Presidents? It just didn't work. Roxie had convinced most of the men involved that she was the one in the driver's seat but Ricky was continuing to do all the driving, for the most part, it simply didn't make any sense. Julia's jaw clenched as she tried to brush the frustrating thoughts from her mind. As they entered the elevator, she watched the numbers on r continue to go up until Ricky got her attention. His playful grin naturally brought out her own smile before he leaned in to kiss her, which she returned happily. When he pulled away, he straightened out his suit and made a teasing comment to which Julia laughed. He then spoke of looking forward to hearing what Gabe had to think about his concerns about the Irish and Julia smirked. "Ah, it's going to be an interesting meeting, that's for sure." She commented. "You're going to do great, Ricky." Julia said with full confidence before the elevator notified that they were stopping on the right floor. The doors opened and Ricky warned Julia that the security guard who had been handsy with her before was working this time around. "Great." Julia muttered less than enthusiastically before walking with Ricky towards the men who were waiting to search them.

This time around, Julia made a point to slap the guard's hand when he clearly was just touching her just to touch her. He sneered at her and Julia rolled her eyes. "I can assure you I am not hiding a weapon in between there!" Julia hissed as she placed her hand over her chest to cover it from being violated any further. The guard muttered his apology to which Julia grunted in response. Once they were both let past, they entered the room they were meeting in and their arrival was announced by one of the other guards. Seeing Gabriel and Teddy already situation, Julia was quick to greet them with a smile, allowing the men to shake hands as she moved to take a seat on the sofa on the other side of the table across from the Morettis. "I must say, it seems like your two search dogs out there don't get enough female interaction, searching for weapons in all the wrong places." Julia huffed, clearly troubled by being violated as she settled into her seat.

Once she was settled, she smiled at Gabe and Teddy kindly. "It's nice to see you both, however. How are the wives? How about the kids, Teddy?" Julia asked, eager to hear about his family. Once informed on everyone's personal lives, Julia fell silent to allow the men to start the meeting off, ready to jump in if need be.
with: Ricky + Gabe Misty Gray ; Teddy Melanin-Gxdess

 

[Pyroclast]

Billy King​

Once again, Billy recoiled at the venom in Erik’s words. His use of the word ‘boyfriend’ confounded him, failing to understand why Erik was so against the idea of opening up to him. Billy had already had enough of people teasing him about being too close to Erik but he never would have thought his friend would join in. Maybe in the end they had got closer than Erik had wanted - maybe the man wasn’t suited to the kind of open-hearted friendship that Billy thought they had and preferred to keep to himself. Whatever was going on, Billy felt totally blindsided. The two had had their fallings out in the past but never had he seen Erik act this way, much less been on the receiving end of it. Billy stared at him, speechless. With the bitterness in his tone and the hostility in his bloodshot eyes, Erik suddenly looked like a complete stranger.

His frown grew deeper when Erik called him judgemental. It reminded him of Harper, how upset she had been after Billy warned her not to be so public with the woman she had been on a date with. Despite her reaction, he still didn’t believe that counted as homophobia - he just thought that two women trading lipstick in a busy public space was more likely to draw unwanted attention and potential harassment than a woman and a man. Furthermore, if it had been two men in their place, they would obviously have been looking to get arrested. That’s how Billy justified it and in his mind, it made complete logical sense. So, since he could so easily justify it to himself, he had written off Harper’s furious outburst as just being upset not with Billy but at the harsh truth that she couldn’t do with a woman what she was allowed to do with a man. The homosexual life was a restricted one, and while he felt sorry for Harper for falling into that category, there was nothing he could do about it and therefore couldn't claim responsibility for upsetting her.

That Erik was now accusing him of being judgemental, however, was something Billy couldn’t make sense of so easily. Harper was bisexual, so he could at least understand why she would take it personally. But Erik? He had never expressed interest in men. When they went out clubbing together, it was always women that they went home with. Yet now, he was acting like Billy had offended him personally somehow.

