Realistic or Modern A Tale of Two Families IC

[Rusty of Shackleford]

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...

New York City, New York
August 7, 1951
1 Day Before the Wedding

The Muscano Residence
5:38 P.M.

Alphonso Muscano

Al was still in shock. The thought of his son marrying a Hughes was...surprising. Hell, there were few things that blindsided him harder than that. But the Don had been served worse in his life. He wasn't happy about this, but he could live with it. The mountain of a man sat in his office, slumped in his fine chair, taking a long drag of his cigarette, the familiar feeling of smoke filling his lungs putting him at ease. Tomorrow was the wedding, and he'd have to be there. No excuses, all business was postponed. Al would rather jump into the Hudson River with concrete shoes than miss his son's wedding, and be just a much of a deadbeat as his father was, God bless his soul. The Don's eyes looked towards the framed picture on his desk of his immediate family. Mimi, Gianni, Bella, the youngest, Scarlett, and his ward. It was taken...twelve years ago, if Alphonso remembered correctly. A slight smile crept across the man's weathered face, before he put out his cigarette, and made his way to the dining room. Dinner was probably ready by now, and he hoped to have one last big family meal before they welcomed a new member into the fray. He had invited a lot of guests to this dinner, mainly associates and made men in the family. Among them were the city's best cleaners, Ruby "Mama" Montgomery and Amun "Papa" Mostafa. They answered to no one, but Al respected them. Respected their professionalism, and they'd done a lot for him, and deserved recognition.

Alphonso took a seat at the head of the table, as always, rubbing his eyes as he realized he was the first one in. He leaned back in the apolstered dining room chair, hoping to God that Gianni hadn't decided to dine with the Hughes tonight with no notice, though it was unlikely. The man took many traits from his father, and his distaste for the antics of Irishman was among them. But he saw something in Saorise...maybe the same thing Al saw in Mimi. The Don didn't know, honestly, and he didn't pretend to. He wasn't going to let ego interfere with his son's happiness, and tear the family apart. He'd seen what clinging on to old grudges led to, and he wasn't going to let his family be trampled by someone just as ruthless as he was. It was simply the way things were, and Al didn't get where he was by clinging to the last. He got here by getting rid of anyone too stubborn to change, and killing those who got in his way. The mob was a business, and All saw it that way. Simple as that.

Goonfire
Misty Gray
Delphine
Bloodshed
_amaranth_
Satone


Moore's Pub
5:38 P.M.

James McCarthy

Moore's was... Moore's. If you wanted a strong drink, a good laugh, and a good fight, you went there. Of course, few knew that it was actually owned by the Hughes family, and used for some of their more...illegal enterprises. Mainly bootlegging cheap booze and gunrunning. But tonight was a night of celebration. Tomorrow, Saorise Hughes, daughter of the much loved Sean Hughes, would be married. To an Italian, yes, but it was a wedding nonetheless, and a wedding was the most joyous occasion to an Irishman. The pub was alive with laughter and conversation, the main attraction being a drinking game between Tyrone Hughes, and his lieutenant James. The game was simple: they would each drink a glass, and recite the entirety of "The Rattlin' Bog" by memory. The first one to miss a word lost. Currently, it was a stalemate. Tyrone may have the advantage on sheer resilience, but James had him beat on intelligence. Despite his focus being mainly on his game, his eyes occasionally wandered, specifically to Ciara. No one else in the family knew about...them, and he intended to keep it that way, until things died down a bit. He was still a bit shocked about the whole ordeal. An alliance with the Muscano's? He'd be less surprised if England made Ireland a nation! But he was just a lieutenant. It wasn't his job to question who the boss lady married, especially when he brother was right next to him, drinking heavily, and probably packing at least five different weapons at the same time. Just another reason to keep his little affair with Ciara on the down-low. Hopefully, if either of them slipped up, Ty would be too drunk to notice. Hopefully...

Misty Gray
Arcanist
GreedyBoy
wendy
SandraDeelightful

May Butler's Apartment Building
5:38 P.M.
Thomas Hughes

Tom wasn't at Moore's. Not yet, anyways. He had...business to take care of. Mainly, an associate had been getting too comfy with the Fed's, and needed to be dealt with. Swiftly. But Thomas did intend to be with his family. But first, he had to get May. He'd promised to show her what a night at Moore's was like, and he was a man of his word. He sat in his car just outside the woman's apartment building, letting out a long sight before bowing his head, and muttering a prayer, both for the man he sent to eternity, and for his family, so that they may flourish and be happy. Once he finished his crossed his chest, and stepped out, walking up the steps of the building, and walking inside.

