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

[Pyroclast]

The Mercury Nightclub Building Site
~ Bethnal Green, London ~

Billy King​

It was hard to tell how Spencer really felt about Billy and Erik being gay. He told Billy there was no need to apologise, but his tone was short and he sounded frustrated. While he waited for the man to get his thoughts together, Billy spent every second trying to guess, watching and listening for signs that it wasn’t going to be a problem for him, that Billy wasn’t a disappointment or a disgrace. Spencer warned them of the risks of keeping such a heavy secret, and Billy knew exactly what he meant - so far, Spencer was handling it relatively well and Billy didn’t believe he would react violently, but he was aware that one of the outcomes of being caught in the arms of another man was getting beaten up or even killed. If it had been someone else walking in on them, they might not have been so lucky. Regardless, Spencer assured him that he wouldn’t tell anyone their secret.

The thought that he had risked Erik’s role in the business made him want to cry. If Bruce decided to separate the pair to avoid trouble and ended up flying Erik back to New York, how would they explain it to Moretti? Erik could end up in danger, and it would be Billy’s fault…furthermore, the thought of not having him around anymore would break his heart. Billy was on the verge of tears as he awaited Spencer’s verdict, but instead his brother told him to calm down. He had already agreed to keep their secret for them so Billy would hope that included their uncle, but he knew how closely Spencer and Bruce worked together so if it was going to be an issue he wouldn’t be surprised if it was one they ended up discussing.

His throat burned as he fought to keep his breathing under control without drawing attention to how anxious he felt. The room fell quiet as Spencer dug out a packet of cigarettes and Billy glanced at Erik, wondering how he felt about being exposed in such a way. He wanted time alone with him to ask, but was worried he would be upset and wouldn’t want to talk to him. Erik rejected the offer of a cigarette and that made Billy want to do the same, but after a few seconds he gave in. He let Spencer light it for him, but once he had it in his hand he stepped back to reestablish the distance between them.

Billy had to look away when Spencer awkwardly explained that he didn’t know any other gay men. Whilst on the one hand that meant there were no specific examples of gay men he had in mind to compare Billy to, it also made Billy and Erik the first, and that put some pressure on him to be as easy to accept as possible so as not to negatively influence Spencer’s opinion of homosexuality. However, his brother went on to express no desire to judge him or Erik, and that his sexuality didn’t change the fact that he was still his brother. Billy looked him in the eye, the lingering shock and fear now combining with overwhelming relief that Spencer still loved him and drawing tears to his eyes. Biting down on his lip, he nodded his head when prompted.

Seeing his brother draw from his cigarette reminded him that his own was slowly burning away between his fingers, and so he took a drag, too. Any humour in Spencer’s next remark was lost on Billy and he reached up to cover his face, blushing deeply at the thought that he and Erik could have been caught doing something far more incriminating if Spencer had arrived just a minute later. Regardless, Spencer’s frustration seemed to have simmered down, bringing the tension down with it, and so when he expressed his concern for their safety, Billy felt a bit more understood. He too was worried about being caught by the wrong person. While he had been too drunk to remember, Erik had told him about the taxi driver who had beaten them up after Billy had started trying to have sex with Erik in the backseat. It saddened him to know that they would have to deal with such prejudice and hostility if they ever wanted to be free. However, as Erik pointed out, he had been dealing with the discrimination since he was a teenager and was by now used to handling it without getting too upset. Billy didn’t know the extent of Erik’s experiences with homophobic assaults, but he trusted him either way.

When Spencer brought up Gabriel, Erik confirmed that the New York boss knew nothing about his sexuality and that he’d prefer to keep it that way. He referred briefly to Tatiana and what she had said about her father’s treatment of her around her own sexual orientation. It wasn’t something Billy had spoken with her about, but he knew that her being a lesbian wasn’t exactly a secret. Still, Billy had never got the impression that Gabriel was a very open-minded man and so he was relieved that Erik had managed to keep his sexuality a secret from him all these years. Considering Billy had already accidentally outed himself both to Jeremy and now to Spencer, he figured he could learn a thing or two from Erik about how to be more discreet.

There was something comforting about listening to Erik reassure his brother that there was no need to worry. If Billy was going through this on his own he was sure he wouldn’t feel half as calm as he did with Erik at his side. He mirrored Erik’s soft smile with one of his own as the two men exchanged warm glances, and he felt his anxiety ease a little, taken over by the love he had felt before Spencer had caught them. However, Erik’s smile didn’t last long before it was replaced by a heavy sigh. Billy frowned slightly, and when the man went on to say that he was willing to keep it a secret, it was suddenly all too obvious that the idea of pretending to be someone he wasn’t was going to hurt Erik. His sweet words made Billy feel loved, but he felt bad knowing that he was essentially forcing the man to hide who he was.

“I’ll tell him,” Billy suddenly said, looking at Spencer to see if he might discourage the idea. “Bruce, I mean. I…I should tell him at some point, anyway, so it might as well be soon. Then all that’s left is Darcey and Alex…” He glanced briefly at Erik, suddenly realising he had never told him that he had already come out to a couple of people. “I told Harper first,” he sheepishly admitted. “Before the attack…I’m sorry, I just had to talk to someone, and I thought she’d understand ‘cause she’s into women and that. But then Jeremy overheard…” Billy looked down, shifting his weight between his feet as his forgotten cigarette continued to burn away without him. “I was gonna tell you, too, Spencer, but…I wasn’t sure if you’d be okay with it…and your opinion could change things, you know?” He felt his voice waver as the old feeling of dread resurfaced. It had been with him for such a long time that he couldn’t get rid of it in the space of their short conversation. “But if…” He glanced to Erik, reminding himself of why he needed to tell Bruce. “If you were willing to back me up if he doesn’t accept it, then…I’ll tell him. I just don’t want him to send Erik back.”

As if on cue, the main door opened again and Bruce walked in. “Oh, you’re all in ‘ere,” the man said, letting the door swing shut behind him as he made his way into the room. Having only spotted Billy’s car outside, he thought he would only be able to round up his youngest nephew for the meeting they were supposed to be having, but seeing the others was useful. When he noticed the distance between the three men and the startled look on Billy’s face, he realised he had walked into a somewhat heavy atmosphere. Stopping in his tracks, Bruce looked between the three of them. “What’s goin’ on ‘ere, then?” he asked in a serious tone. “Is there somethin’ I need to know?”

Still slightly red in the face, Billy took a long drag of what was left of his cigarette before dropping it at his side. “Um…”

Bruce raised an expectant eyebrow and took a step forward, concerned that something bad had happened. “What is it? Just tell me.”

“I…I’m…” Billy stammered, glancing between Erik and Spencer for support before returning his focus to his uncle. “I have something to tell you.”

“Well, we don’t got all day,” Bruce pressed, though his eyes carried some concern. “What’ve you done?”

Billy fidgeted on the spot, feeling the burning sensation return to his throat as if trying to save him from speaking the words aloud. His breaths were growing heavy and rapid, but he was there, now, and with Spencer and Erik as witnesses, he knew there was no backing out.

“I’m gay.”

As soon as the words left him, his eyes filled with tears and he had to bring both hands to his mouth to help stifle a sob. Bruce was staring at him, eyes wide, and even though he wanted desperately for the floor to open up and swallow him, he managed to maintain eye contact with his uncle, watching for his reaction.

“Okay, well…so, what, you like men, then?” he asked, and Billy let his hands drop, able to take a deep breath before nodding his head. “And why am I hearin’ about this now? Are you in trouble?”

Surprised that his uncle didn’t appear as shocked as he had expected, Billy was able to calm down a little. “No,” he sniffed, shaking his head. “It’s just, I’m realisin’ that…I can’t go back to lyin’ myself anymore. ‘Cause there’s someone…” A hitch in his breath cut him off as he struggled to fully rein in his crying. Instead, he simply turned and looked at Erik.

A few seconds passed before Bruce said, “It’s you, Erik?”

“Please don’t send him back,” Billy practically whispered, his voice taken from him by the weight of his fear. His uncle approached his New York employee and placed a hand on his shoulder before beckoning Billy over and doing the same to him.

“Look,” Bruce said with a small sigh, looking each of them in the eyes. “What two men get up to behind closed doors ain’t no business of mine. What does concern me, however, is how this impacts the firm. I know you two have had your tiffs in the past, and if that’s the kind of relationship you’re gonna have, then I ain’t gonna stand for that. I put you workin’ with each other ‘cause it made sense and so far, apart from the odd fallin’ out you two have had, it’s been a worthwhile investment. Do you agree?” Billy nodded, reaching up to dry his eyes. “So if you’re gonna do this, don’t be stupid. No attractin’ trouble and no messy break-ups. Erik, you’ve made a good home for yourself with us and I’d take it hard to see you leave us, but you are an employee of mine first and foremost and if this little love affair between you boys turns sour, I will be sendin’ you back to New York, for my nephew’s sake, and also for the sake of the business. Do you understand?”

Once all was confirmed, Bruce drew Erik into a firm hug and kissed the side of his head. He then did the same to Billy, squeezing his nephew tight. “There,” he said with a heavy sigh once he had released his nephew. “We all alright now? Billy, dry your eyes, there’s no need to cry.” He walked away, allowing the pair to recover from the confrontation, and instead he moved over to Spencer.

“The others are waiting at this meeting, now,” he said, rather flatly. He was aware that he and Spencer hadn’t spoken to each other since their fight the previous week, but after the drama with Billy and Erik, he wasn’t in the mood for another confrontation. “We should go. You can get Billy to drive you if your car ain’t nearby, and I’ll meet you both there.”

Now that he knew where they were, Bruce decided to make his way to the meeting with Darcey and Alex that he had organised, expecting Spencer and Billy to follow when they were ready. “Don’t be long,” he reminded them on his way out. “And Erik, if you’ve managed to get this one to come out after all the fake girlfriends he’s told me about, he must be pretty damn fond of ya’. So don’t hurt ‘im, or you’ll see what sort of uncle I really am.”

Interactions
Melanin-Gxdess Erik
Misty Gray Spencer

 

[BasDorcha]

Le Hospital
Michelle Romano

Michelle smiled, leaning against the wall as her head swiveled to look through the window to her dad’s room. Unable to see much, she looked back at Ed, nodding to him. “Yeah… I grew up with my mom mostly, just came home for holiday and the likes. I grew up abroad from here, spent some time in America, grew up mostly in Italy, then spent some years in Portugal. That’s where I moved from, this time, just a bit ago. Moved when my divorce was finalized.” Michelle’s face never faltered from a casual smile, but her eyes darkened a bit, and her voice paused, impregnating the space between them with unspoken thoughts.

Waving them away, she dismissed the thought, returning to her seat. “Moved back for a fresh start. I hadn’t spent a lot of time with my dad growing up, so I figured it was time.” She thought about her kids, and how she was ready to bring them home. Michelle had seen a place not far from her dad’s home that she wanted to see about. It had looked nice from the outside, and once her dad was doing better, she was going to go speak to the people about renting it. Still, she needed a job.

Traveling around all her life had seemed alright, most of the time. Her first memories were in America, playing in the snow, living in an American city and not knowing any better. Then her and her Mom had moved back to Dublin for a bit, not staying for long. Mom was sad after that, for a long time. They stayed in the old country, living in a rural town that was not quite so small it was behind the times, but not so big it was on the brink of the age. Mom had eventually met her step dad and became the happiest she’d ever seen her.

These days her mom and step dad spent most of their time traveling, only coming home for brief periods throughout the year. That had been a large contributing factor to her decision to move. She hadn’t admitted it to any one yet, but she was scared of being alone, scared of having to be a single mom, scared to be cut off from everything she knew. Moving to Dublin had been a big change, there was a lot here she didn’t know. She felt like a stranger with her family, but at least she had family here. Portugal held a few casual friends, terrible memories and the woman who broke up her marriage.

“Don’t worry, I am not intentionally going to start a fight with Ali, I actually mean to apologize. Feel free to disappear if it makes you uncomfortable, you can just blame me. Tell them I told you off, yeah?” She laughed and for a moment, she looked just like her father.

