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

Gwen was relieved when Bailey said that it was alright, fearing that she had upset the girl in some way. Regardless, she still nervously smiled. The woman had been doing her best to stay under her brother's radar tonight. The man was like a bloodhound when it came to sniffing out Gwen's secrets but what he didn't know wouldn't hurt him and Gwen would make sure he knew nothing. The guilt she felt about hiding things from her brother bubbled in her chest from time to time. But the high she felt from the drugs wasn't something she could replicate, as hard as she tried. After years of sadness and drug use, she couldn't create her own version of happiness any longer without that special kick from the white powder. Last night had been a blur and all she could remember was that she stumbled in wearing nothing but what appeared to be a man's trench coat.

The redhead went on to speak about the spilled whiskey being no good and Gwen let out a soft chuckle as the woman took the drinks from her hands. Her hands stayed raised as she watched Bailey order another round of drinks. "A woman of equal taste. I admire that." Gwen murmured lightly before lifting one of the glasses to her lips and taking a long gulp. Gwen's eyes curiously flickered to Bailey as she spoke again, saying that it wouldn't be right to leave Gwen alone to drink. Tilting her head and smiling back, Gwen shrugged her shoulders lightly, "Now now, take no pity in me." She told her with a teasing tone before nodding her head. "I'm not like my loner brother, so company would be nice." She agreed. Despite Gwen being cautious, the cocaine was starting to give her the self confidence she needed, add the whiskey, she was a Star at these events.


Starting to feel on top of the world, Gwen looked around at the party before turning her head back to Bailey. "You work for my brother ya?" She asked, having seen her around a few times. "Oh my god," She said after a moment, "That's actually a really stupid question considering most of the people here are employed by him." Gwen was rambling now, her thoughts racing as the euphoria of the drugs was starting to hit her. The woman seemed jittery, spacey and nervous, which she was trying hard to overcome to uphold her facade that she thought her brother couldn't see through.


"I'm trying to avoid him right now. Love the man but every time I see him its one lecture after the other." The redhead complained lightly as she once again lifted a glass to her lips.

The speedy little red easily maneuvered her way through the crowd of adults that were standing around her, Scuse me, Scuse me!" She said politely as she finally reached the end of the crowd, heading down the quiet hall towards one of the other rooms, looking for Thomas in particular. In her passing the girl saw her Uncle James and squealed happily, "Happy Birthday Uncle Jimbo!!" Not waiting for a response the girl did her best to wrap her arms around James' large frame. "Mommy has your gift from both of us!" She murmured into his side before releasing him. "Oh! And you should try the cupcakes! They are sooo good!" She said, as if she had just remember to tell him specifically. "Bye!" With that, Lorelei ran off towards the other lounge where she was sure Thomas was. To her disappointment, her older cousin was no where to be seen. This feeling only lasted a second as she spotted her Golden Retriever, Blondie, Lucy's Irish Setter puppy, Ireland and Thomas' Saint Bernard puppy, Nana all laying somewhere on the floor.

Patting her hands against her thighs, she tried her best to whistle like she heard the adults do when calling the dogs. Unfortunately no sound came out, and she opted for calling them each by name. The dogs excitedly rose to their feet and Lorelei laughed, turning on her heels, she ran back out towards the main party area with the pups a few steps behind her.

As she walked into the main lounge, she saw Thomas looking a bit lost. "Tommy!" Lorelei said happily as she skipped over and wrapped her arms around her favorite cousin. "Rory! I just saw you!" The girl was squeezing him so tight, that he gasped out lightly. The little girl didn't care as she continued to hold on tightly. "But you were gone for like 2 hours!" She exaggerated.


with: Lorelei (me) ; Bailey Pilgrim59
mentions: James Misty Gray

The car ride over was very entertaining for Roxie, chatting away with the other women in the car, it had taken no time to get to the Porter Residence. Once spotted, Roxie grew quiet. Her own family was quite wealthy but they were more city dwellers, so the only real house they owned was their summer home down south. It was a nice change of scenery, to be away from the towering and intimidating buildings of the city. The home was gorgeous and Roxie truly had an appreciation for beauty. Once they pulled into the driveway and got out of the car, Roxie made a beeline for Savvy and smiled widely, "You didn't tell me your uncle was this loaded." She teased lightly, her eyebrows raising in wonder. With that, the ladies headed inside the glamorous home and Roxie once again found herself stunned into silence at the interior. She slowly followed Savvy and the other's as they were headed towards the bar, but stopped as Savvy suddenly excused herself. Roxie looked to Veronica with a curious look, her eyes wandering to look in the direction of Savvy, who was speaking to an older gentleman who was hovering somewhere near the entryway.

Peter hadn't noticed his daughters arrival, as he himself was too busy breaking out into sweats just looking at the crowd around him. Sinead was nowhere to be seen and at this point, he wasn't sure if he cared or not. If only he could get to the bar...Savvy's cheerful voice could be heard and although he was in a pretty rough mode, his daughter managed to pull a smile out of him. "Hi Princess." He greeted her with a gruff voice, listening as she went on to thank him for her birthday gift. The man had worked hard to make sure he got the perfect gift for her, the connection the pair had was undeniable and he loved Savvy with everything he had. "I'm glad its something you really wanted, Sweetheart." Peter noticed as two girls looked on from some distance away, no doubt they were Savannah's friends. "Hey now, don't feel like you have to entertain your old man. Go on, get drunk. Come get me if you need me." With that, she parted ways and Peter felt a bit more relaxed as he traveled towards the bar.

When Savvy returned, Roxie let the blonde fall back into conversation with Eve a moment before the brunette cut in on the conversation, "Okay, I love that we are all chatting, but I came here to get slammed." Smiling widely, Roxie wrapped her arms around both Savvy and Veronica. "Let's start with shots shall we?" Hoping they would agree, the group would head in the direction of the bar and once arrived, Roxie patted her hand against the counter, catching the attention of the bartender.

"Good sir, please give us ladies 3 shots of the strongest drink you got!"


with: Savvy Misty Gray Veronica lavendre

Lucy smiled lightly as Syd told her that she couldn't be too careful. Though she knew he was right, she couldn't help but notice that her son and husband were two peas in a pod...at least when it came to work. This of course came with the territory of being in the mob, and part of Lucy wished Syd had chosen a different path. It had been hard for her to see her son go through so much pain, especially with Skye's death. It had been years of hell having to see him go through so much emotional pain, she had felt so helpless, not being able to do anything to help him...at times she still felt that way. Luckily, Syd was his happy go lucky self for the time being, and Lucy hoped it would stay that way.

At mentioning the staff and all the hard work they had put into decorating, the blonde nodded and snapped her fingers, "Thank you for reminding me. I need to write the check and of course they are all welcome to have drinks!" Walking with her son, she noticed that most of the guests had gravitated towards the bar, which wasn't unusual for most of their parties. Looking around, the woman pulled a worried look and bit her cherry red lips. "You think we have enough alcohol? I would hate for anyone to drive, not after that accident I heard about in the paper." Once they made it to the bar, Lucy leaned against it. "How are we doing on inventory?" She asked the bartender, to which the man smiled easily. "No worries, Mrs. Porter. We are all set for the night." This eased Lucy's worries slightly, but the blonde couldn't help but worry. She didn't help decorate like she normally would, and although she trusted the staff...she still had her doubts.