He'd written down May's apartment number, taking out the small piece of paper. Once he found it, he adjusted his black suit, and gave a three gentle knocks on her door, the man nervously trying to make sure he didn't have any blood on him. He... hadn't told her about what he did. Not yet. He was afraid of what she'd say...that she'd call him a murderer and leave him. He knew he shouldn't keep something like this from her, but he just couldn't bring himself to tell the woman. Thomas finally gave up on his neurosis, standing with his arms locked in front of him, eagerly awaiting his date. He was handling this whole wedding thing quite well, all things considered. He was glad the conflict between the Hughes and Muscano's was finally coming to an end, and that his older sister was happy. Da would be proud of her finally finding a husband. Well, hopefully. Thomas never did know how his father felt about Italian's. Thomas was happy, at the very least. Happy that at least Saorise would be okay. God knows, Thomas didn't deserve to come out of this on the other end...

wendy ​

 

[GreedyBoy]

tyrone was on his eleventh glass and he was starting to feel the hit. he had begun to slur and he glared at james with the drunken determination only a man with irish-american blood flowing through his veins could exhibit. he recited the last lines with confidence.
“...Ho, ro, the rattlin' bog
The bog down in the valley-o.”
he slammed the glass down and burped, “fookin’ ‘ell.” he crossed his arms and looked down at james. tyrone’s ego was being fuelled just over boiling point, “give up, J? or are ye gonna be a real man and carry on?” he grinned at him, that infamous grin that the ladies and criminals of the city knew all too well, both for very different reasons.
behind that drunken grin however was a steadily boiling anger. when he had found out that his sister, saorise, his own sister had fallen in love and was marrying an italian. the hughes main rival, the muscano’s. tyrone saw them as nothing more than a bunch of pizza munching, pasta slurping bastards. he, however, couldn’t say much. he loved his big sister and only wanted what was best for her. he preferred to not think about it and drown himself in alcohol. it was how he handled most of his problems.
in his drunken stupor, he hadn’t actually noticed his twin, thomas, hadn’t come to the pub yet. usually, he’d always want to know where thomas was. though he would never admit it, he cared a lot for his twin and was fiercely protective of him, not that thomas at all needed protecting.
he looked over at elaine and winked, “aren’t ye proud? look at me,” he puffed out his chest, “i’m a god.”

interacting with: Rusty of Shackleford (james), Arcanist (elaine)
mood: confident, slightly pissed off​

 

[wendy]

Ciara Anne Hughes: The Moore's Pub

"Fiona! I've told ya so many times you're not old enough to drink yet!" Ciara scolded her younger sister who she'd caught yet again with some fancy looking cocktail probably bought for her by one of the guys. "You know Mam will kill us all if we bring you home drunk!" Ciara scolded once more as the thought of her mother being enraged sent shivers of anxiety down her spine. "I'll make you something nice, fit for a proper lady." Ciara says gently guiding her youngest sister away from the predatory eyes of those men she was speaking too, they seemed to be annoyed with Ciara for spoiling their fun with the youngest Hughes but one annoyed glance from Ciara shut them up instantly. Ciara Anne Hughes, the second youngest of the Hughes family had always been the mother hen of the siblings, she liked to keep them out of trouble where she could especially Fiona seemed to want to grow up so quickly. "You want one of them fancy Marilyn Monroe cocktails?" Ciara asks her youngest sister as she stepped behind the bar. Ciara had started working at the family pub at the age of 16 after begging her father for a bit of freedom and he reluctantly agreed but he always made sure that someone in the gang was making sure she was safe on shift and that tradition even continued after he passed.

After a bit of handy work Ciara presented a non-alcoholic cocktail to her sister, it looked like a martini but had nothing in it except some flat lemonade with a splash of lime and of course the signature olive sat in the elegant class. "No more drinking okay? You can have a drink at the wedding tomorrow but I don't want you hungover on Saoirse's wedding day." Ciara asked her with a small smile but the smile was wiped off her face when she saw how drunk Tyrone was "I'm actually going to kill him." Ciara says with a sense of defeat laced into her tone. The young women wouldn't normally be this up tight about her family drinking but after she had spent so long planning the perfect wedding for her big sister she didn't want a single thing to go wrong, she just wanted her sister to have the most perfect wedding.