Mentions and Interactions BloodLightning27 - Ed
Misty Gray - Conor
Melanin-Gxdess - Aliana​

 

[Misty Gray]

The Royal Taphouse
~ Bethnal Green, London ~

Christian Brooks​

Unless May was just joking, Christian realised he wasn't the only one who had been catching some signals flying between Alex and Kerry. She had laughed as she said it, but May sounded convinced that Alex hated her. Turned out the last time she'd spoken with him she hit him. He had no doubts May being related to the Sullivans was the driving force behind her tensions with Alex. Considering his issues with Savannah and over custody of Callum, along with the new war, it made sense Alex had a particularly negative opinion of the Irish. "Well, then. I guess the best thing we can do is leave him distracted by Kerry," he lightly suggested. He caught on to May's comment about not being good at making friends; something she had alluded to in a previous interaction of theirs. Darcey returned before he could question her about it, but it didn't stop him from thinking about it. It was difficult knowing she had a whole side of her family she didn't know about. Deep down, he hoped she could learn the truth, no matter how much of a let down he believed Trevor would be to her.

Christian couldn't help but scoff at May's comment about him rescuing damsels in distress. "Oh, please. Let me tell you, if that's what I've been doing, then the movies are feeding us all lies. I should have ladies - former damsels in distress - queuing at my front door my now," he joked. His face returned to a neutral expression when Darcey pointed out to May that they didn't know much about him. The two women were aware that he likely knew more about them than he let on, which was true, especially in May's case. As difficult as it was to keep so much knowledge to himself, confidentially had been a big part of his training and time working as a detective. "I can't take full blame for that one, ladies. It's not often people want to know about me. I'm usually asked to reveal what I know about others rather than about myself," he admitted.

When the conversation turned to May's visit to New York, Christian looked curiously to her as he awaited her response to Darcey's question. "I can't imagine what it was like, mind you. Not only attending a funeral, but with the Moretti lot, no less!"

BasDorcha (May)
Melanin-Gxdess (Darcey)

*****

The Royal Taphouse
~ Bethnal Green, London ~

Kerry Patrick​

Taking another drink from her wine glass, Kerry smiled at Alex. "Maybe after the classy stuff I'll move on to the whiskey, like you common folk," she teased. "Wouldn't want you thinking I'm cheating at this drinking lark." Kerry hadn't been oblivious to Alex's comment about May, but had chosen not to mention it until they were further away at their own table. "So, what's the deal with you and May?" she curiously asked. She was sure her friend had plenty of secrets or things she didn't feel comfortable about telling her, so Kerry wondered what the issue was between the two. "Did something happen between you two?" she asked, wondering if he understand what she was getting at. Given Alex's reputation, she didn't think it was unreasonable for her to wonder if it involved the two hooking up or the issue been that one of them had been rejected in such an attempt.

Kerry listened as Alex explained how things were tense around his family. Hearing that Spencer and Bruce were presently on bad terms gave her an explanation as to why she hadn't seen her employer around the pub recently. Alex continued on, explaining how stressed his brother was. Lately, Kerry had seen and heard a lot of things which by now had explained to her why Spencer often came across as uptight and closed off. Hearing about Trevor's appearance and the ongoing issues with Conor made her feel bad for not giving Spencer the benefit of the doubt in the past. Admittedly, she'd assumed he was a control freak - another cocky gangster. Now, she felt she had some understanding about why he was the way he was, and she certainly sympathised when it came to knowing how horrible Conor could be. "That does sound like a lot to be dealing with. If there's anything I can do, other than working extra here, then I would like to help." It hadn't been up until very recently that she'd seen the softer and concerned side to Alex. She wasn't sure if it was just her having been blinded by the reputation that she'd been told about him, or simply because they'd only recently started talking on a one-to-one basis.

The pause in conversation allowed Kerry to reach for her glass to take another drink from it. She almost choked on her wine when Alex informed her he was pursuing legal custody of Callum. "Sorry..." she apologised, clearing her throat as she set the glass down on the table. "How do you feel about that? How does she feel about that?" she curiously asked. Any separation was messy enough when it came to having a child stuck in the middle of it all, but that was made worse by the geographical distance between the boy's parents and the war between their families. "It's a shame it's come to that, but I understand. After everything that's gone down between your families, it's going to be difficult for you to see Callum often. It's good that you're willing to fight for you son," she assured him, with a warm smile. Whilst she felt bad for Savannah, it was not a matter she herself had any right being involved in. However, considering it was the Sullivans who had been attacking the Kings in the first place, Kerry figured it wasn't right Alex would end up no longer able to see his son when he wanted to.

Melanin-Gxdess (Alex)

The Mercury Nightclub Building Site
~ Bethnal Green, London ~

Spencer King​

Spencer nodded in understanding when Erik made it clear he didn't want Gabriel knowing the truth. His own impression of the Italian was that the man was extremely old-fashioned and closed-minded, so it came as no surprise at all that Erik wouldn't want him knowing the truth. Spencer raised a curious eyebrow hearing it suggested that Tatiana had had it rough from her own father her sexuality. "No wonder you and her seem so happy to be here in this shithole known as London," he drily remarked. Spencer listened as Erik went to tell him they didn't have to tell Bruce or Gabriel the truth, that they'd be more careful. Spencer was a realist and not a man who sugar-coated situation, and when it came to his brother's safety and well-being, he wasn't about to soften on it now. "You're both going to have to be better at hiding it. It doesn't bother me if I see the pair of you kissing, just like how it's never bothered me seeing Alex smooching women on our nights out. It's people outside of our circle I can't speak for or control. Other people aren't forced to evaluate how they see things. I don't want to see you guys hurt." Spencer had no doubts there were people involved in their business who would judge Billy for his sexuality. He also knew for sure members of the public, be they other drinkers on a night out or fans at a football game, for example, could react violently or in other ways hurtfully towards gay men.

When Billy spoke up to say he would tell Bruce, Spencer looked to him with clear surprise on his face. Given his current issues with his uncle, Spencer found himself questioning how Bruce would react. As pissed off as he was with the man, he believed Bruce wouldn't be judgemental towards Billy for his sexuality, but he expected he would be vocal about how it would affect their business and reputation. Regardless of his concerns, Spencer nodded in agreement. "Better to tell him on your own terms now than have him find out some other way," he told his brother. He figured it would be better for both of them. Billy could tell Bruce on his own terms and Spencer wouldn't have to keep a secret from his uncle. After the one Trevor had recently blurted out, Spencer knew first hand how much their uncle didn't like being kept in the dark.

Hearing that Billy had told Harper was understandable, given how close his two youngest siblings were. He didn't touch on it, but Harper being into women was news to him too. Given his suspicions that Jeremy had a thing for Harper, Spencer wondered if her being attracted to women would put a stop to that. On top of all that, hearing that Jeremy had overheard for some reason stung. Knowing his best friend and siblings had kept secrets from him made him feel somehow put out. Not to mention left him questioning how much he really knew about his siblings lately, especially with the business taking up much of his time over the years. Were all of his family members keeping secrets from him? Alex too? Spencer hadn't realised just how much his siblings felt unable to confide in him with their personal troubles. When Billy added that he was going to tell Spencer but had been concerned how he'd take it, Spencer simply nodded his head in understanding. When his brother than said he would tell Bruce if Spencer was willing to back him up, the eldest brother looked him in the eyes. "Course I will, Billy," he assured him. He wasn't sure what backing up Billy would look like given his own tensions with Bruce, but he wasn't about to let his brother deal with it without his support if their uncle wasn't accepting.

"He can--" Spencer was cut short from continuing on the subject of telling Bruce when he heard the door open. Turning to see Bruce approaching, Spencer folded his arms when his uncle addressed them. His own expression remained serious and straight as he held back from greeting his uncle. It was difficult, given how in the past he'd always been pleased to see his uncle and speaking to him came so naturally. Now, he wasn't about to force any pleasantries he didn't mean. Thankfully, Billy didn't hesitate to open up to Bruce, saving Spencer from stepping up to take on the role of getting the conversation started. He stood by quietly as after a little pressure from Bruce, Billy was able to open up and tell him the truth. Spencer was relieved to hear their uncle being accepting of Billy's sexuality, as well as being approving after learning Erik was the object of his affections.

As he'd done with Spencer, Billy asked Bruce not to send Erik back to New York. Bruce made it clear the couple's relationship was none of his business. As expected, he was concerned about how it could affect the business, especially if their emotions started affecting their work. Everything his uncle was saying sounded reasonable to Spencer, especially as they were in line with his own concerns. He was glad to see Bruce embrace Erik and Billy, as he hoped this would be enough to given his youngest brother the confidence and reassurance he was in need of.

When Bruce approached him, Spencer kept his arms folded to maintain the barrier between the two of them. Bruce flatly informed him that the others were waiting at the meeting, prompting a simple nod from Spencer. In all honesty, he wasn't quite sure what meeting his uncle was talking about. It was clear he needed to be in attendance when his uncle suggested Billy could drive him there. Deciding not to end up in a potential confrontation in front of Billy, who had enough to process, Spencer didn't refuse the meeting, despite what his gut was telling him. "Alright," he simply confirmed to Bruce. He then turned away and made a point of returning into the toilets where the builder's light needed switching off.

Having left the others to finish talking, Spencer re-joined Billy and Erik only after Bruce had left. "Guess you're driving," he told Billy. "You can remind me what this bloody meeting is about while you're at it."

Melanin-Gxdess (Erik)
Pyroclast (Billy, Bruce)

 

[Pyroclast]

Benjamin Reznik's House
~ Fairview, Dublin ~

Kurt Reznik​

Seeing Benjamin’s reaction to seeing his father on his doorstep, a small part of Kurt felt a bit mean for arriving without any warning. He looked like he had just woken up, his eyes bleary and his hair unkempt, and he was sure the young man would have liked to be more prepared to greet him. Nevertheless, he still believed his son deserved a pleasant surprise after the awful shock he had recently suffered from watching Aidan die. As for himself, it certainly made a nice change to see his boy in an environment other than a prison visiting room. Even the fact that Benjamin was dressed in comfortable indoor clothes was special to him - he hadn’t seen him in such a domestic setting since he was just a small child.

It took the young man a few seconds to fully process what he was seeing, but Kurt couldn’t wipe the smile from his face, and it only grew wider when he saw his son smile back at him. With his hands in his pockets, Kurt stepped into the house once invited in. As with everything he had done for the first time since leaving prison, it struck him that this was the first house he had stepped into since he was about 22 years old. It was nicer than the house they had lived in with Dolores, but it still reminded him of that old home of theirs, being the strongest frame of reference he had in his mind.

Before he could take in much more of his surroundings, Benjie backed into a cabinet, having to quickly catch a vase that he had almost sent tumbling to the floor. Kurt gave a light chuckle, endeared by his son’s clumsy behaviour. He could tell he was in something of a state of shock and was just waiting for it to hit him, that the two were really together again. Eventually, something clicked, and Benjamin moved in to hug him tightly. Kurt was slow to return the embrace at first, his throat closing up as he became overwhelmed by the touch he had missed out on for half of his life, but he soon wrapped his arms around his son and held him close against him - and once he did, he didn’t want to let him go. It reminded him not only of how much he had missed, but of how much he had deprived his son over the years. Not able to be there for him for all the milestones, to help him with his homework, give him advice and support him through hard times. Aidan had done a great job, but Kurt deeply regretted that his son had never had him around.

When they eventually parted, Kurt saw tears rolling down Benjie’s face, and he realised that he was crying, too. Aside from the death of his wife, who had passed away while he was in prison, Kurt hadn’t shed a single tear for the rest of his time in prison. It was a vital skill he was proud to have learned, but now, in the safety and privacy of Aidan’s home - or rather, Benjie’s new home - there wasn’t as much to stop his emotions from surfacing. The two quickly dried their eyes and Benjamin asked about why he was there. “You’d better get used to it, kid,” he said, with a grin. “They let me go. Found new evidence that proved I didn’t incite the riot, and they put me back on my original sentence…so, I’m done. I’m out.”

Rather than spend all their time lingering in the hallway, Benjamin led Kurt further into the house, where they settled in the lounge. It was warm and homely and quiet, with carpet lining the floors and framed pictures on the walls - but as Benjie drew open the curtains and moved a large rucksack from the centre of the floor, it appeared to Kurt that his son might not have been settling in so well. His thoughts moved to Aidan and the grief that his son must have been suffering with since the man’s death.

Clearly on the same train of thought, Benjamin introduced the house as Aidan’s before suddenly bursting into tears. He told Kurt that Aidan was dead, the first time he had heard the news directly from his son, and Kurt nodded. “I know…” As his son buckled under the weight of the huge loss, Kurt could only stand and watch. While he had an innate desire to comfort his son, he still wasn’t used to being able to actually do it, with there having always been a CO present to enforce a certain distance between them. Aidan’s death had put a deep ache in Kurt’s heart, but it still hadn’t quite hit him that he was gone yet since he wasn’t used to seeing him much, anyway. For Benjie, on the other hand, it was evident his whole world had been turned upside down.