Sighing softly, she nodded her head. "Alright then get him a whiskey and I'll take a gin." Once ordered, Lucy turned back to her son. The conversation was only going to be serious if he allowed it to be, she would never push his boundaries of what he was comfortable talking about, but the woman was very concerned about her son's wellbeing, checking up on him was a regular thing she did. The drinks were handed to them and Lucy immediately brought her drink to her lips. Taking a sip, she brought the glass down and smiled softly at her son, "So you are doing well?" It was a simple question, but he knew that it was more than that.

with: Syd Pyroclast

Syd Porter

Before the two had even reached the bar, Lucy confessed her worries about there not being enough alcohol. As the wife of a mob boss, she had had to host hundreds of gatherings over the years for various reasons, and so she had a very good idea of how much their guests could put away. It was so like her to worry, especially given the standards they were expected to uphold, but Syd still found it endearing that she would fuss over so many people. "Hey, relax," he began, leaning back against the bar. "The guards aren't gonna let anyone through the gates if they're drunk. They'll let us know who needs to stay the night or get a taxi home."

While his mother spoke to the bartender, Syd scanned the room, noticing how full it had seemed to get in only a matter of minutes. The sound of a woman's voice coming from behind Lucy caught his attention, ordering three shots of whatever the strongest drink was. Tilting his head to see who the voice belonged to, his eyes fell upon a staggeringly beautiful woman, someone he had never seen before, standing beside his cousin, Savannah. It crossed his mind that she could be her roommate, since he had never actually met her. He knew that she was a good friend of Sav's, but he had never imagined her to be so attractive. Despite his limited knowledge of women's fashion, he could tell at first glance that she had a real sense of style; it showed in every part of her appearance, from her cascading brunette curls to the make-up highlighting her delicate facial features, and the tight blue dress that accentuated her curves...

Before his eyes could drift any further downwards, a glass of whiskey was placed down on the bar behind him, instantly breaking his gaze. Almost embarrassed, Syd blinked and picked up his glass, twirling it in his hand to watch the light refract through the multifaceted crystal. What was he doing checking her out anyway? He wasn't much interested in women these days - dating was too difficult to navigate, and business and family matters kept him sufficiently occupied. Besides, romance would bring more complications than it would happiness. At least, that's what he kept telling himself. He took a sip, catching sight of the platinum ring on his right hand as he brought the glass down again.

"Hm?" Realising he had become distracted, Syd raised his head when his mother asked him a question, and found her smiling softly at him. He returned her smile, fighting the urge to steal another glance at the beautiful woman standing behind her. "'Course," was his provisional answer, before it dawned on him that her question was invested with deeper meaning. Despite having no intention to pursue his innate attraction to Savannah's friend, he couldn't help but feel a tad self-conscious at the idea of having a personal conversation within earshot of her. Though it was unlikely she would catch any of it, there was still a chance. Gently placing the tumbler down, he looked his mother in the eye, a serene smile on his face. Deep down he always appreciated her for checking in on him, even if the time or place for it wasn't ideal. "I am, mam," he nodded, lowering his voice a little just in case. "This isn't about the drinking, is it? 'Cause I promise you it's nothing to worry about - the meds don't really react to it much. I'm still taking them every day." Glancing around the room, Syd took up his glass and raised it to take another sip. Then, with a deep sigh, he turned back to his mother and smiled. "I am doing really well, actually. More good days than bad. I feel like I've more or less got a handle on things, you know? So...it's all lookin' up!" Even though he was never sure how long he would stay in this positive state for - it could be months, weeks or mere days - he always preferred to be optimistic. It may not be perfect, but it was manageable. "And how about you, mam? Are you...How's things at home?"

Interactions
Bellz Lucy

Dante Coreno ushered the last guest inside before standing guard for several minutes. He kept a close eye on everything until his coworkers finally reported at his position in the allotted time.

There were 6 other guards armed with the same equipment the Roman had been. "Gentlemen, " he began with a small smile. "We are all here to ensure this party goes off without a hitch. Everyone is celebrating and making merry and it's our jobs to make sure it stays that way.

If you see anyone start any trouble, you are to escort them out. Forcefully. If you see anyone acting suspicious, feel free to act first and ask questions later.

Everyone is to take up positions around the festivities and stay vigilant. Understood?"

Nothing but sounds of approval and understanding.

"Wonderful. If any of you are secretly assassins, I will give you a hint. Kill me first, then the VIP. Trust in the fact that I will make you regret the day you were pushed into this world."

With that, Dante's smile grew brighter and he gestured inside for the men to pile in and take up positions. It was clear on their faces that they were more than a little disturbed by that open threat. They thought themselves comrades.

How nice.

However, it was one of Coreno's very jobs to be suspicious of everyone's motives. Including the boss's own family members. He was the enforcer. This meant no one was safe from Dante. No one.

.....


The hitman made his way through the party with the utmost caution while keeping a pleasant smile of warmth and amiability. Truly, Dante seemed like he couldn't be happier that he was there and truth be told, he was. He enjoyed having potential targets within eyesight.

Eventually, he reached the VIP in question and bowed his head slightly to the well-dressed birthday boy, "Sir, all the expected guests are here. The guards are posted around the party. No issues have come up so far. The rest of my night will be spent guarding you. I'm aware you think its unnecessary but I would still rather add an extra deterrent from any would-be troublemakers."

Misty Gray Anyone else in the immediate area lol

James was about to turn to the barman and request a drink when he was interrupted by the squealing voice of a child. He immediately recognised the voice as that which belonged to Lorelei. The man pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a deep sigh. Though he'd suspected as much already, it finally sank in that it was going to be a long and exhausting night. The child wrapped her small arms around him, at least as much as they could go. "Hey there, Midget," he said, lightly chuckling at her energy. He gently rubbed his niece's back as she wished him a happy birthday. He loved all of his nieces and nephews dearly, even if some of them were little terrors in the sweetest possible way. When she had been Lorelei's age, Emery had been cheeky, bossy and always had an answer for everything. Now Emery was older and less gobby, James couldn't help but think Lorelei would prove to be equally challenging. Despite his jokes about his nieces being terrifying, he deep down found their confidence adorable. "She has? Then why don't I have it yet?" James playfully responded when Lorelei mentioned her mother had a gift. The fact that Gwen hadn't yet spoken with him on his birthday hadn't gone unnoticed and if she didn't find him soon, he'd make sure to approach her instead.

There was mention of cupcakes and before James could even reply, the little girl had rushed off, presumably to find other small humans to cause chaos with. He trusted Thomas was the more sensible of the three children, but in the presence of Lorelei and Leo, he wouldn't be surprised if they ended up causing some minor troubles over the course of the evening. Conor's son alone was a handful, as James had learned on numerous occasions before.


James finally managed to focus his attention on the bar and ordered himself a large Scotch whiskey. He soon brought the glass tumbler to his mouth and swallowed a significant amount of the drink in one go. He placed the drinking vessel down on the bar just in time for Dante to approach him and speak up. James turned to face the man and paid attention as he explained the arrangement with security. He was glad to hear guards had been stationed around the party and he made a mental note to have one of them switch places with Warren in a short while. His half-brother had argued against joining the celebrations, stating he was best placed at the gates as he knew the faces of most of those invited to the party. James knew the younger man didn't like big parties, but he didn't think it was right for his flesh and blood to spend all night working rather than enjoying at least some of the festivities.

As Dante pointed out his own night would be spent guarding the man himself, James tightened his jaw but gave him a relenting nod. "You're in for a fucking boring night following me around, mate," he gruffly pointed out. In all honesty, he knew he'd brought it on himself. Demanding such high security was bound to include having himself protected throughout the night. Back when he was working for Emmet Sullivan, James had been just as focused on his duty to protect the Sullivans. Emmet himself had told him to relax on occasions, but James had refused and never escorted the family members without being armed and ready to act.