Sat down opposite her brother was the man who Ciara was in love with. James McCarthy. Ciara couldn't even begin to describe how powerful her feelings were towards James but she just knew that she'd never love another like she'd love him but these big feelings came with some big consequences if the two were found out by the family so at the moment Ciara would have to settle for stolen glances across the room but that is what made their secret relationship so much more exciting. "I'm gonna serve this rowdy lot for the rest of the night so stay out of trouble okay!" Ciara calls to her little sister who was most likely going to end up with a crush on a new boy before the night was over.

mentions: James McCarthy ( Rusty of Shackleford ), Fiona Hughes ( SandraDeelightful ), Tyrone Hughes ( GreedyBoy )

May Butler: Her apartment.

May Butler, a ordinary women had ended up falling for the heir of one of the most notorious Gangs in the whole of New York, but she didn't know that. To her Thomas Hughes was one of the sweetest, kindest and beautiful men she'd ever laid eyes on. May and Tommy had met through her best friend and Tommy's sister; Ciara Hughes. They'd met after he came to pick Ciara up from one of their night classes and the rest is history and now May was sat in her home getting ready for an evening at The Moores, Tommy had told her that it was his family's pub and May prayed to the heavens above that the rest of the family was as nice as Ciara. May was applying the final touches to her make up before putting the nude coloured lipstick she'd just applied into her small bag and that is when she heard three light knocks at her door. The young women stood and slipped her feet into the kitten heels as she opened the door seeing her beloved Tommy standing there looking as beautiful as ever. "How are you, my darling?" May asks the man she loves before tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear as the butterflies in stomach erupted into life.

"Shall we head off?" May says immediately intertwining Tommy's hand in hers, it felt so natural to hold his hand when they were together now she couldn't picture not holding his hand while they were together. "I'm quite nervous about tonight." May says to him as they were now sat in the car together "What if the rest of your family doesn't like me?!" May says looking at him, the nerves were clear as day in her eyes, she'd even spent the whole day picking out what to wear, how to do her hair and what she should do her make up like so that she would seem like a appropriate match for their Tommy. "Would they make us break up? Because I wouldn't be able to handle that. Gosh I'm so worried." May says her nerves taking over as she just couldn't stop talking so that Tommy couldn't even get a word in "Well, at least we've got Ciara on our side, she told me that she'll be able to handle Tyrone if it needs to come down to that." May says to him.

mentions: Thomas Hughes ( Rusty of Shackleford )

​

 

[Delphine]

Cadenza 'Bella' Muscano
x
The Muscano Residence
5:41 P.M.

The news of the engagement was something very shocking to the Muscano's, Bella included. She never thought she'd saw her own brother, one of the men she admired the most, marry a Hughes. Nothing could describe the shock that she was experiencing. It was hard to grasp the subject, and yet so easy to explain. She couldn't exactly be mad about it, since you can't help who you love, but she did feel an ounce of... Nervousness for the wedding. If the Hughes were their drunk and... indecent selves, it wasn't bound to go well. As of now, she was sitting in front of her mirror, making sure she looked more than fabulous for dinner, before making her way downstairs to the kitchen.

As always, she was the first child to sit down at the table. She always sat on the right side of her father's seat, so she took her usual spot and sat down. She looked at her father, a bit worried about, well... Everything, truth be told. The news just came so suddenly, and she didn't understand how he was so quick to accept the marriage between his son and the daughter of a Hughes. She decided to let it go for now, and started up the conversation "I spoke with Gigi on the phone about 30 minutes ago, she said that her parents couldn't get here and apologized, but she and Nenno will still come" They'd known the Romano's for so long that they were practically family by that point "I don't know what to feel, Papa. I don't understand how you're so calm about the situation" She was happy for her brother, for his marriage, but.. Not about his choice of partner. She didn't exactly like the Hughes, not only because they were rivals, but because they weren't like them. She couldn't care less about their nationality or their religion, but they were heavy drinkers and loud, and quite frankly, messy.
Rusty of Shackleford

Angelica Lucia "Gigi" Romano and Christiano "Nenno" Romano
x x
The Romano Residence
5:41 P.M.

"Hurry up, Nenno, we're going to be late" They weren't, not at all. In fact, if they hurried up, they'd be there early. It was important that they be there to show their support for the Muscano's. It was a bit unfortunate that their parents couldn't show up, but they were capable of being presentable without supervision from their parents. While she dusted off her skirt and took her handbag, Christiano just looked at her and shook his head "No, we're not. You don't need to worry about being late"

It was obvious that the two siblings were very different, and they sometimes got into a few arguments. He readjusted his tie before looking at her "Come on, we're going to be late" With a big grin on his face, he opened their front door and walked out to their car. Gigi just rolled her eyes and followed him out, closing the door behind her before getting in the car.
​

 

[SandraDeelightful]

Fiona Hughes

Fiona was relishing in the attention that she was receiving by a group of men. They weren't, but they were certainly older than her, perhaps early twenties. But they were cute, and one of them got her a cocktail. She was wearing a black and white checkered dress, with pink flowers embroidered on it. The sleeves were short and there was a full, twirly skirt. She wore a matching pink headband, keeping her brown curls back. Her lips were curls up in a bright smile and there was a pale blush painting her cheeks.