Tears poured down Benjamin’s face as he lamented over the circumstances of Aidan’s death and how he had been powerless to save him, just like he had his mother. But he didn’t manage to get much out before the sobs took over, and that’s when Kurt finally stepped forward. He caught the boy in his arms and held him tightly for a few seconds, feeling him shake against his chest. Then, without saying a word, Kurt walked him over to the sofa, where they sat down together, keeping an arm around his son’s shoulders.

“I know it’s hard,” he uttered, gazing vacantly around the room as he held Benjamin securely against him. “But one thing I had to accept when I was locked up is that shit happens when you ain’t there, and you can’t do shit about it. I was in there when we lost your mom, when Arlene was killed, and there wasn’t a thing I could do.” Leaning back, he looked at his son and willed him to look into his eyes. “You got a heart of gold, kid,” he told him. “Got that from your mom. But no matter how much you wanna help someone, you can’t always be a hero. This ain’t your fault, alright? You got that? What happened to Aidan is not your fault.”

Once again, he pulled Benjamin into him for another hug, partly to comfort him and partly to get himself used to feeling familiar with his own son. “Anyway, I ain’t leavin’ ya’ any time soon,” he assured him. “Ain’t got no place else to go, so…you got me as long as you want me. God knows we got some lost time to make up for.”

After a while, Kurt let go of his son and sat back against the sofa - notably the most comfortable thing he had sat in for twenty years. “So, uh…Benjie, you livin’ here all on your own? You had someone watchin’ out for you?” he asked. “With what happened to Aidan, it sounds like I’ve come back to a pretty troubled state. Are you in any danger? Is there somethin’ goin’ on I should know about?”

Interactions
Misty Gray Benjie Boy

 

[BasDorcha]

City Center - Dojo
Ruby Miller
​

Ruby spent the morning running errands and paying bills. Her loft was cheap but it wasn’t free, and the money she had saved back from running with Luka was slowly running out. She reached out to him around midday, setting up a fight for few days’ time. It wouldn’t be a hard match, just her and some other featherweight girl that wouldn’t be a real competition. That wasn’t to say the girl wasn’t a good fighter, Ruby just knew she was better. She’d also already placed some bets on herself to win, knowing her payout would be nice and last another couple of months.

Ruby was finally feeling completely healed, and back on top of her game. Her arm was now moving more comfortably, and she could hit again with her normal force without it sending pain up her arm. She had been prepping for the fight the last few days, hitting the gym and pushing herself to the limit. She had known before even calling her friend and ex-boss that he would be happy to put her back in the ring, it meant making money and that was always his number one goal.

As the afternoon got closer, she headed back to the loft to get changed. Stella had called her and set up a meeting at a gym in City Center where they’d be looking at a class on Kyokushin. Rube had lots of experience in different mixed martial arts, and was happy to add new things to her skill list any chance she got. As she parked her truck nearby, she grabbed her gym back out of the back and headed to the front doors. She looked around, seeing the kids finishing up with the teacher before her, and spotted Stella sitting in the front row, watching the class.

Just as she got close enough to sit down, the kids were dismissed by the sensei, and went streaming past to find their parents or head home. She threw down the bag in a chair and dropped into the seat next to Stella, throwing an arm across the back of her seat in a casual manner. “Hey there, how’s it going?” She smiled and nodded hello to the teacher, who was taking a break before the adult class began.

BloodLightning27 - Stella

 

[BasDorcha]

Training Area
Tom Sullivan

Tom sat back next to James, listening as he talked. Leo had mentioned James just getting back home one of the times they had talked, and James confirmed it. Seemed that James had just gotten out of prison. “We’ll make a guys night out of it and go see it sometime, I don’t think I’ve seen all of them.” He shrugged and watched Leo line up some more shorts. This time he watched as Leo took a deep breath, then exhaled and pulled the trigger. The results were an instant improvement, causing Tom to grin and give a resounding clap.

“I like working for Syd, though sometimes I wonder if he like me working for him.” A light laugh escaped his lips as he continued. “He gives me this look like my commander use to – like he’s ready to choke me out with his bare hands when I talk to much. Thankfully, I think I’ve got him figured out now, I’m learning that look.” When he looked back at James and Leo in time to James to ask the question about his family blood, he did not miss the look of shock that hit Leo’s face, or the pull for the gun.

Ironically though, Tom never even flinched. For all the fear he as showing, Leo might as well have picked up a flower. There was an instant darkening of the eyes, but every part of his body he could actively control remained relaxed and calm. “Aye, just found out about a month or so ago that my mum and Conor are distant cousins. It’s not a big deal, something like they shared great-great-grandparents or something.” He took a second to catch Leo’s eyes and continued, “Just been a lot going on, yeah? Figured I’d tell ya one day after things calmed down a bit. Plus, I wanted to earn some of my own merit beforehand. I don’t want anyone to think I might be banking on a family connection.” He winked at Leo, offering a genuine smile to them both.





Misty Gray - James
Melanin-Gxdess - Leo
Pyroclast - Syd

 

[BloodLightning27]

~James Edwards~

---

Dublin City Centre | Dublin Hospital

Edwards proceeded to lower his guard and relax a little since the lady before him was not a threat. But if she had a sour relationship with Aliana, which he suspected, then he would have to expect to be in an awkward position if the two were to get into an argument, which neither he, the rest of the Security Team or Conor needed at the moment. The Boss was recovering and needed the peace. As she spoke about how she spent time abroad in both America and Italy, he could only wonder which part of America. Probably not the good part though given her previous statement on Americans. When she mentioned a divorce, he simply looked over. While he was curious, the former Soldier didn't want to pry too mu. But that was one thing they did have in common at the moment since Edwards' wife had divorced him several years ago. Some time after he had returned from Vietnam and before his deployment into Lebanon. Soon, she said that she had moved back to Dublin for a fresh start. "Yeah, makes two of us. I'm fresh out of prison and currently trying to find my place in this new world. Sadly, my Family's back in the States. Last thing I said to him was...goodbye because I was leaving the country." He frowned. "I'm sure he'll be alright though. Anyway, I do hope that you'll get to spend some quality time with your Dad when he gets out of the Hospital."

Right now, Edwards could only wonder how his Family was doing, especially after his Father told them about what had happened with him, from his involvement in a Jewelry Store Robbery, becoming a scapegoat, spending time on Riker's Island...and then fleeing to Dublin after somehow being released way ahead of a lengthy prison term. When she said that she wouldn't start a fight with Ali and wanted to apologize, Edwards raised a brow. "What for? You guys have some bad blood?" He asked, straightening out his suit a little bit. "And I can't just leave. If something happens to Mr. Sullivan, I may be out of a job." He chuckled. "And I don't I know your name yet. You know mine, so I think its only fair I get to know yours."

---

Interactions: Michelle Romano BasDorcha

 

[Misty Gray]

Dublin Hospital
~ Dublin City Centre, Dublin ~

Conor Sullivan​

Hearing Aliana tell him to calm down drew an exasperated sigh from him. For much of his life he'd been told to calm down. As a kid, it was his parents. As a young adult it was Lucy and Sinead. Now it was Aliana and the doctors. He wasn't sure how he could keep calm with everything piling up, but for now, he figured he had no choice. He was useless in his current position.

Of course, Aliana wouldn't want him to start saying he should have been dead nor would she want him dead instead of anyone else they'd lost over the years. He nodded his head when she told him it would have been even harder had he died as well as Aidan. He managed a weak smile as she told him she wouldn't know what she'd do without him. "You'd have a lot less stress, that's for sure," he remarked. "I'm not exactly the easiest man to be married to. Never had been..." His wife went on to tell him he couldn't blame himself for the others who had died. He knew she was right and Tommy, Jackson and Aidan had all voluntarily joined the Irish Mob. They'd all known the risks involved in the line of work that got them killed. It didn't make it any easier to lose them, but Conor supposed it did mean he couldn't blame himself for it. "Is Benjamin okay?" he sadly asked. He knew how much the kid cared about Aidan and hoped he was coping with the loss. He remembered Kurt was due to be released from prison soon and there had been plans to surprise Benjamin with the man's return. "Kurt is due out next week... or... soon..." he said, still trying to get his head around how much time had passed since he was hospitalised. "If the lad is in a bad way, maybe someone should tell him Kurt's coming home and lift his spirits," he suggested, unaware the man was already in Dublin.

Aliana reminded him that people like Moretti had no soul, prompting a reluctant "yeah" to escape Conor's lips. Recently, he'd been concerned he was no different from them, not after the things he'd done. However, Aliana reminded him that he did have a soul and a conscience. Hell, Conor was fully aware that his own conscience had been screaming at him as of late. Then his wife said something that really grabbed him - that he was not a monster. "Vinnie Romano, Moretti... I always considered them to be monsters for the things they've done to our family. I've been so worried I've become the same thing," he said, gently squeezing her hand. "The things I've done, I've done in the name of protecting our family. I've had to sacrifice a lot of who I was to keep us all safe. Nothing works, Ali. Being the good guys, being the bad guys, the monster... It's impossible, and to make it worse, there's no escape from this way of life."

Aliana told him his charm wouldn't work in getting him some alcohol. "You're no fun," he said, with a pout. Aliana released his hand before telling him he'd scared her. Conor reached to take her hand back and looked to her face. "I'm sorry. We won't let it happen again," he assured her. "Maybe if... when I'm back on my feet we should take a vacation."

Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana)

 

[Misty Gray]

Benjamin Reznik's House
~ Fairview, Dublin ~

Benjamin Reznik​

When Kurt stepped forward to give him a comforting hug, Benjamin practically sank into his father's embrace. Then when the older man walked him to the sofa, Benjamin took a deep breath to try calm himself and gain control over his emotions. Once sat down, Kurt put his arm around Benjamin and the young man looked to his father as the man spoke to express his understanding that it was difficult for him. Benjamin lightly nodded along when Kurt explained that they couldn't always be there when bad things happened, citing his own inability to do anything to help Dolores or Arlene. He met his father's gaze and continued to hang on his every word. He managed a small smile when he was told he got his heart of gold from his late mother. That was one thing that he'd longed for since his mother died - to have someone around who could tell him more about her; things he wouldn't have known about her when he was a little kid. He hoped Kurt could tell him many new things about Dolores. He firmly nodded when Kurt assured him Aidan's death wasn't his fault. "I know..." he agreed. It had already crossed his mind that Aidan wouldn't have been killed if he hadn't been on his way to pick him and Lorelei up from the club, but he knew Aidan chose to do it. Just like the man chose to work for the mob and chose to try be a hero for Conor. "You're right."

Benjamin was able to genuinely smile when Kurt moved the subject on to remind him he wasn't leaving him. "I can't believe you're here and you don't have to go back to Rikers," he enthused. "And you can stay here. There's enough bedrooms and the house is way bigger than the flat I've been renting." It felt weird to think of Aidan's house as his now, and even stranger to be offering out the spare room. Still, he'd known Aidan well enough to know this was what he would have wanted. Aidan talked enough times about the house being Benjamin's too, even when he was still alive. "We do have a lot of time to make up for," he agreed, his smile now naturally bright. "It feels wrong to be happy right now, Dad. But I know Aidan would have wanted me to be and I don't want your first day home to be so sad."

Mirroring his father, Benjamin also relaxed back on the sofa as the older man set about asking him some questions. "Um... I only came here last night and I've crashed on the couch since. After Aidan died, I stayed with Chase for a few days, but I had to get away to clear my head. I went across to Wales for a few days," he explained. "Pretty sure Conor's guards have been keeping tabs on me since I got back, but yeah, I've been on my own for the last few days," he admitted. When asked if he was in danger, Benjamin quickly shook his head. "No, I'm not. Aidan stepped in to try help Conor who had been ambushed by the Kings. The Kings all walked right past me and left me alone, so I don't think I'm in danger. Aidan had told me the Sullivans and Morettis came to some kind of a deal, basically to keep away from each other and cut all business ties. But now the Sullivans are at war with the Kings - a gang from London," he explained. "I try not to know too much about that stuff, if I'm being honest. But I know they used to be on good terms, but a lot of things started building up and now... Conor's in hospital and I guess the new fight won't be ending any time soon."