Already having apologised multiple times, Billy wasn’t sure what else he could do. Even though they fell out from time to time, he had always had faith that the strength of their friendship would pull them back together in the end. As it seemed progressively more likely that Erik didn’t want to go back to being partners, a desperate ache started to grow in Billy’s chest. He had tried to get used to going out on jobs without him, but the thought that they would eventually get back together again had always kept him going. Without that hope, he wasn’t sure he could do it anymore.

Despite his intentions, Billy had never been very good at employing tact, and his questioning Erik suddenly reached a breaking point; the man grabbed hold of Billy’s jacket, pulling him in firmly. Though alarmed, Billy wasn’t intimidated by the action and felt no urge to free himself - instead, he instinctively placed his hands against his friend’s chest, ready to shove him away if needed. The words he spat then completely threw Billy off. His face contorted into a look of utter confusion. “What the fuck are you on about?” Now Erik just seemed crazy. “I never fucked you in the backseat of a taxi, Erik. You’re off your fuckin’ head, mate!”

When asked if he thought he could be friends with a man who got with other men, Billy couldn’t tell if he was being rhetorical or not - was he referring to himself as being gay, or was he accusing Billy of being gay and assaulting him in the back of a taxi? It was too much for him to untangle in such a short time, and the fact that Erik was so clearly high made him wonder if it was even worth trying to make sense of the man’s words. Erik shoved him away then, but Billy took a step forward, making it clear they weren’t done. “I don’t fuck around with other men, I never have and I never bloody will,” he insisted, raising his voice. “So you don’t have to worry about being friends with me, alright?”

Erik then quickly made it clear that he believed Billy was gay, and referred to himself as queer, too, before breaking out in hysterical laughter. Billy was too thrown by Erik’s erratic behaviour to know what to do with this information, be it true or a fabrication of his coked-up brain. After a few seconds of watching him, Billy started laughing along with him, momentarily convinced that it was all just a big, ridiculous misunderstanding that he would be able to clear up once he had got Erik sober. But then he remembered Erik telling him they had got into a fight with a taxi driver the night that Billy had got blackout drunk. Billy didn’t remember any of their night together whatsoever and so only had Erik’s word to go by. He had never said what the fight had been caused by, and he had never picked a fight with a taxi driver before, typically being more of a friendly drunk than an aggressive one. Yet it gave some weight to Erik’s accusation of him trying to have sex in the backseat of a taxi - not solid evidence, but enough to silence Billy’s laughter. While Erik continued to laugh, Billy’s face fell into a look of deep concern, his eyes turning vacant as he searched himself for any possibility that it could be true.

He was still far from reassuring himself when Erik turned to him and brushed his soft, familiar hand against Billy’s cheek. He met his eyes with a look of horror - and when Erik teased an image of him dominating Billy in the bedroom, his hand suddenly flew out and smacked Erik hard in the face.

Shock had taken over, and as soon as he had hit him, he himself was hit by a huge wave of guilt. A haunting memory of his previous best friend David flashed across his mind, leaving his head in a whirl. His heart was racing, his hands shaking and he couldn’t understand anything he was feeling. “Fuck, I’m sorry -” he blurted out, his breath catching on his words. He brought his hands to his mouth as he stared at Erik and the red handprint he had left on his face. “Just stop, okay? Please, I just - I can’t - just shut up for a second!”

There was too much running through his mind for him to keep up with. He put his hands out in front of him as if it'd help get his thoughts straight. “Erik, mate, here’s the thing,” he started, voice wavering slightly. “If this is what you need to hear, then fine - I care about you, a lot, okay? When you disappear, I can’t rest and I can’t stop thinking about you and I can’t do my job properly ‘cause nothing fuckin’ feels right.” His breath was trembling as he spoke, and he had to strain his voice to disguise it. “But you know me, Erik, I’m an obsessive guy, okay? You become part of my routine and then you leave and it freaks me out because things ain’t normal anymore and everything has to change and I can’t adapt fast enough so it’s like you’re just…missing. And it fucking scares me. And then I find you like this, all fucked up, and I just...I want to take you home and take care of you so we can go back to being a team again.”