James observed Dante for a short time, seeing something very familiar in the man. He could see the dedication in the hitman's eyes, but also sensed he was happy with his duty and perhaps enjoyed the thrill his line of work brought. It was those attributes of the man standing by him that he admired and in turn it all helped him trust his capabilities. "If you don't think it will affect your abilities, make sure you at least take advantage of a free drink or two," he suggested.


shadowz1995 (Dante)
Mentions: Bellz (Lorelei, Gwen)

The Roman assassin bowed his head with a light chuckle at James's gruff comment. Immediately, he took up position by the birthday boy's right flank and adjusted his grip on his firearm. Truly, it was amusing seeing his mark try his best to make the festivities fun while finding it somewhat taking to even pursue.

Dante had never really experienced a proper birthday. He was always training or on the job. Often times, he forgot when his birthday even was until he was reminded by one of his late siblings. But as he understood it, birthdays were supposed to be a day where one did as they pleased. The one day in the year were you were allowed to be more open, honest, and selfish.

Yet, here was James, doing the exact opposite. He was being selfless about everything.

Still, the comment was amusing, "I sincerely hope it will be as boring as any night could be, Sir. I'm sure no one wants to see me 'working'." he gestured with air quotes. Not many were in the know about Dante Coreno's true skills. Obviously, his employer was one of them.

The large man shook his head politely at the offer for a drink, "I don't drink in general, Sir. My line of work doesn't allow those luxuries. You never know."

Misty Gray

Savannah bit her bottom lip when Roxie expressed her disinterest for chatting when there was heavy drinking to be done. She quickly nodded her head and let out an apprehensive sigh. Her friends and even her dad were telling her to get drunk, so it was normal, wasn't it? On stage, Savannah displayed confidence and expressed herself freely through the arts. In reality, she was often overcome with anxieties and worries that people would reject her if she was deemed boring. She'd had two serious relationships in the past and both had ended when the men in question had ditched her for someone else. In fact, it was Caleb's words that had always stuck with her, when he told her she was boring and too sensible. Not that she would admit it to her, but Savannah envied Emery's confidence and outspoken nature.

"Shots it is," Savannah agreed, putting on a bright smile for her friends. As she was led to the bar, the painted on smile seemed to grow more natural as she reminded herself she was in the presence of friends who genuinely wanted to be in her company during the party.

Soon enough, Roxie had ordered shots and the barman wasted no time in handing the young ladies their drinks. "Come on, girls!" she enthusiastically encouraged them. With little reluctance she knocked back the shot in one go and slammed the glass down on the bar, turning her nose up as the strong taste for a second. "Three more, please!" she wasted no time in asking.

As she waited for the next lot of drinks, Savannah's eyes found her cousin, Syd. She observed him as he seemed to be looking in her direction and soon enough she realised his eyes were on Roxie. She raised a curious eyebrow and even if she wasn't sure he would see, she sent him a knowing smirk. She soon turned back to Roxie with a bigger smile on her face as she tried to hide her suspicions that Syd was eyeing up her friend. "Have you met any of my family before?" she curiously asked.

Bellz (Roxie)
Mentioned: Pyroclast (Syd) lavendre (Veronica)

Not wanting to let the repeated arguments between her parents get to her, Emery eventually made her way into the Porters house and to the centre of the party. She'd seen her little cousins along the way, but had left them to their own devices. She was at the awkward age where her siblings were now considered adults and the cousins closest to her age group were little kids to her. There weren't any teenagers she could spend time with at the party. If only she'd asked about inviting some of her school friends!

Emery had made her way to the bar only to be turned away empty handed, which had frustrated her greatly but she'd held her tongue rather than giving the staff a piece of her mind. As she looked around, she set eyes on Savannah knocking back the drinks, which caused her to pout a little with envy. Her smile soon returned when she saw Peter standing at the bar. Her father still looked troubled, but she was sure she could cheer him up. Just don't mention those dumb arguments, she reminded herself. As much as she wanted to get her parents to make up with each other, she feared any intervention right now from herself could make matters worse.

Soon enough, Emery scooted along the bar until she nudged into Peter's arm. "Okay. So. We have a problem, Dad!" she told him, turning to face him directly. She let out an exasperated sigh and put on an exaggerated frown. "It turns out, I wasn't born early enough to get a drink at this party. Lurch over there won't let my order a drink," she said, using her thumb to point out the tall barman who had refused to serve her, evidently comparing him to a character from The Addams Family. "It's not my fault you and Mum took your time creating me!" she remarked, unable to hide the smirk from her face. She rested her head on Peter's shoulder and let out a loud sigh. "Dad, I'm in a really shitty position here. There's nobody my age and I'm sooooo thirsty!"

Bellz (Peter)
Nudge: Trappy (Braden)

[/div]

“Seven drinks eh? I must say I like your style, should definitely relax ourselves sufficiently,”

It would also most likely result in him having to be bundled into a cab home, which would then result in a trek back to pick up his car. Definitely an eventuality that should and could be avoided at all costs. He leans forward, grasping the man's hand in his own and giving it a firm pump.

“No apologies required Farrid, multiple familiar faces and social pleasantries to exchange, it can get a bit tiring after a while. Mitchell Van Gerwen at your service,”

He leans back against the bar. How was he? Well he had to admit the more of his rather agreeable beer he was drinking the more relaxed he was feeling. Who knows maybe 7 beers was an attainable goal.

“Ah I’m ticking along nicely. Normally I’m shut up in an office at this kind of time, working the candle at both ends with a stack of paper work and a bottle of half drunk whiskey. This is different...”

He glances about the party. The mingling of the families, children running about, the Birthday Boy at times looking like he'd rather be in said office than here, then there were people like him, the worker bees making the best of an invite to the Boss' social event, and then what appeared to be a group of rather excitable young women clamouring for alcohol and making their way towards the bar. One was James’ niece... he flipped through his mental rolodex, Savanah that was it, and must be a couple of her friends. For a moment his eyes are drawn to the brunette in the blue gown. Definitely not a family member or not one that he had encountered so far, he knew better than allowing your roving eyes to drift across some blood relation of your boss. But even from this view... heck she was stunning. He mentally pinched himself, save it Mitch, you’re no Casanova and she’s not going to have eyes for you. He turns back to Farrid.

“...but so far I haven’t embarrassed myself, so in other words it’s going swimmingly so far,”

He grins an raises the bottle he's drinking from.

“Oh I’m going for flavour and lack of alcohol for now, I find if I hit the whiskey at this early stage in the night I’ll be dragged out well before midnight, a recipe for disaster,"

(Interaction: Inb4Cloaker Farrid
Mention: Roxie Bellz )

Sinead ( Misty Gray )

Mitch scoffs and takes a swig of his beer as Farrid teases him and flicks his shoulder. He steals another glance towards the brunette in blue, anything more and that could even lead to a far more awkward meeting of the eyes, and having to rely on only one beer to try and become more interesting was a very dangerous game. He wasn’t exactly a silver tongued devil when it came to women, not after only one beer anyway, he had more of a run away steam locomotive tongue without the presence of alcohol, splurging his thoughts in one unseemly train wreck. The more attractive the woman in question the worse it seemed to get as well, and right here we were talking about a bridge strike, and a 17 carriage pile up with a level crossing of a crash. I mean she clearly fashionable, the dress was a fashion statement classy, showing off enough to attract the right kind of attention. Knowing his luck a high flying monster's wife, no way a woman like that remained single for long. He turns back towards Farrid, keep the staring to a minimum you're cool, collected and sociable Mitch tonight, not some gawping guppy fish.