Benjamin let out a sigh before realising he hadn't been very hospitable as yet. "Dad, do you want a drink? There's tea and coffee, plus plenty of booze. I guess you haven't had any alcohol in a long time, huh?" As if his mind was bouncing from one thing to the next, he then pointed upstairs. "I should show you around the house first, shouldn't I?"

Benjamin proceeded to lead Kurt upstairs, first pointing out where the bathroom was. He then reached the first of the three bedrooms, which had always been a spare room for as long as Benjamin had known. "I guess this can be your room, we can get it all set up--" he fell silent as they entered the room to find there was already fresh bedding, a selection of towels, and other essentials already set up. Looking back to Kurt, Benjamin pulled a puzzled face before shaking his head in amusement. "Aidan already knew you were coming home, didn't he? This room was never like this before," he said, unable to hide the smile from his face. "God, he was such a dork," he fondly recalled. It seemed like Aidan had gone out of his way to make sure Kurt had somewhere comfortable to stay, knowing Benjamin's flat was only just big enough for one person to live in. Even if it would have likely still been an improvement to a prison cell. "So this is officially your room, Dad!"

They then stepped out of the first bedroom and Benjamin pointed out the closed door belonged to Aidan's bedroom, but he didn't have the heart to open the door to look inside yet. He then reached the room across from Aidan's and opened the door. "This is the bedroom I had since first moving to Dublin when I was a kid," he explained. Stepping inside, the room was still set up the way it had been when Benjamin moved into his own place a few years ago. The walls were lined with music band posters and photographs, and the shelves held dozens of trophies he'd won playing sports in high school. "I guess I need to sort this room out now I'll be living here again," he thought aloud, unable to hide his blushing as he suddenly felt like a teenager again, standing in the bedroom he'd occupied when he was growing up.

One of the photographs standing on top of the chest of drawers caught his attention and he moved to pick it up, but in his typical style, he knocked one of the trophies off of the edge of the drawers and onto the floor. Rushing to pick it up, he let out a small laugh as he placed it back where it had fallen from. "I didn't win that for catching things! I was good at football and athletics, and thankfully not clumsy when on the field," he joked. Realising it wasn't the first time he'd dropped something since Kurt arrived, he felt he had to excuse himself. "I've been pretty clumsy since I can remember. If I'm nervous, anxious, or stressed... I just seem to end up doing shit like that. When I first met Lorelei, I nearly fell over and made a fool of myself n front of her. Thankfully, that didn't put her off," he fondly explained, his blushing now even deeper.

Benjamin finally picked up the framed photograph he'd been reaching for and showed it to Kurt. "Apparently Mum was a bit clumsy too?" he asked. He then pointed to the picture of Kurt, Dolores and himself as a toddler. "This is one of my favourites of us all."

Pyroclast (Kurt)

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

The Royal Taphouse
~Bethnal Green, East London~
Alexander King

​

A scowl crossed Alex's face at the mention of May and his issue with her. A portion of it had to do with her slapping him - though it was definitely well deserved. He shouldn't have yelled at her or gotten in her face but he let his emotions take over. The other part was his suspicions of her. She was a Sullivan and though he kept being reminded it was by blood, he didn't care. For all he knew she could be lying and sneaking around behind their backs with them. How did he know she wasn't some sort of spy working through the ranks to get close to his family? He didn't like any of it and therefore would rather keep his distance from her and vice versa. He noticed the look on her face when asking what was happening between them, his eyes growing wide. "Oh, Jesus, her?!" He quickly shook his head. "She's not my type and we'd buttheads far too much. It'd be a fucking nightmare. No, my problem is I don't trust her. Found out not too long ago she was a Sullivan," he said, using air quotes. "But only by blood." He used a falsetto to mock both Darcey and May's voices. "I don't give a shit. It's suspicious and I don't like it."

Alex took a breath and a sip to calm himself down before moving the conversation along. Kerry lending her services to ease his stress made Alex smirk, the serious side of him taking a back seat to the playful one. He leaned forward and spoke with a playful voice." Well, now that you mention it. Taking me out to dinner would help tremendously. Being wined and dined by a beautiful woman for once doesn't sound too bad," he joked before leaning back in his seat. "In all seriousness, I should be thanking you. For letting me dump all of my shit on your shoulders." He paused for a second, tapping his finger against the table in thought. Why had she, he wondered? Considering her former best friend was his ex, he was sure she would want nothing to do with him. The reputation he had in London was nothing shy of bad and he was sure Kerry had a front-row seat to it. Yet, she was still sitting across from him listening to all of his issues.

He wasn't able to think about it for too much longer when his statement seemed to catch Kerry off guard. Alex had said it the way he had on purpose, wanting to gauge if she meant it when she said she was no longer friends with Savannah or tied to the girl's family. It wasn't just May that Alex was suspicious of - though it was mostly her - but Kerry at times too. Despite spending so much time with her there was always that nagging voice in his brain that reminded him of how cunning she was back in New York. He was sure she didn't tell him that just for him to be suspicious of her too, but he couldn't help it. Making sure his family was safe had become his number one priority... Next to drinking, of course. When asked how Sav had taken it, he shrugged. "I personally wish it wouldn't have come to this and she just listened, but of course. She only listens to her family's bad advice and lets Conor poison her mind. Therefore, it's come to this. She was pissed, of course, but I could care less. It's about Callum, not her." Drinking the last of his drink, he listened as Kerry reassured him of his choice.

Fighting for custody of Callum was the first step of many in his redemption and desire to not be like Trevor. Trevor didn't fight for his kids. Alex would definitely be fighting for Callum. It was unfortunate that he and Sav hadn't been able to come to an agreement and he could only imagine what Callum would have to go through. However, he believed if Savannah really loved and cared about their son in the way she always said then she would just comply. Otherwise, he thought, things were going to get messy. "Glad you think so. I will say that I was debating it for a while but after Dublin... It just solidified things." Another pause and Alex momentarily stared at Kerry, a sly smile creeping onto his face as he leaned back in his seat once more. "So, I'm curious, Kerry Patrick. You know about all the dirt. Damn-near everything I've ever done wrong. Why associate yourself with me? Not afraid of the backlash?"

Kerry ( Misty Gray )

The Mercury Nightclub Building Site
~Bethnal Green, London~
Erik Snowden

​

Seeing Spencer be so loving and accepting towards Billy surprised him, but not because he thought ill of the man. Erik had been used to family members walking in on him and whoever he was sleeping with at the time freaking out. There was never a cool, calm, and collected conversation about what was going on. It was always a flurry of slurs and curses and insults. He was glad that, for once, it hadn't been such a situation and they were able to talk things out like an adult. It was always a relief seeing as the last thing he wanted was to leave London - both because he knew his boss would learn about what he'd been up to and because of Billy. While the former was bad for several different reasons, the latter would absolutely shatter his heart. He'd never had someone in his life make him feel the way Billy did. And though he was still putting the pieces together of what it was about him, he knew that Billy definitely had his heart.

A slight chuckle left Erik at Spencer's comment, causing him to shake his head. "You call it a shithole, I call it a haven," he replied. Erik then glanced at Billy when Spencer stated they needed to be more careful. A part of him wanted to blame Billy for being so handy or something along those lines but the severity of the situation prevented him from doing so. He would have to wait until the conversation was over and the two of them were alone. Then he could make as many lewd jokes as he pleased, he thought.

Hearing Billy decided that he was telling Bruce about him being gay made him look up from the ground. Just as he opened his mouth to speak about it, he revealed that quite a few people had already known he was gay. Though Erik had long suspected it, he thought that he would have at least been the first person he told. He was having mixed feelings about it until they subsided - just knowing that Billy was comfortable with sharing it with a handful of people he cared about was enough. It meant that he had been slowly accepting himself and Erik couldn't be upset with him for that. Instead of being upset, he gave him a slight smile. He wanted to tell him how proud he was but he knew now wasn't the time. Billy was asking Spencer to back him up to Bruce, causing Erik to look between the both of them. He figured if Spencer had been so accepting that he would jump at the opportunity to defend his brother. Spencer then agreed that he should tell him sooner rather than later, Erik nodding in agreement.

The sound of someone else joining them made Erik stare at Billy. If they hadn't been caught early enough by Spencer then they would have definitely been caught in the middle of the act by Bruce instead. The look on Erik's face said this and he couldn't help but pinch the bridge of his nose at the thought. When Bruce finally got close enough to be standing close to all three of them, Erik closely watched Billy. He didn't want the man to feel too stressed or pressured to tell his uncle right then and there. There was time, he thought, to tell him if that's what he wanted to do. However, Billy seemed to have found his resolve, and after a few moments of stuttering and looking between himself and Spencer Billy managed to spit it out. The moment he did Erik wanted nothing more than to hug him. The tears in his eyes suggested it had been more than difficult to do and the expression on Bruce's face didn't help too much.

The way Bruce responded was not only shocking but a bit humorous to Erik. All the man really wanted to know was if his nephew was in any sort of trouble. When Billy confirmed he wasn't and explained why he was telling him right then all eyes were on Erik. He shifted uncomfortably, bouncing nervously on his toes as Bruce addressed him. "Hm? Oh, you- you're talking to me?" He asked, pointing to himself as if there were anyone else in the room named 'Erik'. "Er, yes?" He was unsure of how to respond, how to react. Punch first, ask questions later had always been his experience. The hand on his shoulder triggered his fight or flight, his body tensing up until the man put a hand on Billy's shoulder as well. For a moment he calmed down but it wasn't until Bruce started talking that he relaxed completely. The fact that Bruce's biggest concern was mixing business with pleasure, made it clear business came first, was a relief. Erik was willing to agree to it if it meant he and Billy could be together.

"I mean, we only argued because of miscommunications but," he said, looking to Billy, "We understand each other now." He gave him a small smile before looking back to Bruce. "You don't have to worry about a thing, Bruce, we know better." He knew just saying it wasn't enough and that they'd have to prove it via actions but it was a step forward in the right direction. Bruce then pulled Erik in for a hug - something he hadn't been expecting. Again, his body tensed and he grew stiff immediately. He'd never been hugged nor accepted by his father or any fatherly figure, for that matter, and it had suddenly caused him to be emotional. His eyes grew misty and the moment Bruce let him go he turned to the side. The only person who knew about his past and the things he went through was Billy so he would probably be the only one to understand. While Bruce was occupied with Billy, Erik used the back of his hand to quickly get rid of any tears that managed to escape.

Once things were calmed down, Bruce demanded they get over to the pub for their meeting. Erik looked to Billy, scratching the back of his head. "How stressful," he said, a nervous smile on his face. Before he could say much else Bruce addressed him, warning him that if he hurt Billy he would kill him. "I would never. Besides," he looked to Billy, "He knows too much about me. Can't let him go tellin' his next partner about all that sick shit." Spencer then joined them, letting him know Billy would be driving them to their meeting. "A meeting? Sounds like fun," he sarcastically said. "You have fun with that. I'll be getting drunk tonight because this-," he paused, gestured around the place, "Was a lot more stressful than I expected."

Billy ( Pyroclast ) Spencer ( Misty Gray )

Dublin Hospital
~Dublin City Center, Dublin~
Aliana Sullivan​

Ali let out a slight chuckle at the mention of him always being difficult. "You weren't easy to be in a relationship either, but that's okay," she said softly, shaking her head. "But that's okay. Easy is boring." Though it would probably make her life a million times more peaceful, Aliana was sure she wouldn't trade her marriage to Conor for anything in the world. She got three wonderful children out of it and a soulmate, therefore she was okay with things being difficult sometimes. "Besides, if I don't have you stressing me out then your children will gladly take your place," she joked, attempting to lighten the mood. It worked for just a moment before Conor asked about Benjie. There was a sad, unknowing look on her face that she failed to hide from him. Slightly shrugging her shoulders, she responded. "He's doing about as well as anyone in those circumstances. Leo's been by to check on him a few times and, well... He's doing as well as he can." Ali let out a deep sigh at the thought of it. Having someone you loved and cared about die in your arms somehow felt worse than just hearing that they'd been killed. As someone who had gone through both situations, her heart definitely went out to him. Hearing that his father was due back in Dublin soon, Ali nodded her head. "Yeah, I can do that. After I'm done here I'll take care of it, okay?" She reassured him with a kiss to the forehead before giving him another sad smile.