"Hey!" Fiona said, her giggling abruptly halting as her elder sister Ciara came up behind her and scolding her for having a drink. She rolled her eyes as Ciara began leading her away from the men, turning back to give them a smile ad a wave. She turned back to her sister, giving her a glare. She didn't admit it, but she did find just the image of their mother angry was certainly frightening. And Fiona didn't want to be hungover at her eldest sister's wedding. She had been looking forward to it since it was announced. Perhaps it was because Fiona didn't partake in the family business, but she didn't harbor the same hatred for the Muscano's that others in her family did. Fiona found the whole thing to be romantic. "I was only trying to have a bit of fun. They were nice. And cute."

As the two got to the bar, Fiona hopped up to get on her favorite seat: the counter of the bar itself. She took the drink Ciara made for her and took a sip. It was good, she just liked feeling a little bit older with the cocktail. "I wouldn't get drunk from one drink you know. I think I'd be disowned, if that were the case." She just laughed as her sister told her to stay out of trouble. "No promises!" she called to her. She took another sip of the drink and looked around the bar, hopefully for another cute boy that maybe Ciara wouldn't drag her away from.

( wendy )​

 

[Satone]

Ruby "Mama" Montgomery and Amun "Papa" Mostaf
Muscano Residence
5:43pm
1 & 2​

Ruby rose a gloved hand and knocked on the large door of the Muscano Estate with a clean sharp rap of her knuckles against the wood. Amun was standing next to her, more akin to a large loyal dog than a man of his own right. Didn't matter the occasion, they were partners which meant that they should never leave each other's side. Especially when it pertained to a dinner party with a mob boss. Though he couldn't be sure if he was doing it for her specifically or for the idea of watching a group of Italian mobsters talk about the wedding of their son to a daughter of the Hughes. Surely it would be entertaining. Meanwhile, Ruby would never be so rude as to turn down a well-respected customer like the Don. He had always been courteous of their neutrality, something that both Cleaners appreciated greatly. It could get tiring turning down business opportunities from the younger less refined gangs.

Each held a large glass bottle in their set of hands. This was, in it's barest form, a celebration. A party that congratulated one half of the soon to be married couple. So as a token of appreciation for dinner and also to help congratulate, they brought alcohol. Amun carrying a long thin bottle of white wine, Chardonnay. He was never a fan of the stuff. Much too tart and dry for him, but he figured anything was better than the cheap beer he originally planned on getting. Ruby held a fat square glass that was filled to the top with warm amber liquid. Whiskey, top notch and a little pricey. It was her favorite after all. They were led into the dining room, where they saw the old mobster sitting at his place. The head of the table, where all leaders deserved to sit. And his daughter beside him. "Hello there sugars," Ruby greeted, tone warm and kind. "Don't tell me we're unfashionably early?" She motioned to the majority of empty seats at the table. She moved to a clear space and set down the heavy bottle.

"Told you we should have waited in the car ten more minutes." Amun stated in a chiding tone. He set the wine down next to the whiskey. He absentmindedly messed with his tie, before giving a bright grin. "But Mama here just wouldn't let us be late." They both sat down towards on the opposite side of the two already there and down a few seats to make sure there was a spot for family and members in front of them.

( Rusty of Shackleford & Delphine )​

 

[Arcanist]

Saoirse Hughes
Location: Moore's Pub | Mentions: Rusty of Shackleford GreedyBoy wendy SandraDeelightful Misty Gray ​

Saoirse always loved the atmosphere in the pub. Ever since she was a wee 'un, she'd pull at her Da's trousers and beg him to let her in, just for five minutes. The laughter, the singing, the drunken antics, much like the alcohol, was intoxicating. It was a place where a grown woman like her could go wild. drink a fuck ton of whiskey, and no one would bat an eyelid. Today, though, she wasn't her usual, spit-firey self. She had a few drinks, but nearly not enough to quell the range of emotions barelling inside of her. Her mother told her it was normal to get cold feet, to feel like you're making the wrong decision. Pre-wedding jitters were normal. Saoirse didn't feel that. She knew what she wanted. As cheesy as it sounds, the moment she held that empty gun to her love's forehead, pulled the trigger, and watching him not even flinch, she knew deep down that man was for her. God help anyone who got in the way of that, and she wasn't going to let something as silly as a name get in the way of that.