“Aside from her evidently being the friend of the Boss' daughter, I am clueless as to name and or identity. Could always go for the clichéd bump into and spill a drink routine mind you...”

He takes another swig of his beer draining the dregs and placing the bottle on the table. As he does he follows Farrid's own gaze, giving him a nudge in the tubs as he turns to the barman, indicating for another beer.

“Besides looks like you’ve perhaps found someone you like. I could always insult her honour and you chuck me through the veranda door and sweep her off her feet, becoming the hero of this piece as she swoons over you?"

He leans back against the bar. He was beginning to enjoy himself, that first beer had left a slightly warm fuzzy feeling at the back his neck, and this Farrid was pretty pleasant to talk to. Fair enough he could probably kill him in about 18 different ways, but hey ply a man with booze and you’ve got a friend at least until he sobers up. He chuckles at Farrid's question, scratching at the back of his neck.

“ Oh a couple of crazy things, but if I can help it I try and stay away from said building fires and roving shootouts. I just stick with the sticky legalities of the aftermath, make sure people keep their mouths shut, the detectives don’t go about bending and twisting the rules like they so love to do. Mind you I’ve had a couple of the more rookie detectives and beat cops threatening to break my door down and knock my teeth out if I meet them outside of office hours, but so far my door is still in one piece and I’ve still got all my originals,”

He grins and runs his tongue over his pearly white teeth.

“And just call me Mitch, you can save the Mr Van Gerwen for if you ever have the misfortune of requiring me during business hours. Or if you ever have the misfortune of talking to my Father, which I would try to avoid at all costs if you can,”

(Interaction: Inb4Cloaker Farrid
Mention: Bellz Roxie)

Lucy hadn't missed the look on her son's face, and as she turned her head slightly to look behind her, she noticed her niece with a few of her friends, taking shots a little bit further down the bar. The blonde's eyebrows raised as she turned back to look at Syd, the man hadn't even noticed she was looking at him so obviously. It wasn't until the glass of whiskey was placed in front of him that he snapped out of whatever trance that woman had held him in. Lucy said nothing as she lifted her own drink to her lips, noting that her son had yet to answer her question.

When he finally said something, it was an unsettle short answer. There was a look of embarrassment on his face before he returned her smile. It seemed that the question she had asked hadn't registered with him completely at first, but when it did, she saw a shift in him. When he lowered his voice and asked if it was about the drinking, Lucy hesitated to answer. She of course didn't have a say in what her son did anymore. He was more than an adult now and there was nothing she could do if he simply chose not to listen to her advice. But with Syd, it has been hard...ever since Skye left them all. Nodding her head along with what he was saying, the woman once again lifted her glass to her lips to take a long sip. Once emptied, she set the glass on the counter and waited before refilling it.

"I'm glad to hear that, love. You know I just worry. One giant ball of worrying over here." She chuckled lightly. "You are just...so important to me. I know James and I aren't your birth parents...but you've been with us for so long now...it just feels that way. Your health and state of mind is priority #1 Syd. And like we've set up in the past...I'm only a phone call away." Lucy had been her son's emergency contact for many years, and unfortunately, she had to be called more than once...which terrified her to no end. She just didn't know what she would do with herself if...No. She couldn't think like that.


Upon him questioning her about how things were at home, Lucy found a distraction and took the opportunity to jump on it. "Things are the same for the most part. It hard sometimes when your father has gone into the city...but he tries to be as quick as possible. Thomas has been a little angel recently, he's taken up a love for cooking, which I just adore. " Her eyes looked around the room a moment before saying, "I wish we could have parties like this all the time...This house is just so large, sometimes it feels a little lonely." Lucy bit her lip, wondering if that was something she should have revealed to Syd. "You know...You could always move back in..?"


with: Syd Pyroclast

James shrugged his shoulders and pretended to contemplate Dante's words as the man said no-one wanted to see him working. "Well, I suppose the guests at the party could certainly do without seeing you at work tonight," he agreed. "Even though I'm sure your work is an art form in itself," he remarked. He didn't feel bad about such thoughts or making light of the man's actions. If Dante's skills were called upon and put to use, James had no doubt it was because the victim deserved it. After giving his enemies too many chances in the past, back in Dublin, he wasn't so easy to believe in second chances. Those who crossed him and his family deserved whatever came their way.

He smirked when the hitman pointed out he didn't drink and attributed it to his line of work. "I admire the commitment," he pointed out. "If this wasn't my party, I'd probably rather stay armed and sober myself, but I've had orders from Luce to get into the party spirit tonight."

James lowered his voice as he addressed Dante. "We've managed to take in one of the pricks who's been intercepting some of our shipments. Billy Granger. I've given orders to keep him detained and breathing until Monday. Regardless of whether or not he tells us who he's working with, I have no intention of letting him live long enough to try fucking us over again," he said, sending a knowing look in the hitman's direction.

shadowz1995 (Dante)

Sinead listened as her friend assured her that she was strong. Aliana reminded her of some of the things she'd survived in her lifetime and she quickly nodded along. But she was also aware of how many people she had lost along the way. Her own father and Savannah's father had both died within a year of each other. Conor had been locked up for the last three years. She was terrified of losing Peter too. He was the reason she'd survived at all over the last two decades and avoided being sent to the psych ward again, so it broke her heart that she was failing to help the love of her life when he needed her the most. "I'm trying, Ali. I'm trying to be strong for him..." she assured her, sniffling as she spoke. "Oh gosh. I hope it's a rough patch and I can make everything right again," she said, firmly nodding as she tried to convince herself.

Sinead sat up straight and looked her friend in the eyes when she suggested visiting Conor to find about what had happened to Peter. "Are you sure?" she awkwardly asked. "I know things between you and my brother are awkward right now. As much as I would appreciate it, I really can't push you into it. Only do it if you're sure," she told her friend. Deep down, she hoped Aliana and Conor would make up, but she knew that wasn't her decision to make. Still, she would love to see them together again.

Before Peter had gone to prison again, Sinead had been dreaming of having another baby and had been hoping he would agree. But then, prison happened and she was left struggling to believe he wanted her, nevermind another beautiful child. She choked back her emotions and sent Aliana a soft smile. "I'm glad I have you and the others. Even f Leo is a cheeky monkey, I enjoy seeing him and babysitting," she assured her. "As for the Charlie trilogy, I'll take two of them. Not that little furry rodent thing, though..." she said, turning her nose up.

After going with Aliana to reapply her make-up using some of Lucy's cosmetics, Sinead accompanied her friend to the party. She walked with her head held high, but struggled to make eye-contact or share a prolonged gaze in anyone's direction, fearing they would sense she'd been upset. When they reached the bar, Sinead requested a fruity cocktail. Her eyes briefly fell upon Peter and Emery, but she soon looked away and turned back to her friend. Her husband had been the one to march off first, so she felt he needed time to cool off. She hoped that time wouldn't be the entire party, but she wasn't prepared to approach him and risk upsetting him further. "How are you holding up, Ali?" she curiously asked. "I forgot to tell you that if things do work out with his release, Conor will be staying at my place. Somewhere stable..." she said, scoffing at such a comment, given her present lack of domestic bliss. Regardless, Conor's apartment above his rowdy pub wasn't considered a stable abode by the courts, and the Porters Manor was too far from his businesses, so Conor had grovelled with the Callahans to help him out. "I hope he's not as messy as he used to be," she lightly joked. She was trying to distract herself from what had upset her earlier, but hoped mentioning Conor wouldn't upset Aliana in return. "But, y'know... Cheeky Leo is welcome to stay over too, whether my brother gets out of jail soon or not."

Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana)

Allen reassured Conor again that he would deal with Robbo and apparently not in a way that would cause any trouble for himself. Realising he wasn't going to get much detail out of his father-in-law, Conor simply nodded his head and chose not to continue questioning him. The older man got up to leave, but not before offering Conor some instructions about following Dr. Parker's advice. "Yeah, alright. I'll do as the do-gooder tells me," he remarked. When told to keep his anger under control, Conor nodded along. He sat him straight and grinned at the last few of Allen's words. "And if you need me, I'll be anywhere but the library," he joked.

Conor eventually made his way to the gym and strolled into the room where he proceeded to warm up. He noticed a small group of men standing around one of the weight benches where a skinny-looking prisoner had been attempting to lift in peace. The three men surrounding the guy were clearly trying to intimidate him. Carrying a dumbbell with him, Conor clutched it tightly as he approached the small group. "Evening, lads. No need to stand around here when I'm training him," he calmly told them, regarding the poor weedy bloke who had been minding his own business. One of the three men rolled their eyes at Conor, causing his to straighten up and grin a little too enthusiastically for show. "That means fuck off," Conor spoke through gritted teeth, trying not to catch the guard's attention. "If you don't back off now, I'll smash this weight around your head," he threatened him. All the while, he continued to calmly smile and act out bicep curls with the dumbbell. Despite his threats, Conor had felt little need to follow through on his words. Maybe the shrink and everyone else trying to help really were having a positive affect on him.

The three men soon walked away and Conor looked down to the man he'd spared from them. He hadn't intended to actually help the guy work out, but found himself drawn to doing so nonetheless. He could only conclude that boredom was pushing him into it. "Grab the bar again and I'll stand by in case those arms of yours snap under the weight," he remarked. "Though I actually reckon you can lift more than that!" he pointed out.

Melanin-Gxdess (Allen)

Thomas, Lorelei ( Bellz ) Sinead ( Misty Gray )

“Why waste a good drink? I’d wager you could probably get her attention without spilling beer. If you are up to it, of course.”

Farrid was well into his next bottle, taking another gulp as he witnessed his teasing take effect. Still grinning, Assad did a double take back when Mitchell mentioned the woman he spied earlier. For a moment, Farrid narrowed his eyes as he seemingly pondered the advice of the lawyer. Lightly sliding the bottle between both his hands, the medic did indeed remember seeing the very scenes that the man described in some American cinemas. Reluctantly, the prior insurgent shook his head and spoke in a softer tone, as though he was revealing something embarrassing;

“Nah, I’m all scarred up or inked forty ways from Sunday. Contrary to popular belief, war doesn’t leave ‘badass’ or ‘intimidating’ marks on you. Besides, it’d be pretty insulting of me to attack my drinking buddy.” Assad was still giving a smile, although his eyes reflected a hint of loss for a moment, causing the bright expression on his face to appear feigned. As though he was aware that his smile began to waver, he took another quick drink from his beer and stood rested on the bar again. He felt as though he could trust Mitchell, and seeing as how he was in some ways a colleague of his, Farrid could divulge his own piece of knowledge to him.

“Oh? I guess that is more exciting than risking a paper cut. I wouldn’t worry too much about threats tossed towards your direction, because, I can’t think of anyone who’d survive long enough to make good on them if you were to report it up to the Porters.” Assad spoke earnestly, knowing that threats against those who were affiliated with the mob could very well result in serious problems for those who are daring to harass such people. As if to punctuate his statement, he leaned a bit closer towards the man after putting his bottle down. Turning to face out from the bar, Assad seemed to look at something distant before he spoke.

“I’ll tell you, I’ve fixed more than my fair share of people who took shots, broke bones, been stabbed, whatever. But, some of the people I’ve helped in this line of work have all kinds of bizarre things they get hurt by. Is the mob diverse in how they deal with issues? Yes. Is it effective? Deterring? Absolutely... Is it humane?” Farrid leaned back to his drink, lifting it and swiftly taking another mouthful. With the bright expression dissipating from his face, the medic looked silently at the lawyer before answering his own question.

“No. If I was on the wrong side of the mob and forced to pick between being snuffed out by one of the families here or dodging bullets back home, the next postcard you’d see from me would come from fuckin’ Iraq. At least you might see your death coming over there.” Letting out a quiet sigh as he recovered from his miniature rant, Assad rested his arms on the countertop while looking over the people surrounding the bar. He usually wasn’t one for giving a strong opinion about things, and it may be the alcohol, but he needed to somewhat push that off his chest. Ever since Farrid arrived, he has been dealing with patients who endured some of the most severe injuries he had seen to date. While he is usually able to properly treat and assist nearly everybody who asks him for help, sometimes he is bewildered by what people do to each other to inflict harm. Perhaps he should spend the next few days that he is on call reviewing some of the most outrageous cases he has dealt with rather than just organizing medications. It would probably give him the boost he needs to enhance his skills even further. Better to practice now and fix mistakes rather than trip with a real casualty.

As the somber tone faded from Assad’s voice, Farrid nodded his head and chuckled, acknowledging how Mitchell wanted to be referred to as. Not wanting to spoil the lawyers drink, the medic refrained from further discussing business for the moment.

“Very well, and you can call me Farrid. I’ll do my best to stray from your father then.”

ما رأيته

Mentions: None.
Interactions: Mitchell Van Gerwen RayPurchase​

Bailey took note of a familiar visage that maneuvered their way through the crowd. A well-dressed man, whose choice of attires, as well as his choice of alcohol dictated his posture of a white collar member. Despite so, Bailey have seen the man in a suit many times before, as she have conducted several businesses with him before. An attorney for the Porters, and a cunning one at that. If it was one thing that the auditor had grown fond of for the man, was his well endowed range of vocabularies and attentive eyes for books. Van Gerwen, or Dutch, as she usually called him, was a man with a particular set of skills for sharp words, something she respected. From the Syrian driver, to the Happy Phantom, they were all destined for greater things, thanks to Mr. Porter's exclusive ability to pick the right people for the right job. The secret ingredient to a growing crime syndicate was neither force nor the politics that ensued, but rather the structural integrity of said personnel, and her boss is a natural prodigy at it, Bailey reckoned. Where her circle of more 'physical' persuasions would fail, there was always the Dutch's cutting words to settle the issues. After all, their recent exploit, pertaining to the issues of legal cases in Manhattan and Brooklyn, had came through unscathed, a courtesy of Gerwen's wits. Even if the attorney had came short, there was always the Happy Phantom and Bailey's support of good old reliable Colts and Brownings, accompanied by a Syrian driver to boot. The girl chuckled softly, as these thoughts reinforced her faith in the system of the syndicate's efficient structures. Organization and cooperation were key to the Porter's imperial splendor. Such was the way in this wicked country, she thought. Nothing else mattered but numbers and a good crew.

But there was that, she settled on the subject, as she turned to Gwen, of whom had gulped down her drink in an instant. The Texan followed suit and downed hers, as Gwen regarded her troubles. Her acknowledgement of Bailey's company made the girl quite happy. If it was another thing that Bailey learnt, was that it was better to be sharing truthful drinks than the usual courtesies of murky-contemplated whiskeys. She studied the woman's facade of a friendly and sociable creature, but could not help but be disturbed by her erratic non-conforming eyes. Perhaps she should not pry, or perhaps she should, Bailey thought, as her conflicted feelings was ever more pressed by the fleeting time. There was a certain sadness and gloom in Gwen's words when she spoke. Bailey could not help but abide by the silence that befell them in-between the woman's remarks. This only grew ever more awkward when the southern girl was asked about affiliation with the Porters, but Bailey was not bothered by it, as she had spent most of her time in her office, and only ever mentioned in dispatches only when the work had came home to fetch her.