She listened as Conor went on to say he often felt like a monster - that he felt like Vinnie and Gabriel. Ali quickly thought back to the argument the two of them had a little over a month ago. Had she alluded to him being one? She didn't remember saying it directly but she was sure she had alluded to it in the heat of the moment. Internally she berated herself for not thinking before she let things leave her mouth. Sometimes it didn't occur to her that her husband would take certain things she specifically said to heart. And now, hearing that he had already been beating himself up for so long made her feel terrible. With a heavy sigh, she waited for him to finish before shaking her head. "You don't have to explain yourself to me, Conor, I know you have. Protecting your family has always been your goal and I'm so sorry for ever thinking otherwise," she said, wiping away the stray tear that had fallen down her cheek. "You've sacrificed so much. Everyone knows that and no one thinks you're a monster. Things have just been... Stressful lately and everyone's on edge and says things they don't mean. It's not an excuse, but hopefully, you understand."

"Unfortunately," she continued, "You're right. We're stuck in this life and that means finding a happy medium for dealing with our enemies. I don't think anything is impossible and I think that with the proper support and brainstorming you'll find out how to do it." Ali paused for a moment, trying to summon her courage for the next part she was about to say. It wasn't difficult for her to apologize, per se, but it was difficult to talk about them. "And I want to help you do that," she started, a serious expression on her face. "I am so sorry for not supporting you in the ways that actually mattered. You needed someone in your corner and I let you down and I won't let that happen again, okay? After everything that's happened between New York and-," she cut herself off, absentmindedly using her free hand to caress the scar on her neck, "To everything here in Dublin, I don't think I've been the strong shoulder you needed and that's not going to happen anymore." She was determined to make things up to her husband... Again.

It wasn't the first time she felt she hadn't been supportive of her husband, but this time around she felt even worse. Granted she had been feeling like this before Conor's attack. However, it did make her want to just get everything off her chest. It felt like a weight had been lifted and she smiled down at him, shaking her head at him pouting. "You're just saying that because you can't have your way. You don't actually think that." She joked, letting Conor hold on to her hand. He then apologized for scaring her, offering a vacation to make up for it. "Vacation, you say? I'll believe it when I see it," she teased. "Life has a funny way of interrupting us when we're trying to enjoy ourselves, don't you think?"


Conor ( Misty Gray )

 

[BloodLightning27]

~Stella Kwon~

---

Dublin City Centre | Martial Arts Dojo [Kyokushin Karate]

While waiting for Ruby to arrive, Stella continued to observe the Instructor as the class carried on. If her research over the course of the week rang true, Kyokushin Karate was the strongest variation, known for the intensity during training, as students would go full-contact and give it their all. With that in mind, learning Kyokushin would certainly help her improve her hand-to-hand capability. Sure, there were other Martial Arts that she wanted to take a look at, but Karate was going to set the foundation both for her and for Ruby, granted Ruby probably has more experience in Hand-To-Hand combat then she did. By the time the students were finished, bowing to their teacher before slowly puttering back to their parents.

Stella then snapped out of her day-dream state when Ruby's Gym Bag hit the chair. Turning to see Ruby, she chuckled. "Well, I was wondering when you'd show up." She responded.

Peering out of the corner of her eye, she saw the Instructor wave goodbye to the last child. He smiled cordially to the two women before going towards the backroom, likely to rehydrate and rest before the Adult Class arrived. Once he was out of view, Stella continued her conversation with Ruby. Granted within the next fifteen minutes, several others started filing into the Dojo in their uniforms, some wearing different colored belts then others, granted half of them were wearing white belts that matched their uniform. Everyone pretty much walked passed the girls and started stretching and warming up. Soon, the Instructor came back out to greet them. "Good afternoon, Ladies. What brings you to the Dojo?" He greeted them, prompting Stella to look over.

"Oh, we're interested in signing up. You wouldn't happen to give private lessons, would you?" She asked.

"I offer private lessons, yes. But we can speak about that later. Class does start soon. I can bring out the sign-up paperwork for you both to look at and fill out during class and give you a chance to observe, let me know what you think." He smiled cordially. "Oh and I'm Sensei Gonshiro. And you are?"

"Stella. Kwon." She responded.

---

Interactions: Ruby Miller BasDorcha | Gonshiro Yamaji (Karate Instructor)

 

[BasDorcha]

The Royal Taphouse
May Thatcher​

May reclined in her seat, feeling bubbly and warm from the tips of her toes to the tip of her nose. When she noticed her drink was gone, she was glad to see Darcey’s intuitiveness had not failed, and she had already taken the alcohol away saving her from having to decline it. Her eyes flitted around, watching the people around them as she listened to Darcey and Christian talking. There was a feeling in her chest she was missing something, or forgetting maybe, but she couldn’t put her finger on what.

Giggling at Darcey’s comment about their knowledge of Christian. ‘She’s right you know,” May leaned towards him, her weight on the table, “I think we should think of some questions to ask him, balance the books a little bit.” A cheeky grin crossing her face. “Maybe the ladies are queuing up at his door and he’s just not telling anyone. I mean look at that face, I could totally see it.” She winked at Darcey playfully.

Nodding, May confirmed that Darcey was correct, “First time in America. It was amazing, we saw a lot of sights. Sad reason to go, but I’m glad I could be there to help. I don’t know much about the Moretti’s, outside of Erik is related to them and it’s a family business. Was a bit tense, lots of people who seemed to come for who was there, and not really the occasion. Things get a bit fuzzy late into the day, we might have had a few drinks during the repast. It’s a different world over there though. If you’ve never gone, I recommend it. Have you two ever been? “

Mentions Melanin-Gxdess - Darcey/Erik
Misty Gray - Christian

 

[Misty Gray]

The Royal Taphouse
~ Bethnal Green, London ~

Kerry Patrick​

Kerry believed Alex when he assured her May was not his type, even if he did assert his reasoning so strongly. Clearly, they had already butted heads for May to have slapped him. Alex's issue was in fact that he didn't trust May, especially after finding out she was a Sullivan. It had been a surprise to hear her friend was a blood relative of the Sullivans. She raised a curious eyebrow as it was made clear it was only by blood rather than May knowing the Sullivans personally. Kerry knew there were many reasons for Alex's commitment to not trusting anyone related to the Sullivans, but she was sure Savannah and Conor were the main ones. Kerry hoped Alex's lack of trust wasn't extended to herself on account of her recently ended friendship with Savannah and any ties she'd had to the Irish Mob. It was times like these when she heard Maddox's voice in her head telling her to stay away from both the Sullivans and the Kings. She was tired of playing it safe and she'd already lost one friend by committing to the Kings that she didn't want to lose her London friends too. Having no family to call her own, she didn't want to have to move and try to start up a new life again, not after what happened to her when she sought a new life in New York.

Kerry laughed when Alex suggested her taking him out to dinner would help ease his stress. "Oh, so you think I'm beautiful, do you? I thought I told you I was already spoken for," she teased, referring to the nearby group of old men. When Alex said he should be thanking her for letting him dump his problems on her, she shrugged her shoulders. "I know what it's like to have a dark cloud hanging over you. After what I went through in New York, I didn't have anyone; nobody I knew who could listen to me about the guilt and trauma I'd been subjected to. But Maddox and Ani were there for me. They were strangers at the time, but I know I wouldn't have got through it without them. They saved me when I was ready to give up and they didn't even know me. Maddox had done a lot of things he wasn't proud of and helping me was a way towards his own redemption. I believe we have to give back to the world, even if we're not directly repaying those who have helped us. So, yeah, that's part of why I'm here to listen to you. I want to give back to the world an ounce of what Maddox and Ani gave to me. That, and I like you, Alex. Why wouldn't I be here to listen?" She then sent him a warm smile. "And I will take you out to dinner. If only to save us from only ever speaking in a pub!"

When Alex asked her why she was associating with him despite his reputation, she sat up straight and looked him in the eyes. "I stopped letting anyone dictate my life to me when I arrived here in London," she began. Between being tortured - treated no better than a commodity to the sold - and then being locked up whilst Conor decided on her fate, Kerry had done everything she could to regain her independence. That also meant she didn't let others tell her what to think anymore. "Sure, you made mistakes in the past, but I don't think they were malicious. Dumb and selfish, at times, maybe," she said, flashing him a smile. "People can change and I already know you're on that path, just by you fighting for Callum. I really don't care what anyone thinks about me associating with you. I like you... talking with you," she said, quickly grabbing her glass to drink some wine in hopes it would hide her reddening cheeks. She then placed the glass down, struggling to brush off the realisation she was attracted to him. "Besides, Harper is one of my closest friends and your brother is my boss. I have no choice but to be nice to you," she joked.

Melanin-Gxdess (Alex)

 

[Misty Gray]

Training Area
~ Shooting Range, Dublin ~

James Porter​

James watched on as Leo's next attempts were much more successful following the advice he'd been given. Things had been going pretty well, until the conversation surrounding Tom being related to the Sullivans was brought up. James had thought such news would have made its way to Leo already, but the young man's reaction confirmed otherwise. Leo took a moment to stop choking on the water and coughing it up, prompting James to take a step forward in case he needed to intervene. His nephew was soon back up on his feet, but didn't look impressed by the revelation.

Leo proceeded to questioning Tom and how long he had known the truth. James pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. No matter where he went or what he did, if it involved his family James was convinced drama would always follow. After so many years of being married to Lucy and inheriting the Sullivans as his family, he thought nothing else could surprise him. But then, Leo took his gun and demanded Tom explained himself. "The targets are that way," James calmly reminded Leo, pointing in the distance, away from Tom. Whilst he liked to think Leo was in control and not about to do anything drastic, James was fully away he was Conor's son. Conor himself having a long history of flying off the handle and reacting on impulse when he was closer to Leo's age.

Despite being aware of the situation, Tom had remained calm in answering Leo's question. He explained it was a distant relationship, one he had only discovered very recently himself. The younger man then explained how he'd wanted to find his place on his own terms, not cashing in on his relationship to the mob. "I only just found out myself, Leo. I expect your parents haven't had chance to update you, especially under the most recent circumstances," James assured him. "Now, are you going to relax on this or are we already moving on to self-defence - disarming others?" he asked, pointing to the gun Leo was holding. "We're all in this together, mate. The lad helped your mum and aunt out, didn't he?" he reminded him.

Melanin-Gxdess (Leo)
BasDorcha (Tom)

 

[BloodLightning27]

~Harmony Ryu: A New Partner, Maybe Two (Cameo)~

---

New York City, New York | Brooklyn, Animal Shelter

Having her first day off in the last week or so, Harmony, unable to deal with being alone in her apartment any longer, decided to visit an Animal Shelter in hopes of finding a companion, similar to how the Wycliff Family had little Rocco. While walking through the shelter, Harmony glanced around at all the cats and dogs, though many of the cats were sleeping in their beds, while the dogs were mostly wandering around in their designated rooms, barking every so often. When coming across a particular dog, she made eye-contact with him. He was a big boy though. The massive dog barked when she stepped closer to his kennel. "Well, you're a big fellow, aren't you? What's your name?" She asked, kneeling down to be at eye level with the giant pup.

"His name is Cerberus, a Caucasian Shepherd. He was meant to be a Guard Dog for his original owner, but he ended up being a little too big and well, came here. He's been here for about six months, got a little bit bigger between now and then." The shelter employee, Angela, explained. "But he's a gentle giant, much to our surprise. And he gets along relatively well with a lot of the cats. And he's really gentle with kids. Loves getting pets and he's really laxed whenever someone hugs him. Only a few times he's growled or barked really loudly."

Harmony looked into the dog's eyes, and Cerberus only looked at her, confused. He then barked before sticking his tongue out and smiling. "May I see how he interacts with me?" She asked, curious about the giant dog.

"I will warn you that he is not exactly suited for apartment living, mainly due to his size and I hope you have a big enough car or even a truck if you're considering on adopting him." Angela added. "But sure, we can let him out for a bit. I'm sure he is tired of being cooped up in there." She grabbed a key for the lock and opened the door, letting Cerberus out.

When he was finally out, Cerberus looked around before looking up at Harmony, he held her hand out. In turn, Cerberus sniffed her hand, licked it a few times, before reaching up with his massive paw, tapping Harmony's hand a few times, which meant he was asking for her to pet him. Confused, Harmony reached for his head and started petting him. Cerberus responded by barking happily and then stuck his tongue out while smiling. "So, you said that he's trained as a Guard Dog, right?"

"Correct."

"Mmmm, well with what I do for a living, I could use his help." Harmony responded. "I'll just have to take a chunk out of my saving so that you have some space and a backyard for you to play in, huh buddy?" She asked, looking Cerberus in the eye.