Every word that came out of his mouth was honest, and came from somewhere deep within him that not even Billy had ever explored. “I understand how that might have come across as me being attracted to you, but I swear I’ve never thought about us that way. All I know is, we’re Billy and Erik. We’re a team. And if you’re really queer, then I can live with that. Just please don’t break up the team, Erik - I can’t do any of this without you anymore. I need you at my side. Please. I’ll do anything...”

Melanin-Gxdess Erik
Bellz Harper (mentioned)

Bruce King​

It irked Bruce that Conor seemed to be making every effort to insult his family. They were only a few minutes into the meeting and he could already tell the outcome they were heading towards. The way he made it sound like it was Alex’s fault they had had to remain in business together, as if ungrateful for Callum’s existence, and the way he used the word ‘sorry’ without actually apologising, it all made it quite clear that Conor had no intention of repairing what was left of their relationship. Bruce listened as he criticised Alex’s character, then Spencer’s, wondering how long it would be until he started directing his insults towards Bruce himself.

“If you think Spencer feels hard done by, it’s only because his nephew was removed from our half of the family without warning, without discussion or formal arrangement. I don’t suppose you’d care the same if we held Callum in London and didn’t let his mum take him back to Ireland. Depriving him of his English heritage hurts him, it hurts us, and if you ain’t careful it’ll hurt you and yours, too.”

Syd scoffed lightly at Bruce’s threat, causing the man to shift his eyes onto him. Bruce smiled at him. “You ain’t intimidated by us,” he murmured, to which Syd just smirked. Bruce gave a casual shrug before resetting his main focus onto Conor. He didn’t mind if the Sullivans got cocky or overconfident. They didn’t know about the alliance that the Kings were on the brink of forming with the Morettis.

“Did I hear you correctly, Conor?” he asked, narrowing his eyes slightly. “It’s just, I thought I heard you suggest that we find a compromise. And I hate to have to point out the obvious to an intelligent man like yourself, but that’s exactly what we’ve been trying to do. No effort on your part. That’s why it looks like harassment to you - because all the conversation’s comin’ from our side.” The neutral expression Bruce had so far done well to maintain was now tainted by the hostile glint that shone from his eyes. “If Savannah don’t want to come to England no more, then that’s fine - no one’s forcin’ her to come. But we ain’t done nothin’ to forfeit our right to have Callum in London with his family and if you’re set on denyin’ him his time with us at home then we're goin' to have a problem.” Slowly, he leaned forward to take his drink into his hand and then settled back into his seat before taking a sip. “So, how would you like this to go, Conor? Are you goin' to work with us to arrange for Callum to spend equal time in London as in Dublin, or are things goin' to get messy?”

Interactions
Misty Gray Conor
Melanin-Gxdess Alex (mentioned)

 

[Misty Gray]

The Sullivan Residence
~ Sutton, Dublin ~

Savannah Callahan​

Savannah found it frustrating how Alex said she should have gone to him with their business. Either Alex was out looking after number one or they were simply being cold towards each other. Whichever one it was, she hadn't felt comfortable approaching him about Spencer intimidating her. No matter what he might have said he'd do, she doubted he'd have taken her side on the matter, likely calling her soft whilst he defended his older brother. Whether wrong or not, it was how Savannah had felt and why she hadn't been comfortable attempting to talk to Alex about how unhappy she was in London. It was his fault she wasn't happy there to begin with, as far as she was concerned. "It might be our business, but that also makes it my business, and thus my family's business too. Spencer butts in enough, so why can't I involve my family?" she argued. She lightly shrugged her shoulders when Alex asked if she believed Spencer would have kept her from her family. "I know he's not a bad person and mostly he's made me feel welcome in your family, but lately he just made me feel intimidated and like I had to answer to him and you." She scoffed at Alex's comment suggesting she was okay to bring Callum to Dublin to visit but the boy had to go back home - to London. She shook her head, dismissing the suggestion that London was Callum's home rather than Dublin.