"There are no stupid questions, Miss Bryant. If anything, I, myself, tend to be forgetful at times, truth be told. Haha!..." Bailey chuckled shyly, as she paused briefly for another sip.

"... but yes. I am your friendly neighborhood auditor. Reviewing Mr. Porter's firms, the corresponding paperworks, and all that." she continued.

Bailey was not unaware of Gwen's vibrating hands, almost as if she was forcing herself at the party. But it was not these things that prompted Bailey's concern, but rather her distinct remarks about wanting to avoid Mr. Porter. Seeing how unstable and sporadic Gwen's posture was, there was a certain sympathetic sensation that tugged at Bailey's heart. Bailey's hands briefly ran by her satchel, contemplating the appropriate time for her to present her humble gifts, and perhaps getting the night over with. The girl wound up what was left of her thoughts and gave in to her ideals of not conforming to the social norms. It was time for their departure. Bailey gave herself an ultimatum with a slight exhale.

"Say... Miss Bryant. Will you be singing for us this evening?" Bailey asked, hoping to distract Gwen from her hindrance in thoughts.

There were several other occasions where Bailey have heard tidbits here and there regarding Gwen's skills as a chanteuse in the spotlight. The prior, herself, was an ardent admirer of those that could sing. There were many times before, where Bailey would dwell in the comforts of a heartfelt lullaby. It reminded her of home, long before she left. Music, in itself, was an artistic escape for the gunrunner. Perhaps this was a good time to indulge herself with that, as well as an opportune moment for Gwen to let her burdens free with a few tunes. Bailey downed both her drinks and settled them on the counter. A little boost of confidence surged throughout her body.

"What do you say we get some fresh air outside? I'll be more than happy to be your rehearsal audience! Pretty, pretty please?" Bailey prompted, as she clasped her hands together gracefully, settling her thoughts on the matter to get Gwen away from James.

She was now a little girl, asking for Gwen to sing to her - like a mom would to her daughter. Bailey had overcame her usually-negligent demeanor, and finally gave in to the call of standing by the melancholic mother. It was the best she could do, Bailey thought, as she crossed her fingers and hoped that it was, indeed, the right thing to do.

Syd Porter

Syd was pleased to see her happy for him. Lucy was the most sympathetic person Syd had ever known and she had always expressed such ardent love for him, both in her actions and her words, so when he was advised by one of the psychiatrists at the psych ward to choose an emergency contact, she was the first person he thought of. Nevertheless, Syd hated to upset or concern those he loved, and with his mother being so emotional it was often extremely difficult to admit when he needed her help, knowing the pain it would bring her. Her sweet words warmed his heart and put a soft smile on his face; he had always considered her and James to be his true parents, as no blood relation of his would ever have done a better job of supporting him. The respect he had for them was immeasurable. Having experienced a childhood completely void of any kind of love, Syd understood how lucky he was to know that his parents cared so much for his well-being. Yet hearing it come from his mother, as if she felt the need to remind him, made him feel mildly guilty. What he did all those years ago was harrowing and unforgettable - it had never really left him, and so he had had to carry the weight of it every day since. He only wished that he didn't have to share that burden with anyone else - in this business, his family had enough to worry about without him adding his health problems to the pile. But no one on Earth could stop his mother from worrying. At her reminder of their agreement, Syd's smile weakened slightly and he let his gaze fall away before nodding to show that he understood. Even though he was doing well and they were at a party, thinking about being in that dark place didn't seem like such a good idea while he had a drink in his hand. Syd cleared his throat and looked back to his mother with a fresh, confident smile. "Hey, give yourself a break from all that worrying, though, yeah?" he suggested. "Or focus your worries on other things, at least. 'Cause I promise you won't be getting a phone call like that any time soon."

To his relief, Lucy's expression appeared to brighten as soon as Syd changed the subject. She had been a part of this business for far longer than he had, so he knew he could never quite understand the extent to which it must have affected her. But it also came as proof to him of her ability to survive, as well as her loyalty and strength of character. It was a hard life that she lead - she had seen and experienced horrific, indescribable things, yet she never once ran away from it. Even when she found it hard, she would always keep going anyway and for that Syd respected her. He grinned broadly upon hearing Thomas had taken up a love for cooking. "Maybe I should invite him over more - I could do with some lessons myself," he joked. Cooking had never been something he cared for, let alone something he was good at. His busy lifestyle left little time to be spent labouring in the kitchen - at least, that was his excuse.

When Lucy took her eyes off him to look around the room, Syd knocked his drink back, aware that she was already on her second. Before he could order a refill for himself, she turned back to him and admitted that she sometimes felt lonely in their big mansion. Well, he knew exactly what she meant. When the family immigrated to the States, Syd decided to move into his own place, believing it would do him some good to live independently from his parents. But he hadn't anticipated how lonely he would get living in such a large house all on his own. Part of the reason he had been so quick to invite Assad to set up his clinic in one of his spare rooms was so that he would have more people passing through. Just the sound of doors opening and closing, voices, footsteps - it all helped to fill the empty silence. Just as he was about to sympathise with her, however, she made a suggestion that he move back in and his words instantly caught in his throat. The smile on his face faded and he looked away. It made sense, really: she was lonely, and wanted to keep an eye on him; he was lonely, and wasn't always the best at looking after himself. But it was the principle of the thing...The thought of living with his parents at the age of 30 sounded less than ideal. Wasn't he supposed to have a family of his own by now?

"Mam, I don't...I don't think this is a conversation for today," he gently discouraged her. "We're at a party, remember? It's not a time to be serious! We should be trying to get dad drunk enough to dance, not..." Raising his head, the brunette standing behind his mother caught his eye again, causing a momentary distraction. But he managed to reset his focus before he completely lost his train of thought. "...Not talking about this." He bit down on his lip and sent her a soft smile, hoping not to have offended her.

Interactions
Bellz Lucy

Lucy wasn't surprised when Syd discouraged her about talking about such a subject at the party. She needed to be brought back to reality sometimes, so she wasn't offended at all. She returned his soft smile before clearing her throat. "Sorry. I know I can be a party pooper at times." She murmured lightly before her smile widened, "Thomas talks of wanting to go to your place more often. He just adores you" The woman was making some small talk, but she knew that Syd was more than distracted with the woman who was behind her. Lucy eyes gave him a knowing look, probably confusing him more than encouraging him. Despite her protectiveness over him, she tried to encourage Syd to get out and mingle with the opposite sex. It had been years since poor Skye died and although she was sure he would never be able to move on completely...he had to start somewhere. Lucy just wanted to see her eldest son happy.

Not that she would ever heckle him about the matter, but she had hoped that she would have some grandchildren to look after by now. The situation Syd was in reminded the blonde of young James in one way or another, before the pair had started dating. It just felt like her son was giving his life to the mob and things were just speeding past before his very eyes. He wasn't thinking of settling down or having a family of his own, and although he was finally taking his self care seriously, Lucy couldn't help but worry that he would fall back into his old ways. The silence that fell between them was deafening and Lucy cleared her throat again as she lifted her glass to her lips.