Angela chuckled as Harmony petted Cerberus and smiled at him, which made the giant pup very happy too. As they walked through the shelter, Cerberus stopped when they got into the Cat side of the place and he began staring at one of the Maine Coons, one of whom who marched to the front of his kennel and looked at Cerberus. "Wow, that is one big cat."

"Yeah, Maine Coons can get very big. His name's Preston. He's about three years old, I think. His owner surrendered him when he was moving away."

"I see, I'd love to take the cat as well. If that's okay. Is he good with Dogs?"

"Yes, actually. I'll let him out too, see how Cerberus interacts with him."

Angela proceeded to unlock the Maine Coon's cage and allowed him to come out, prompting Cerberus to sit down. When Preston walked up to him, Cerberus stuck his tongue out and smiled before crouching down to stare at Preston, and then reaching out to pat the cat on his head. Preston responded by meowing and laying down in front of him. "Well, I think they'll need a few weeks together in the same household. After that, I think they'll get along alright."

"That's adorable. Looks like I'll take them both. Preston deserves a loving home too. Sure, most days I'll be out with Cerberus, but we'll have someone to come to home to at the end of each day." Harmony said as she looked at the dog and the cat. "Let's get the paperwork started. Then I'll be looking into a house over the next week or so. Hopefully I'll find something."

---

Interactions: Angela (Animal Shelter Employee)​

 

[BasDorcha]

Le Hospital
Michelle Romano​

Michelle smiled as the man relaxed a little bit more around her. He was not a bad looking man, and if she wasn’t completely turned off men at the moment, she might have thought about asking him to a drink. Instead, her mind was focused on her father, lying just beyond the door. She also thought about what she’d say to Aliana, and how she was going to apologize. Hopefully that would sooth things out between them – Michelle didn’t want to ostracize herself from her family. That was actually the opposite of the very reason she came here.

When he started talking again, she listened and perked an eyebrow at him mentioning he’d just been released from prison. For a moment, she thought it was odd to employ someone in such a high ranking position of protection if they’d just been released from prison, then she remembered it was probably fairly common in her father’s line of work – after all, he did run a major crime family as she was slowly finding more and more out about. It didn’t take a genius to work out why her father had been attacked, some of the shady nature that surrounded the Sullivan’s, the fact that of they wiped their nose wrong there was an article trying to insinuate they were criminals.

Thinking deeply for a moment, Michelle realized she knew what she could do, for herself and her family. She needed to get back into a place to work with the public – politics again, or something similar where she could shine a spotlight on the good things they do, and help to hide some of the bad things. Nibbling her lip as she was briefly distracted by the thought, and making a mental note to bring this up as soon as reasonable, Michelle looked back up and smiled, "I’m sorry you had to leave your family behind. Hopefully you can see them again soon, yeah? In the meantime, Dublin isn’t so terrible. I’m also hoping I get to spend some of that quality time with Da’, but he’s a busy and complicated man, so we’ll see.”

When Ed asked about her and Ali having bad blood, she blushed lightly, “More like I said some things I shouldn’t have. The divorce has brought up a lot of bad memories and a lot of bad attitude and I took it out on the wrong person – so I need to make it right. If you’re worried I’ll be something that happens to Ali, you’re wrong, I think that woman could take me any day.” She laughed, implying the joke. “Oh, my name is Michelle, Michelle Romano.” She smiled, the familiar last night being the first time she’d publicly reclaimed her maiden name, instead of her married name.

Mentions and Interactions BloodLightning27 - Ed
Melanin-Gxdess - Aliana
Misty Gray - Conor​

 

[Pyroclast]

The Mercury Nightclub Building Site
~ Bethnal Green, London ~

Billy King​

As stressful as the last few minutes had been, the relief Billy was now feeling was like a huge weight off his shoulders. The unidentified shame he had carried with him for his whole life seemed to be gradually diminishing as he realised the shame was only felt by him. Harper, Jeremy, Spencer, Erik and now Bruce all knew of his deep dark secret and none of them seemed to have any issue with it - with him - and Billy was starting to wonder if perhaps he might be able to live as his true self after all.

Given that he had never dared to interpret his feelings towards other boys when he was younger, Billy couldn’t be certain that he hadn’t felt something along the lines of love before, but the fact that he was now able to identify it made it feel like a brand new feeling, one unlike anything else he had ever experienced. When Erik had assured Bruce that the two of them now understood each other better and would no longer be fighting, a tender smile had broken across his face to mirror Erik’s; surrounded by Spencer and Bruce’s unexpected acceptance of their relationship, the connection between them seemed completely and eternally unbreakable.

The way Bruce had hugged them was unexpected to both of them, and while Billy appreciated his uncle’s no-nonsense approach to the issue, he took comfort in his uncle’s embrace, the tears now ones of relief rather than shame. When the man left them momentarily and went over to Spencer, Billy dried his eyes, took a deep breath and turned to Erik with a small smile. The man was looking a bit emotional himself and Billy realised he must not be used to such acceptance. He wanted to hug him, but despite his uncle and brother’s confirmation that they didn’t have a problem with their relationship, he still didn’t feel like pushing it. Instead, he simply whispered, “You okay?”

Bruce came back to remind them not to be late to the meeting and as he did he made a comment about the girls Billy had shown off about dating in the past - and if that wasn’t embarrassing enough, he gave Erik a warning that sounded like something a father would say to his teenage daughter. Billy brought his hands up to cover his face, appalled that his uncle had seen through his exaggerated relationships with girls when he was growing up. Thankfully Erik’s response was enough to distract him, and he looked up to him with a soft smile, fighting the urge to move in and kiss him on the lips.

When Spencer came over to them, he let Billy know he would have to drive him to the meeting, mentioning that he didn’t know what it was about. Billy looked at him quizzically, as if trying to interpret his brother’s remark as a joke - after all, it wasn’t like Spencer to not know what was going on. Unaware that Spencer and Bruce hadn’t been on speaking terms, Billy gave a light scoff. “Alright, I’ll remind you when we’re in the car,” he said, with a shake of his head. “Just a sec’...”

After dashing to the toilets to retrieve the hard hat he had left there in the heat of the moment, he gathered up the rest of his things and joined the others, a reminder of what he and Erik had been caught doing playing over in his mind. “Right,” he said, trying not to look too embarrassed. “Let’s get goin’, then.” At the exit, after locking up, Billy hesitated awkwardly as he and Erik were about to part ways. Erik had said something about going out to destress after everything that had transpired; and part of Billy still worried about him returning to his old cocaine habit, he decided to trust him and let him do what he needed to. Without giving him the kiss or hug that he wanted to give him, Billy just sent him a half-smile. “Page me later - I’ll come find you.”

The Royal Taphouse
~ Bethnal Green, London ~

Bruce & Billy King​

As the bartender fixed him a Dalmore whisky - his favourite thing to drink in a quiet room such as a meeting - Bruce could see that Alex and Darcey were each absorbed in conversations: Alex with Kerry, whom he couldn’t help but suspect was becoming of interest to his nephew, and Darcey with Christian and May. The former he had no issue with, but the latter he was conscious could become awkward should Darcey return to their company after the meeting he had organised. He trusted Christian to have told nobody besides him what he had found out about May, so he was surprised to see the man happily chatting with the young woman.

He watched for a few minutes from his place at the bar until the door opened and Billy and Spencer walked in. With pint in hand, Bruce strolled past towards the door to the function room. “Alex, Darcey, grab your drinks and come with me,” he said, beckoning Billy and Spencer at the same time.

Only once Billy had poured himself a pint of Pride did he follow his uncle into the meeting. He sensed a slight tension emanating from Bruce but after what Spencer had told him in the car on the way over, he got the feeling it wasn’t about the recent revelation of his sexuality but more likely the disagreement he and Spencer had apparently had after the failed hit on Conor the week before. Billy hadn’t pried, not wanting to know what the two had talked about. Frankly, he didn’t want to start thinking about that night at all so soon before the meeting, or he might struggle to concentrate. Thankfully, before his thoughts could get very far, Bruce commenced the meeting.

“Right,” he addressed the group, placing his tumbler down in front of him. “Now that I’ve got you all together, I’ve got somethin’ we need to address as a family.” He glanced at Darcey as he spoke, knowing the two of them were still in disagreement. “Harper ain’t ‘ere, ‘cause while she is of course family, this ain’t somethin’ that she’s had to trouble herself with yet and I wanted to keep it that way.

“Darcey and I had a meetin’ last week with Christian, who’s been runnin’ some background checks for me. He found out somethin’ that…well, it might come as a bit of a shock to you. But I want you to keep your reactions contained to this room, boys - this is confidential stuff.”

He let a pause hang in the air, as if savouring the last few moments before his nephews would have to deal with the news. “You know that May is Sullivan,” he began. “But we’ve now found out that…she’s also Trevor’s daughter.”

Billy’s jaw dropped. “She’s what?” he asked, though he was sure he couldn’t be mistaken. “But that makes her…”

“Your half-sister, yes,” Bruce nodded. He allowed them a few more seconds to process what they had heard before continuing. “May is Trevor’s daughter, making her your half-sister - also, connecting our family tree to the Sullivans on a higher branch,” he pointed out, referring of course to Callum.

“So now, we find ourselves in a little ethical dilemma.” Taking a small sip of his whisky, Bruce laced his hands together on the table. “Personally I think it’s right that we let May know - after all, she’s the one who tasked Christian with findin’ out who her father was. The issue there, ‘course, is that with her workin’ for us, her knowing risks bringin’ Trevor further into your lives. And if that were to happen, I wouldn’t be opposed to sendin’ both her and Trevor away, outta’ the picture - so she can get to know ‘im, and you lot never have to see ‘im again. In other words, make her choose him or us.”

Bruce sighed and looked each of his nephews in the eye. “I called you three ‘ere ‘cause it’s you who this is gonna affect the most, and so it’s your opinions that I want to hear. So, we’re gonna have a vote. The way I see it, we have three options: number one, we tell May and let her get to know Trevor, potentially bringin’ him further into your lives; number two, we tell May and let her get to know ‘im on the condition that the two of ‘em leave and have nothin’ to do with us and our family; and number three…we don’t tell no one ‘bout this, we bury it, and simply banish Trevor without May ever findin’ out who he is.” With a sigh, Bruce looked at Darcey, remembering how she had reacted to the news and how much the two disagreed about May. “So, you’ve heard what I thought. Billy, how ‘bout you go first? Tell me your thoughts on this.”

Interactions
Melanin-Gxdess Darcey, Alex, (Erik)
Misty Gray Spencer

 

[BloodLightning27]

~James Edwards~

---

Dublin, Ireland | Dublin Hospital

When the lady expressed sympathy for the fact that he had left his family behind, Edwards kept a straight face, though his heart sank a little when she expressed hope that he would see them again soon. Well...He did tell his Father that he was going to Dublin. With that being said, he would have to write a letter to his Father, or call him. But it did cost extra both ways to make international calls. Or maybe a Post-Card? He had his Father's current address...unless he moved between the day Edwards had left for Dublin...Which he doubted. His train of thought left when she said that she hoped to spend quality time with her Father, though she expressed doubt because Conor was a complicated and busy man.

She then proceeded to explain that it wasn't bad blood between her and Aliana, so Edwards loosened up and stopped thinking about having to break up an almost-ugly cat fight. Okay, maybe thinking that was a bit of a stretch once she said that Ali can take her any day. "Well ma'am, I can only hope that I'm wrong. If there's anything that war has taught me, it's to not let my guard down for one second, because everything can change in the blink of an eye if not at the drop of a hat."

Soon, she introduced herself as Michelle Romano. Wait, if she was Conor's Daughter...wouldn't her last name be Sullivan? Then again, she didn't refer to Ali as 'Mom' during the conversation, so was Ali like her Stepmom? Well, that would explain why they never met until today aside from the fact that she was not in Dublin at the time he had arrived with James. "Well, its nice to meet you too, Michelle." He smiled. "So, tell me, where'd you come back from?" He then asked, hesitant to bring up the divorce she had mentioned prior.

---

Interactions: Michelle Romano BasDorcha

 

[Bellz]

Harper King
Harper’s Apartment
~ London ~ ​

Harper’s famous smirk graced her face slightly as Jeremy said that he couldn’t be afraid of a tiny woman because the men would never let him live it down. She let out a half-laugh as he stated he would deny it until the day he died if she told the men otherwise. She would have said something snarky in return but before she could utter another word he got up to tend to the kettle he had put on earlier. Harper found herself looking at her TV once more with a sigh. Things just hadn’t been the same between them since she’d gotten upset. And while a part of her was still furious with him, she understood enough to know that he’d acted so foolishly because she had turned him down.