Savannah stood straight and held her position when Alex got in her face. She clenched her fists as she made sure not to back away or cower down to his behaviour. Hearing him call her "darlin'" for the second time ignited an anger within her that she had to force herself to hold in. Thankfully, he backed away and gave her space before she gave in to the urge to slap him across the face. She remained in the same spot and folded her arms as she relaxed again. He dismissed her not seeing Kerry and the other Kings, before telling her to grow up and calling her a princess. "You're such a prick," she shot back at him, unfolding her arms to she could hold one hand out to gesture towards him. "I wish you hadn't bothered coming here at all. You should have stayed on some beach, thinking all about yourself, whilst getting pissed up and screwing some dirty whore. Because I'll tell you now, Dublin is Callum's home, so you can start having more vacations here if you're so serious about seeing our son."

Before Savannah could continue, she was silenced by the sound of small footsteps which were soon confirmed as belonging to Callum. "Mummy. There's a frog outside!" the boy loudly announced to her as he rushed into the lounge. His excitement about the creature was soon overshadowed when he realised Alex was in the room. "Daddy!" he shouted as he sprinted towards Alex to give him a boisterous, tight hug. "Are you coming to live with us? We've got a new house with a big bedroom for me and space for new toys," he informed Alex. "Can I come on holiday with you next time? Please?" the boy happily asked as he beamed at seeing his father.

Despite the cold words having just been shared with Alex and how tense she felt about it all, Savannah couldn't help but smile as she watched Callum looking so happy at Alex's surprise visit. She sat down in the armchair at the opposite side of the sofa Alex and Callum were standing close to. She chose to sit back to let Alex and Callum interact with each other. As angry as she was with Alex, she wouldn't say or do anything to sour the moment the two were having together. "Deep breaths, Callum," she softly told him so he wouldn't continue firing out information and questions at Alex before the man could respond to them.

Melanin-Gxdess (Alex)

 

[Misty Gray]

Bodyworks Gym
~ Dublin City Centre, Dublin ~

Olivia Sullivan​

Olivia had moved to the water fountain to fill up her sports bottle when her attention was drawn to the two motorbikes that pulled into the gym parking lot. Although it was now dark, there was something familiar about the bikes and the two riders who moved from their vehicles to lean against the wall chatting. Olivia let out a groan before moving to the reception desk where she left her bottle. "Bloody Sweeney lot again," she grumbled to the young man working on the reception desk.

Olivia marched out of the gym and into the parking lot where she approached the two poorly dressed bikers. "Oi, you two again?" she shouted at the two men. She'd been there a few days ago when Adam had told the two gang members to park their motorbikes elsewhere. "You're not members of the gym, so fuck off," she ordered them. Granted, even with his injured arm healing, Adam had been more of an imposing presence on the two skinny men Olivia was now squaring up to. Whilst they'd rushed to comply when Adam was giving the orders, they were now laughing at the young blonde telling them what to do.

"We'll join the gym if you give us a private workout session," one of the men crudely suggested.

"Eww, gross," Olivia turned her nose up at them. Although they were only a few years older than she was, nothing about their poor attire and general appearance was at all appealing. "No. You need to park your trash bikes elsewhere."

Before further argument, a car pulled up in the parking lot and two bigger and older men climbed out of the vehicle. They were clearly aligned with the two men Olivia was arguing with and soon asked their friends what was going on, before one of the newcomers addressed Olivia "We're just waiting on one more guy before going across to a pub over across road and leaving our motors here, kid. No harm done, so run along back inside and stop fucking whining," Phelan Sweeney told Olivia. He was the youngest of the three Sweeney brothers, with the other two siblings not present that evening.

Deciding she was outnumbered now, Olivia lightly shook her head. "You ugly, dumb piece of shit," she muttered under her breath as she made her way back inside the gym. Aware the Sullivan heavy on duty, Knox, had left the gym to take a short break, she looked around to see who else could assist her in moving the trash out of the parking lot. Noticing Stella approaching her, she walked towards the woman to meet her halfway, also motioning for Katsya to join them. "Hey, um..." she began. Although she was related to Conor and had known Adam before getting the job, Olivia still felt like she was getting used to the place. A newbie. "Those Sweeney guys have parked up outside again and won't budge. Adam said those dickheads weren't allowed here and we're supposed to make them move. Only, I tried, but last I checked there was four of the ugly bastards and I'm only one person. Knox went off for his break... I could do with some backup?" she sheepishly asked the two women.