After taking a swig, the woman set her empty glass back down on the counter. "Well, I should probably go check on your brother, Leo and Lorelei. I'm sure they are rustling up some trouble somewhere around this house." Taking a step forward, Lucy gently lifted her hand to move a stray strand of hair from her son's forehead. "So handsome." She spoke gently. Her hands moved down to straighten out his collar and she smiled widely, "Remember, the best way to a woman's heart. Alcohol." With that, Lucy back up and made her leave. Heading in the direction of the lounge in search of the children, noticing immediately that the dogs weren't around to beg for food like they normally did at these type of events.
with: OPEN FOR INTERACTION
mentions: Syd Pyroclast

Thomas had just finished untangling himself from Rory's tight grasp when he heard Leo's voice from behind him. Turning around quickly, almost knocking his little cousin over, Thomas gasped, "LEO!" and ran towards him with open arms. "I've been at my house this whole time!" He said cheekily, giving his cousin a manly hug before releasing him. Lorelei came marching over to stand by Thomas, punching him in the arm roughly with a pout on her face, "You almost knocked me to the ground!" She huffed. "OW!" Thomas hissed and rubbed his arm, "Sorry Rory." He mumbled before turning his attention back to Leo.

"We've been waiting for you to show up. Mam said to stay out of trouble, last time we had a party we broke one of her glasses." Thomas did not want to have to deal with the punishment of cleaning up after all the dogs again. "I think we should go outside to play!" He suggested to which Lorelei nodded happily, "Maybe we can see the fireflies!!" She sang out before turning to skip out of the room, dogs following after her as they headed down the hallway together.
with: Leo Melanin-Gxdess

The brunette smiled widely as the shot glass were placed before them. "Speedy! I like it!" She told the man behind the bar enthusiastically before lifting up her own tiny glass. Drinking it in one go, Roxie tried not to make a face as the liquid went down. She looked to Savvy and burst into laughter at the look on her face, her friend ordering three more, much to her surprise. Seems like they would be crashing here, especially if Veronica was joining them in all of this. Blue eyes flickered to look around the room as she turned her back to the bar for a moment. She wasn't looking anywhere in particular, just people watching, one of her favorite things to do.

The strangest feeling of eyes following her overcame her senses and her brows furrowed slightly in confusion as to where it was coming from. Turning back towards the bar, her eyes briefly found who had been looking at her. Roxie only glanced for moment, not wanting to be rude as she noticed the man return his attention to the blonde woman he had been talking to. Not thinking much of the interaction, Roxie looked back to the bar just in time to see the next round of shots placed before them. Savvy spoke up and Roxie looked up to see her friend grinning from ear to ear. This made the girl raise both of her brows in suspicion. "No...I haven't?" But Savannah knew she hadn't, that's part of the reason why she was here, to meet the family.

Putting a few moments together, Roxie's eyes flickered back up to look at the man only a few feet away from them. He was currently caught up in conversation, so she could get away with staring longer than necessary. Just by looking at him, she could see there was something that set him apart from the others. They say that the eyes are the windows to the soul...but this man seemed to wear it on his sleeve. In terms of looks, he was different than what Roxie was use to, which was blonde, buff and tan...

Noting that she was probably silent for too long, the woman looked away and back at Savannah. "Let me guess, that tall, dark and handsome fella is related to you?" The woman shifted under the feeling of eyes on her again, but this time, she didn't go in search of finding where they were coming from. Instead, she lifted her shot glass and knocked it back, shaking her head lightly at the taste. Unable to help herself, Roxie's eyes gravitated in the direction of the mystery man and she caught him staring once more. This time, she had sent a brief lopsided grin his way, but it seemed to go unnoticed.

Roxie looked away, her cheeks turning pink with slight embarrassment. She ordered herself a drink to hold in her hands for extra support and was handed a glass of wine soon after. At another glance, the blonde he had been with walked away and Roxie saw an opportunity that she felt that she just couldn't waste. The curiosity to find out just who this man was stood out far much in her mind. "I think I'm gonna go say hi. Save you the trouble. Wish me luck." Roxie murmured gently before she casually made her way closer to the man.

Staying a few feet away, Roxie turned so that she could press her stomach up against the bar, her body curving with it as she peered over the bar with what looked like great interest. Wine glass in hand, she didn't peer over at Syd for a short while. Simply testing the waters before she finally turned to face him. "So, Savvy tells me you are related to her? Do all you big bad mob bosses stare so openly at a lady? Because I must say, it was really working for me." With that, the woman set her glass down and held out a perfectly manicured hand to Syd, "Name's Roxanne, but I hate the name with a passion. So please just call me Roxie."
With: Syd Pyroclast
Mentions: Savvy Misty Gray

Peter had eventually made his way into the main party area and settled at the bar. He was on his 4th drink by the time Emery had scooted over to him. His mind was surprisingly a little clearer and he felt like he could breathe again. "Oh gosh darlin' what is it?" He asked with interest as he turned to face her as well. The redhead let out an exasperated sigh and in that moment, Peter could see her mother in her. There was a familiar ache in his heart that he felt most days now, the guilt for putting Sinead through all the bullshit. Listening to her explain her case about not being able to get a drink, Peter found himself smiling widely and shaking his head slowly.

When she rested her head on his shoulder, the blonde man turned so that his lips could press against the top of it. "I'm sorry sweetheart. You know there's some soda they can serve you if you are really that thirsty." There was a teasing tone to his voice, and of course he was just pulling her leg. It was strange, that he could be so different with his children, that he could be somewhat of his old self, at least for a moment in time. Peter wished desperately to feel that with Sinead, but something just...angered him. It was all irrational, he knew that much...but he just couldn't help it. That didn't mean he couldn't lose his patience with the children, but he rarely did.

Realizing that Emery was most likely giving him one of her mother's signature pouty looks, Peter chuckled and shook his head. "I guess I could offer you this." He pointed to the glass in front of him, watching as the condensation slowly dripped down the side of it and onto the paper napkin below it. Nudging his head forward, he gestured for her to take it. "Don't tell your mom, or she'll kill me." He was pretty sure she already wanted to do that, but why put the final nail in the coffin?

"Its scotch by the way. Sorry if you wanted something fruitier...I don't do that cough medicine junk."
with: Emery Misty Gray

Gwen nodded her head along as Bailey spoke of being an auditor for her brother. The way she had said it placed a small smile on the redheads lips, but she was unable to hide the trembling in them. This whole thing was torture for Gwen, because she could see the sympathy in Bailey's gaze...like most people gave her nowadays. Gwen didn't want anyone's pity, she just didn't deserve it. Before her thoughts could get any darker, Bailey saved the day by mentioning a passion Gwen had, something that would always brighten even the most darkest of days in her mind. Singing. The woman shook her head softly, her hands moving up her arms and rubbing them slowly. "Unfortunately I didn't make any arrangements for such a performance tonight..." Despite having such a passion for it, it had been a long time since Gwen performed in front of anyone other than Lorelei. And the woman hardly did that anymore.

Music had gotten her through the dark times points in her life, and there had been just too many times to count. Gwen bit down on her lower lip before returning her attention back to her drink for a moment, allowing the alcohol to attempt to soothe her shakiness as she downed the glass quickly. Bailey spoke up again, speaking of going outside and getting some fresh air. Gwen was more than happy to go outside but singing was something that she was too apprehensive about.

Watching the woman beg for Gwen to sing, she couldn't help but find it kind of adorable. It reminded her much of her daughter, and she wasn't one to say no to her. Letting out a breathless laugh, Gwen nodded her head slowly. "I guess I could do that." She murmured lightly before nodding her head towards the gardens out back. "There is more lighting out in the back." She murmured before walking towards that way, figuring Bailey would follow.