It wasn’t enough for her to forgive and forget, but she at least knew that she was at fault for some of it. Still, he didn’t seem to understand that she was protecting him from herself. Harper was falling in and out of awareness with her own addiction and she was sure at some point she was going to stop caring altogether about her dependency on the pain meds and just give into every single temptation she had.

She’d barely heard Jeremy come back into the living area and when he offered to top off her cup of tea, she jumped a little in her seat. "Oh yes, thanks." She muttered to him, not meeting his eye as she continued to stare at her television. Harper wasn’t interested in what was now playing in the slightest but she didn’t want to risk awkwardly making extended eye contact with Jeremy for fear that he might bring up something they were both avoiding. There was a long moment of silence and Harper found her eyes uncontrollably wandering now until her eyes accidentally met Jeremy’s. Before she could look away, he gave her a bright smile and she curiously tilted her head. He surprised her by apologizing for the way he acted and although she wanted to pull her eyes away from his, she couldn’t find the strength to.

It was weird to hear him once again say that he had feelings for her, maybe because she was almost sure that after she had turned him down that he would somehow feel different. That was at least how it normally went when she turned someone down. That and the person tended to get so hurt about it that they would lash out at her in some aggressive way, making it crystal clear to her that she dodged a bullet. While Jeremy had royally fucked up in her mind, she didn’t think she had dodged a bullet with him. Harper felt that perhaps it was the other way around. He didn’t need to get caught up in her own mess, a place that she certainly didn’t want to be caught up in herself.

"Well…I appreciate that. Thank you for the apology." Harper murmured softly, finally able to pull her eyes away enough to look at her own cup of tea sitting in both of her hands. She mulled over the thought of apologizing herself, fighting internally before just deciding on a whim…"I’m sorry too…for overreacting about that night. I mean, who am I to get upset when I was the one to turn you down?" Harper said, looking up to offer Jeremy a small smile as she met his eyes once again.

"I guess I felt like maybe I need to take control of something in my life. I don’t know, everything is beginning to feel like it’s slipping out from under me and I have zero control over my life now. Guess I tried to find some resemblance of control by getting upset with you and I’m sorry for that. You are free to do whatever and…whoever you want to without me biting your head off." She said with a small smirk before forcing herself to look away to hide the hurt in her eyes.
with: Jeremy BasDorcha

 

[Bellz]

Peter Callahan
The Funky Cat
~ Dublin City Center, Dublin ~ ​

Peter let out a soft laugh as Sinead stated that maybe she should let him keep talking, wanting to change her being the one to say dumb things. "You don’t say dumb things, love. You are one of the most well-versed people I know." Peter reassured his wife before she turned serious.

The grey-haired man nodded his head in agreement with his wife as she said that they had to ride out the rough to get to where they were now. "Some of the strongest couples I’ve seen are all that way. Have to iron through the bad and then it’s just smooth sailing from here on out…at least in our relationship anyway. I know everything else is kind of falling apart again." Peter then forced himself to shut up as they pulled into the club lot.

Once he parked, Sinead got out before Peter could run over to open the door for her. Making sure he wasn’t too slow again, Peter moved to stand with his arm waiting to take hers before they both walked towards the entrance of the club.

Peter’s cheeks turned warm as he shook his head, giving her a mischievous smile as she said he looked handsome and that he’d best get her into the club before she dragged him back home. "Now now, don’t you make me change my mind, love. I paid a pretty penny for this private booth." Peter murmured playfully.

In actuality, Lorelei had tried to give the booth to them for free but Peter wanted to make sure she didn’t lose any money and insisted on paying. He didn’t mind one bit, loving to help family members who were trying to make a different name for themselves. He admired any relative in their family who had managed to stay out of being employed by the mob. It was one of the things that he wish he could go back in time and change about himself. Of course, it was a hard thing to wish…he would have never met the beautiful redhead on his arm if he had never been employed by the Sullivans.

Still, Peter wished he could have been a different man for Sinead, someone she actually deserved. Someone who could have given her life away from all of the trauma and torment. Once inside the club, the hostess very graciously led them back towards the private booth and once they were seated, Peter gave his wife a wide smile.

"I don’t think I’ve been in here for longer than a few minutes at a time. Lorelei’s done a really good job with this place. Reminds me of the clubs we used to run." He said to Sinead just as the waitress came to take their order for drinks. Peter ordered a whiskey neat before looking to his wife, "Get anything your heart desires, dear." He murmured to her.
with: Sinead Misty Gray

 

[Bellz]

Thomas Porter
His Apartment
~ Dublin City Center, Dublin ~​

Despite the panic that pooled in his chest, when Elena opened up the door he didn’t flinch. His eyes met hers as his chest heaved with shallow breaths and when she asked if he was okay all he could do was nod his head at first. When she went on to ask if he’d dreamt of something, Thomas hesitated to answer, instead, focusing on regulating his breathing at that moment. "J-just a bad dream, I’m fine now though." He finally managed to answer, watching as she took a few tentative steps towards the bed.

He cautiously watched her as she placed her hands on his footboard, not afraid of what she might do, but afraid that he might react in a way that he couldn’t necessarily control. When she admitted that she was worried about him, Thomas’s cheeks turned pinker than they already were, causing him to clear his throat softly. Things between them had been going really slowly and while Thomas had in fact taken her out on a few dates before, he wasn’t exactly sure where they stood.

It was evident that she wanted to be more intimate than they were right now as she also admitted that she missed him, creeping closer to him before kneeling at his side. Lucky relished in the attention Elena was giving her, tilting her head into her hands as Elena scratched behind her ears.

Thomas attempted to smile when Elena called Lucky cute, though it didn’t seem to completely meet his eyes. When she asked if she could get something for him, Thomas shook his head once but stayed silent as he just focused on Lucky for a long moment. When Elena made a suggestion about passing the time, Thomas’s cheeks once again warmed having a good idea about what she meant by that.

As much as he was attracted to her, Thomas couldn’t bring himself to selfishly put her in a situation where she could get hurt. Especially after what happened with his Uncle Conor. Thomas felt more triggered by the little things than he had in a really long time, anything could have set him off.

Clearing his throat again, Thomas finally brought himself to look into Elena’s eyes and managed to offer her the smallest of smiles. "You don’t have to take care of me, Elena." He murmured, "That’s really supposed to be my job. Adam might kick my ass if I don’t try to." He said with a chuckle though his tone was lacking any sign of humor.

Shifting in his bed, Thomas moved to swing his feet out, careful not to bump into Elena with them as he placed them firmly on his wood flooring. "Want to get out of the house for a little bit? It’s been a minute since I’ve taken you out? Any place that you’ve had your eye on lately?"

Despite wanting to do nothing but hide in the house out of fear of his own potential actions, Thomas didn’t enjoy seeing Elena so down and bored. He knew that she liked to go out and explore the area around them and while Thomas wasn’t much into exploring these days, he’d sacrifice that for her. "Ladies' choice, where would you like to go for the day?"
with: Elena Pyroclast

 

[BasDorcha]

Dublin City Centre
Martial Arts Dojo [Kyokushin Karate]
Ruby Miller​

Ruby watched as the teacher but gave Stella a side smile, “I got lost paying bills this morning. I also decided to set up a fight, gotta earn some bill money. It should be this weekend, wanna come? I’m gonna be up against this featherweight girl. It will give you a chance to see some hand to hand combat too. We’re both MMA fighters, so it should be entertaining at the least. I can tell you who will win.” A light laugh burst through her lips as she insinuated, she had no doubt she was a better fighter.

As Stella answered for them and let the sensei know they were wanting to sign up for a class, Ruby listened along quietly, watching and judging the proficiency of the students behind him. A few of them looked like they had a good grasp of what the class was expecting to do, as their warm ups seemed routine then clumsy and unsure. Ruby flexed her feet onto the tip of her toes then to the balls as she watched, unconsciously working out the muscles in her legs. She looked up as the teacher said that he did offer private lessons, Ruby lifted an eyebrow questioningly. She hadn’t considered a private lesson, just one of the basic classes would be good to start with.

“I’d prefer to get my hands in today and see if I can keep up, would that be alright? I don’t mind working out in what I have for now. I’ll sign the forms now if that’s the case.” Ruby gave a polite, if not cliché bow, to the sensei instead of a handshake, and stood up, holding a hand out to Stella, “What do you say, think you can keep up too, Kwon?” She grinned teasingly, taunting Stella, as the sensei nodded and went to grab the papers for them.

Interactions BloodLightning27 - Stella

 

[Misty Gray]

Dublin Hospital
~ Dublin City Centre, Dublin ~

Conor Sullivan​

Conor managed a small smile when Aliana told him if she wasn't the one stressing him out then it would be the kids. The thought made him think of Rhiannon and Sydney; how the business kept him from spending as much time with them as he'd like to. He hated missing out on things like Rhiannon's skating competitions, but his reasons where ones he couldn't get out of. "The girls need a summer vacation too," he told her. "I know we talked about it a while back, but we should actually do it."

Conor was glad to hear Benjamin was coping, despite the circumstances, especially if Leo and others were checking in on him. "Just make sure he doesn't feel he has to rush back to work yet. Em can look after the place if needed, as long as she remembers that whole customer is right bollocks..." he trailed off, hinting towards Emery's lack of filter if someone were to annoy her.

Conor listened as Aliana told him she understood that his goal was always to protect their family, with her apologising if she'd made him think otherwise. He understood that things had been stressful lately, but after having altercations with Sinead, James, and Savannah recently, he wasn't so sure how serious they had been nor how easy it would be to clear the air with them. He couldn't make promises that he'd do what they asked. As much as he understood Savannah wanted Callum to know the Kings, that couldn't overrule the fact her family were at war with them and his niece travelling to London would not be safe, not for a long time.

When Aliana said she wanted to help him find a way of dealing with their enemies, Conor looked to her somewhat surprised. Having seen Lucy with James, as well as even Gabriel and Vinnie Romano having clear support from their respective wives, Conor knew it was possible. He just wasn't sure if it would be for Aliana. He hoped she was as serious about fighting in his corner as she was suggesting. "I would like that, Ali. I shut you out of my office and my decisions because I thought it was what you wanted - or at least that you didn't want to be involved in my messes. I think you're what's missing in all of this. Your support, yeah, but more than that your insight and willingness to question things. Not that I will always agree with you..." he pointed out.

"We'll find a way to squeeze in some enjoyment between everything," he assured her. He pinched the bridge of his nose as a wave of nausea overcame him, accompanying the existing headache and blurred vision he was suffering from. "You sure a beer is out of the question? I already feel like I've been on a heavy night out without any of the fun," he grumbled.

Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana)

 

[Pyroclast]

Benjamin Reznik's House
~ Fairview, Dublin ~

Kurt Reznik​

No matter how much he cared for his son, the fact was that Kurt hadn’t been a present father for twenty years and if he were being honest with himself, he was a little daunted at the thought of having to help his son navigate such an immense personal loss. Of course he had every intention of being there for him, but he had a feeling it wouldn’t just be living in the open world that he would have to adjust to. Having spent so long in an environment lacking in love and affection, he wasn’t really sure if he was prepared to be the comfort that Benjie needed. It was obvious how broken up the young man was, so it made him proud that he was receptive to his words of encouragement and was able to calm down and smile.

Any residual grief in Benjamin’s expression vanished when he realised that Kurt wouldn’t have to go back to Riker’s and could actually stay for good. “You and me both, kid,” he chuckled, and when Benjie confirmed that he could stay there with him, Kurt found himself once again gazing around the room. He couldn’t imagine living in such a large and comfortable space, but he was looking forward to trying it out - especially as it meant he could see his son every day. Benjamin’s positive words drew him back to the present and he looked him in the eye, a small smile tugging at his lips. “You’re a tough guy, you know that?” he told him, giving his shoulder a squeeze. “It’s never wrong to be happy, Benjie, but if you’re sad, too, that’s okay.”

With Chase having been the one to pick up Kurt from prison, he had been made aware of Benjamin staying at the Zegarra’s house, but he wanted to hear directly from his son how he had been doing. Hearing that he had spent some time in Wales, Kurt raised his eyebrows and gave a nod. He didn’t really know much about Wales, only that it was across the sea from Ireland and that it got a lot of rain. Still, he understood the desire to get away after going through something traumatic - though for him, the only change of scene he ever got was getting himself sent to the hole.