BloodLightning27 (Stella) Mitheral (Katsya)

 

[Misty Gray]

The Sullivan Residence
~ Sutton, Dublin ~

Conor Sullivan & Kane Stenberg​

Conor could see that he was getting to Bruce and in the past he would have made an effort to smooth it over, but he was tired of giving others chance to take advantage of his family's generosity. Still, there was a small part of him that wasn't overly keen on the approach he was taking. As much as two of Bruce's nephews bugged him, Conor and Bruce had mostly got along well in the past. He just never knew when he could trust an ambitious man, especially one whose nephew was quick to betray Savannah.

Listening as Bruce spoke of Callum being taken from the Kings without warning, he slowly shook his head. "Sav is the one who's looked after Callum and sacrificed the most, so I'd say she's earned the right to decide where she and Callum live." Hearing Bruce's apparent threat, Conor sat forward and glared at the man, before glancing to Syd as he scoffed at the Englishman's words. Conor let out a humoured chuckle at Bruce's next comment. "No, we're not intimidated by you. Not by the rest of your family, nor by this big guy here," he said, pointing to Kane, who remained stern-faced and silent. Conor locked his eyes back on Bruce's as his tone grew more serious. "So I recommend you keep your threats to yourself before I start taking them seriously," he said, giving Bruce a warning of his own.

Bruce brought the conversation back to the topic of compromising and how they'd been trying to do that but with little effort from Conor. He listened to the Englishman, letting him say his peace about Callum's living arrangements, before letting out a sight and relaxing his posture. Despite his stubbornness, there was always that part of Conor that remembered being a reckless young man at Alex's age, as well as Aliana's threats to take Leo away. The situation with the Kings was a volatile one, which made it more difficult to trust the Londoners now. "Things is, I understand that you and your family want to see Callum too. I totally get that," he assured Bruce. "In an ideal world, I could compromise in the way you suggest, and let Callum split his time between here and London. But what if one of your lot decide to punish Sav or the rest of us? I don't know what guarantee would be enough for me to feel comfortable in letting Savannah step foot in London again, never mind leave Callum there."

Conor took a sip of his gin before clearing his throat. "Our situation, it's already messy, ain't it?" After a brief pause, he decided to say what else was eating at him. "You see, a couple of weeks back, there was a shooting over here. The gunman targeted Sav's sister. It could be a coincidence, but... Well, Spencer was attacked by my guys and then a few days later, someone tries to shoot Emery. You get where I'm coming from, yeah? Did you or any of your lot arrange for that to happen, in retaliation?" he directly asked Bruce, looking the man in the eyes as he awaited the response.

Pyroclast (Bruce, Syd)

 

[Mitheral]

Bodyworks Gym
~ Dublin City Centre, Dublin ~

Katsya (Katerina Grey)​

Katsya would have liked to finish her conversation with Stella. But as the smaller woman had said, it could wait. Ms. Sullivan took priority - nepotism or not. Her first gut instinct was to walk out and bash some heads in. If she had known what they had said to Olivia, she probably would have. Probably not for the best as that could have landed her in jail. Dom would have had a fit. So Katsya’s mind backpedaled in the interest of efficiency and results - permanent results.

Katsya quoted bits of Olivia’s tirade. “Parked. Won’t budge. Adam said. You tried and they … riiiiigght.” She glanced at Stella. “My usual thing is cleaning up messes, not making them. So … options? Simple enough to call the police. Parking for members only, which I assume they are not. Arrest them for trespassing. Impound their precious bikes and cars? Too legal? My job includes making things disappear. Have a little patience. Let them head on into the Pub - which I assume that is what they are here for. THEN tow them away - police or not. Dad and I have a couple contacts I could call. You’ll never see their vehicles again. Recycle Ireland.”

She looked again at Stella. “Ever crush a car before? It’s great fun.”

Then she turned to Olivia. “Or we could work them over really well, drag them up to the top of a tall building and hang them by their toes. Make them cry a little.”

Misty Gray (Olivia BloodLightning27 (Stella)