Once outside, Gwen didn't realize how much she needed the fresh air. She took in the warmer summer night and breathed as much as she could. Tonight wasn't as muggy as the other nights, and she considered that a blessing. One could rarely go outside in the summer around these parts without looking like they had just taken a shower. Keeping her back turned to Bailey, Gwen made her way to sit down on one of the benches beside the rose garden. The fresh air was helping her stand firm, the shaking reduced to soft twitches. Taking a seat, Gwen looked to Bailey and smiled, "You wanted me out here. What do you want to hear?"
with: Bailey Pilgrim59

Syd Porter

"Well, he knows he's welcome any time!" Growing up, Syd had always wished for a little brother to taunt and tease. At 19, his wish finally came true, but unfortunately Thomas was born right before Skye fell ill so he wasn't exactly his most playful self during Thomas's earliest years. With such a large age gap between them, Syd had matured enough by now to know not to really bully the kid, especially with Thomas being such a sensitive soul. Nevertheless, he still loved to wind him up. Now that he was no longer at rock bottom, he felt the two of them had a lot of lost time to make up for, and so he cherished every moment he got to spend with him. Especially since, had he succeeded in killing himself, he wouldn't have even got to know the boy at all.

The two fell silent for a moment and something in the air between them changed, though Syd couldn't tell what. He didn't know how to interpret the look his mother was giving him and his eyes narrowed, wondering if she was trying to tell him something. Just as he opened his mouth to ask her, however, she spoke up first to tell him she was going to look for his brother and cousins. Syd cleared his throat and simply nodded. On her way to leave, Lucy moved in to sweep a strand of hair from his forehead and called him handsome, to which he laughed out loud and pushed her hand away. "Go on, get away from me!" he playfully responded, but only rolled his eyes when she went to straighten out his collar. Her next words perplexed him further still, and he laughed again, though this time his laughter held a hint of suspicion. As she walked away, he muttered a quiet "What?" to himself, and shook his head, subconsciously moving his hands up to make sure his hair was in place.

Something in the air soon shifted again and as he turned back towards the bar, Syd noticed a flash of blue appear in his peripheral vision. Although he didn't look up, he knew it must be the woman that had been standing behind his mother. The one whose alluring beauty he had struggled to ignore. For some reason, she had come closer to him, but he didn't dare look up to meet her eye in case she caught him looking at her. His glass was empty now and he was desperate to order another drink, but he didn't want to draw any attention to himself. Maybe he could move to the other end of the bar and order one from there instead?

Just as he was getting to his feet, the woman spoke up, clearly addressing him. With a small sigh, Syd settled back onto his barstool and glanced up at her. Was she...flirting with him? Or telling him off? He couldn't tell, but whatever she meant by it, it was making his cheeks tingle with embarrassment. "U-uh..." he stammered, instantly turning to look away from her. His mother was out of sight now, and there was no one else he could pretend to be talking to. It seemed he was stuck. The woman held her hand out to him, expectantly - her skin was pure and smooth, her nails neatly manicured. Syd stared at it for a second, totally dumbstruck. Was he supposed to kiss it? No - he didn't want to give off the wrong impression. Would it be the wrong impression, though? Not wanting to hesitate too long, Syd swallowed his nerves and shook her hand. She introduced herself, and he supposed that they would have to have a conversation now.

Clearing his throat, he finally spoke up. "You shouldn't hate it." God, why couldn't he smile at her? He had always been the social type, out-going and charismatic and up for a conversation, but for some reason he felt shy this time. Maybe it was just his medication reacting to the alcohol in some weird new way. "It's, uh...it's a beautiful name. Strong, too." God, he couldn't even look at her, he was so embarrassed. Was he flirting now, too? It had been such a long time. Hopefully it would just come across as an innocent compliment. Regardless, his desire to drink more increased tenfold.

Once he had grabbed the bartender's attention, he finally summoned the courage to look her in the eyes. "Can I get you a drink, Roxie?" he offered, his mother's parting wisdom clearly having stayed with him on some subliminal level. Almost immediately after he asked, he noticed the near full glass of wine in her hand. "I-I mean, when you're ready for another one..." Well, that was it, then - he had handed her the power to make the conversation last at least as long as it took her to finish her glass. He exhaled and turned back to the bartender, ordering a large glass of the same wine for himself. Sending the man a weak smile, Syd then raised his glass to Roxie and said, "Sláinte," before taking a long swig. Once he had set the glass down, he fixed his eyes on her, training himself not to look away. It turned out not to be so hard, for the second his eyes met hers, he felt an immediate pull, drawn in by her extraordinary beauty. "Oh, my name's Syd, by the way. And we're not all mob bosses, you know. Just my dad." Her earlier accusing words came back to taunt him then and he looked down into his drink, wishing he could drown in it. Half of him hoped she would leave him alone, the other half wanting all her attention on him. "I-I wasn't staring at you, anyway, if that's what you thought. I was just...trying to work out who you are. You're, um - you live with Savannah, is that right? Is she a nightmare to live with?"

Interactions
Bellz Roxie

Roxie soon took the bait and made a comment about Savannah being related to Syd. "Well, aren't you a clever one? He's my cousin," she playfully confirmed to her. Before much else could be said or done between the two friends, Roxie suddenly rushed off to pursue Syd. Savannah stood somewhat gobsmacked for a moment as she processed her friend's speedy departure from her company. She was sure other emotions were at play where her cousin's past losses were concerned, but mostly, she couldn't help but envy her friend's confidence at approaching a man in such a way. She wished she could approach objects of her attraction so easily.

Savannah turned back to Veronica and let out a sigh. The woman had already joined in with their requests for shots at the bar. "I'm sorry, Veronica. It looks like you might be stuck with me," she sweetly apologised. She glanced to the shot glasses and slid her own out of reach. "We don't have to do shots or get drunk if you don't want to," she told her. "I'm sure I'm tearing you away from your work or potential flirting with the good looking guys around her," she playfully told her. Truth be told, she'd just been trying to get into the same kind of party spirit that had been emitting from Roxie, but it looked like Savannah didn't need to keep up with that now. She just hoped Roxie and Syd would get along well enough to enjoy the party together.


lavendre (Veronica)

Emery smiled contently when her father placed a kiss on her head, but her face rapidly dropped when he teased her about having a soda. "Ah, give me a break, would ya? I'm almost 17! Next you'll be telling me to go play with my little cousins!" she ticked him off, rolling her eyes in the process. Soon enough, Peter changed his stance and offered her his drink. A crooked smile showed itself on the young redhead's face as she discreetly moved her hand towards the glass. "You're the best dad on Earth," she firmly assured him. She took hold of the glass as Peter told her to keep it quiet from Sinead. "I won't say a word. I can't have her killing my number one booze supplier," she remarked.

Her father warned her that the drink was scotch rather something sweet her mother would have favoured. "Scotch? Such a traitor to our Irish roots, Daidi!" she joked. "Something tells me I'll survive," she assured him. The teenager took a drink from the glass and swallowed it with almost no sign of distaste or adverse reaction to the strong alcohol. It took her a few moments to realise she'd consumed the drink very casually and so she feigned a cough, albeit delayed. Clearly, it wasn't the first time she'd had a strong drink. "It's got a kick to it, right?" she remarked, with a wink.

Having seen Sinead enter the room, Emery briefly looked down to her hands before turning to Peter. The outspoken girl was never one to hold her tongue and she was sure her Grandma Shannon would have given the Callahan parents a stern piece of her mind by now. "You and Mum... Do I need to bang your heads together?" she asked. "Why are you always fighting with each other? This family has lost so much and it's fought in wars. When I was a kid, I remember finding out your friends Tommy and Leo were killed. And a bit later Skye died... But you and Mum were always a constant I could rely on to be there... together. It's not right that you're always fighting," she openly admitted. "Savvy is off being talented and living her own life. I feel like it's my duty to sort you and Mum out! For a start, you two separate at this fancy pants party just looks super dumb."

Bellz (Peter)