Kurt sat quietly, his eyes resting on his son as he listened to him explain in rather ambiguous terms the state of affairs between the three families, mentioning that Conor was currently in hospital. “Then I won’t check in with Conor just yet, I guess,” Kurt said, figuring he would find out who was standing in for the man in the meantime. It worried him that he had returned to what sounded like a warzone, not only because he was supposed to be avoiding trouble himself, but also because his son had recently come too close to it. Still, Benjamin assured him that he did his best to try and stay out of it. “Good. Last thing I want is you gettin’ hurt.”

With business talk out of the way for now, Benjamin offered him a drink, and Kurt smiled, eager to settle down with his son and just relax for the evening. Before he could respond, however, the young man suggested he showed him around the house first, so he let him walk him through the house that he had lived in with Aidan, still amazed at how nice it was. When they entered a room that Benjie explained would be his, Kurt didn’t understand what had caught the man off guard. However, when Aidan was brought up, he remembered that the two had planned to keep his release a secret from him and realised that the man had laid out the bedding all ready for him. Benjamin was smiling at the thought, but Kurt found it hard to, suddenly struck by how kind a man Aidan truly was. No one had done anything so kind for him in all of twenty years and he wasn’t really sure how to take it.

Not quite ready to explore the room that he would be allowed to call his, Kurt was glad to move onto the rest of the tour. Aidan’s bedroom was skipped, but Kurt made a mental note to help his son confront it at some point. They soon came to Benjamin’s old bedroom, still left as it was when he had been a teenager. There were posters of bands that Kurt had never heard of, and multiple shelves showcasing the many trophies that Benjamin had won at school. He always got updated with his son’s latest achievements in the letters, phone calls and visits, but seeing them all there together made him realise just how successful his son had been. He had to wonder if the boy would have achieved so much if it had been him raising him and not Aidan. He himself had excelled in sports as a boy, but school hadn’t been a great place for him in general so he had wound up squandering a lot of opportunities. It had always made him proud to know that Benjamin hadn’t followed in his footsteps.

As he was perusing the many awards his son had claimed over the years, Benjamin knocked one of them onto the floor by mistake, pulling his attention away. His son was chatty, which suited Kurt well as he was feeling a bit too overwhelmed by everything to say much. As he talked about his clumsy nature and how he had embarrassed him by falling over in front of Lorelei the first time they had met, Kurt gave a light chuckle. “You gotta introduce me to this girl someday, Benjie,” he reminded him. “Lucky for you, not havin’ me around the last twenty years means I don’t got any embarrassing stories about you to tell her. So, you’re safe there.”

When Benjamin showed Kurt the photograph he had been reaching for, Kurt’s heart gave an unexpected lurch. He hadn’t been allowed photographs in Riker’s or in the maximum security prisons he had been in in the past, and even in the others he didn’t trust the other inmates not to steal them or ruin them, so Kurt hadn’t actually seen his late wife’s face in years. He exhaled a deep breath as he gazed at the photograph, a reminder of the love he had once had and the trauma of being unable to help her, ultimately leading to her death. Benjamin then pointed to a photograph of them all. He said it was one of his favourites, which saddened Kurt as Benjamin was only a toddler in the picture. He felt bad to have deprived Benjamin from such a young age of making memories with his parents, and that there can’t have been many more family photos of them if his favourite was one from when he was so young.

Taking the family photograph from Benjie, Kurt perched on the edge of his bed and sighed. “Yeah, she was a klutz alright,” he confirmed, with a half-smile. “Even tripped on her wedding dress. She had to circle me seven times and I didn’t think she was gonna make it!” He let out a fond laugh and looked at Benjamin, seeing once again how much he looked like his mother. Turning back to the photograph, he dared to ask, “How many more pictures of us d’ya got?”

Kurt knew he would be disappointed, albeit not surprised, if there weren’t many more, but if there were then he wanted to see them all. “You still doin’ your photography, Benjie?” he asked, finally placing the framed family photograph back on the shelf. “I don’t got many stories you’d wanna hear from the last twenty years, but I know I missed a lot of your life, so…I wanna hear more about it, see it in pictures. The memories you got, you know. Since I wasn’t there to make ‘em with you.”

He looked around the room again, at the books and gadgets, clothes and posters of bands whose music he hadn’t never heard, and it hit him just how much he didn’t know about his son. He suddenly got to his feet, dusting off his jeans that Chase had bought for him back in New York upon his release. There were going to be many moments like this, he thought - sudden realisations that things had changed. Spending all those years behind bars, of course he had thought endlessly about it - what it would really be like to return to the outside world, to his son - but of course, when it came down to it, it was always going to be a shock to the system. Whatever photographs or other things that Benjamin had found to show him, Kurt was willing to wait a moment for; instead he captured his eyes with a serious gaze and said, “I missed you, son. I’m sorry I wasn’t here.”

Interactions
Misty Gray my son

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

The Royal Taphouse
~London~
Darcey Hargraves & Alex King

​

Alex let out a playful scoff at Kerry's comment about the older men. "You think that's going to stop me?" He cocked his head slightly to the side and couldn't help but give her one of his charming smiles. It was something that happened on its own when he was flirting with someone. Sure, he knew when it happened but he was never going to try and stop it. It slowly faded, however, as she started to explain how she related to him. Before now he hadn't thought about how she would have to go through the darkest moment of her life alone. Except, she wasn't alone. She had a support system back then and for some reason, Alex felt relieved by the fact; whether it be because he was developing a crush on Kerry or simply because no one should have to go through things like that alone remains to be seen. She finished her story off by saying that she had listened to him because she liked him, causing that cockey grin to grow on his face once more. "Oh, so you like me? I knew it. I knew you wouldn't choose a bunch of old men over me." He snapped his fingers and let out a playful chuckle, leaning forward. "For sure. As much as I like it here, a little change of scenery never hurt."

Seeing Kerry grow serious caused Alex to do the same. He sat up straight in his seat, his body mimicking her own. The two of them locked eyes and Alex could tell that everything leaving her mouth had been truthful. He chuckled hearing her call his previous actions dumb and selfish considering they were - he understood this now. Alex knew he couldn't hide behind his trauma and fears forever, using them as an excuse to be a scumbag. He didn't want Callum to grow up to be the man he used to be and was determined to fix it. Hearing people acknowledge it - people like Kerry who had a front-row seat to it - made him feel like he was on the right path to redemption. So when Kerry informed him that she could see it, he felt his stomach grow a knot. And not in a bad way, either. Again, he wasn't sure what it was about her and her reassuring words but she was slowly growing to be someone whose words and time he actually acknowledged and cared about.

"You said it again," Alex stated, a cheeky smile on his face once she had finished talking again. "You must really like me. Like back at the hospital when you thought I was strong." He playfully flexed his muscles. "Hey! That's not true. I'm sure the both of 'em would gladly let you bully me. He then shook his head before settling down and placing his hands on the table, fingers linked together. "In all seriousness, Ms. Washington, I appreciate you and everything you've done. It's been... Hard, trying to change. Especially when I feel like my family doesn't think I can do it." Though no one had directly said it to him, Alex had spent so much time being the screw-up that he figured everyone was holding their breath.


Kerry ( Misty Gray )

​

Darcey couldn't help but smile at Christian when he stated that movies were full of lies. However, she didn't believe that the man didn't have a revolving door of women. He was a good-looking guy and paired with the fact that he seemed like quite the gentleman, Darcey was sure he had a harem of women. But then again, he seemed too nice of a person to be the sleeping around type like Alex had been. No, he was an actual gentleman that took women out on proper dates, she thought to herself. May then stated that there could definitely be women at his door and he was just trying to hide it. "Oh, so you're a gentleman then. You don't kiss and tell," she teased, sending him a wink. "Good man." She hid the cheeky smile on her face with her glass, taking another sip.

May then began to inform them of her trip to New York. Darcey herself couldn't imagine being around a house full of Moretti members - based on what she heard, the man was terribly dull and she imagined the rest of them to be as well. Well, maybe not all of them but enough to make her want to stay away. It was no surprise to hear that some people had merely shown up just to show their faces. In the world they all found themselves in, it wasn't shocking to know some didn't care about menial things such as funerals. All that mattered was showing up and making sure you paid your condolences. As sick and annoyed as she often got because of it, she knew it was just one of those things. "I feel so sorry for his cousin." Though Darcey had only met Ava once, the two women had hit it off. "Hopefully she'll be able to heal and process properly. I know how painful losing a husband feels." Having watched Bruce grieve both Olga and their children had been heartbreaking for Darcey. While he managed to get through it, she could never get rid of the lingering feeling that he hadn't gotten over it 100%.

May then asked if they had ever been to New York and Darcey opened her mouth to speak. Only to immediately close it when she saw Bruce entering the pub. She knew what his sudden appearance meant, ruining the calm atmosphere she found herself settling into. He hadn't engaged with her just yet, walking to the bar instead. Darcey shared a knowing glance with Christian before turning her attention back to May. After clearing her throat she shook her head. "No, I haven't. But it sounds like quite the adventure." Darcey tried to muster up some sort of smile or a lighter tone to her voice, but knowing what was about to take place had prevented that. This may have been the last time Darcey and May were able to spend time together and it was very serious to her. Watching as Spencer and Billy soon filed into the pub, Darcey looked at her cup with a heavy sigh. She immediately downed the remaining whiskey inside before picking up the drink she took from May.

Bruce wasted no time in beckoning both her and Alex. "Here we go," she muttered to herself before standing up. "Well, I'm bein' summoned. May, why don't you find out some information about Christian here? I'd love to know what he does when he's not being a spy," she joked, winking at Christian. She then made her way towards the room - Alex begrudgingly following after her. He was having a great time with Kerry and it was being ruined because of a stupid meeting, he thought. After apologizing to her, he grumbled and followed everyone else into the room. Once the door was closed, Alex crossed his arms and frowned. "This gonna take long?" He asked, impatient to get back to his companion. "Oh, relax," Darcey said, taking a seat. The liquor was starting to get to her where she was no longer biting her tongue, but not to the point where she would star slurring. "You can get back to her once we're done." Thankfully Bruce began, rendering Alex quiet.

Darcey didn't miss the look Bruce had on his face as he looked at her. Her eyes didn't leave his while he spoke, informing the boys of the meeting they had a week ago. It wasn't until he mentioned May again that she picked up her cup. The King boys, she thought, were dramatic - especially Spencer and Alex - and therefore, she knew she would need this drink, too. The moment the news dropped she closed her eyes, preparing for the worst as she raised her glass to her lips. Billy was the first to respond, surprisingly, as he tried to wrap his mind around it. The moment Bruce confirmed that meant May was their half-sister, Alex let out a scoff. With a frown on his face, he started shaking his head. "No goddamn way is she any sister of mine," he stated. "Harper? Yeah, she's my sister. May is just some girl who wandered into our territory with Sullivan ties." It was no shock that Alex would have such an adverse reaction to hearing about May's genealogy whatsoever. "So, what? Why do we care that Trevor has a bastard?"

A small chuckle escaped Darcey at Alex's question - the young man looking in her direction with a curious expression on her face. "What's so funny?" He asked, to which Darcey just shook her head and placed her index finger against her lips. "Hush. Brucey has more." She knew where Bruce was going to go next and she just sat and listened. Despite Bruce stating he wanted May to be able to get to know Trevor, Darcey couldn't help but feel he was lying. He didn't care about May - none of them did. Who's to say their votes weren't about to be biased? She had to do something to make sure they made this decision completely free of it - Alex especially. Bruce then opened the floor, starting with Billy first. Before he had a chance to start sharing his thoughts, Darcey interrupted. "It's not her fault, you know. Being a Sullivan. Being a King. No more than it is Callum's," she said, gesturing towards Alex. "She's not known anyone from her family other than her brother. In reality, they've got no family and therefore don't belong to either side."

"I'm not trying to tell you what to do," she continued, shaking her head, "After all, Bruce is right. It affects you the most. But, it's not fair to keep something like this from her." She paused, taking a deep breath. Darcey had gotten closer to May than she expected and to see her leave just when they started to get comfortable would suck. "If anything, telling her about Trevor and sending them both away seems more... Ethical. I know I don't have a vote, but... May's not as bad as you all think just because she's related to them. I swear it."



Christian, Spencer ( Misty Gray ) May ( BasDorcha ) Billy, Bruce ( Pyroclast )

​