Saoirse had just wished her Da had been there to see it, to walk her down the aisle. Of course, her brothers had offered up to do it, and almost fought over which one of them would be the one to do it. She settled it and told them both of them would do it, no ifs nor buts, and that was the end of it. She loved them both, dearly, despite having to slap their heads often enough to stop them from doing something utterly stupid. But she had a selfish, secret wish for her Da to be there, to tell her approved, that he was proud of her. She rushed home after talking to Gianni about it, insisting she would tell him about them, how she didn't give two shits what the rest of them thought about it.

The stroke got to him before she could.

The eldest Hughes sibling let her eyes move from person to person in the room. Tyrone, drunk as a skunk with a fuse ready to blow at any moment. He was a prime candidate for something starting at the wedding tomorrow. It was just in his nature, and it always had been. She glanced at his table, all the empty glasses with leftover froth stuck at the bottom of them. Too many pints. Saoirse was waiting for the day his liver would collapse on him. She had hoped Elaine would get a firm grip on him and get him to stop feeding himself so many of them. She wasn't sure if she would. Speaking of, Elaine smirked at him from the bar, a sultry look in her eyes as he puffed out his chest, before she had left it, and started over towards him. Saoirse knew where that was going, so she turned her head away from the carnal sin and caught sight of both of her sisters.

Ciara, as always, playing mother hen by dragging their youngest sibling, Fiona, away from a group of men and thankfully, away from the alcohol. She remembered the killer hangover she had at her age from drinking too much. They all had to go through it at least once, but somehow, Saoirse didn't want her sister to go through that. Maybe because she was the youngest, the most vulnerable in her eyes. But looking at Ciara, how she handled her, brought her away from those dangers, she knew she could trust her to look out for her if Saoirse couldn't. She trusted her to keep her brothers in check if Saoirse wasn't around. Though, she would be around, she would make sure of that. She might be about to become a Mrs Hughes-Muscano, but she'd never lose that loyalty to her family.

The only sibling that was missing from the chaos of Hughes pub was Tommy. She tried to hide a grimace at the thought of him being missing. She worried for all her siblings, but her nerves skyrocketed when it came to Thomas. After the war, he wasn't the same; neither of the twins were. Most times when he was off somewhere, she had someone keep tabs on him, afraid his body was floating up a river somewhere; not because someone had done the dirty deed, but because he had done it himself.

"Jaysus," she sighed to herself, rubbing her forehead before she took another drag of her cigarette. "I need another feckin' drink..." Stubbing her cigarette out in a nearby ashtray, she walked to the bar where her sisters were, hearing the latter end of their sisters' conversation. In an attempts to keep her own spirits up - and ignore the growing emotions in her, she reached the bar, leaning against it as she said to Fiona, "What did I tell ye, huh? No dating before you're twenty, and no marryin' them until yer past thirty!" She pinched her cheek affectionately, her tone growing more cheeky and playfully as she reached the end of her sentence. She looked over to Ciara, cheeky grin still plastered on her face as she asked, "Would ye pass me another glass and that whiskey? I can pour it meself. Ye've got yer hands full enough as it is."

Elaine White
Location: Moore's Pub | Mentions: GreedyBoy
​

Yet another rowdy day in Moore's Pub. But Elaine wouldn't have traded it for anything in the world, not even a million bucks and a big ol' house with a swimming pool. It was miles better than her last job, where the pay was shit, the boss was shitter, and the work was even shittier. Back in that job, she didn't have much. Here, she had so much more. She found a firm friend in Ciara, who she helped manage the bar and all these raging alcoholics and their demands for more alcohol, and the love and light of her life, Tyrone. Sure, he was just as much of a raging alcoholic as the rest of them, and he was rude, and aggressive, and...well, the list goes on, but if their first meeting was anything to go by, he was nothing she couldn't handle. And if anything, Elaine enjoyed it, and she play fighting him for that dominance and spark in their relationship.

The drinking part Ty needed to work on. But she'd let it slip for a night or two. It was Saoirse's wedding coming up, after all. Shit was bound to get crazy in Moore's and at the wedding. Though, she knew how hard Ciara had worked on this wedding, how Saoirse wanted it to go well, and she'd drive her foot up his ass should he do anything to ruin it.

Elaine was cleaning a glass as she listened to Ty's drunken, yet still intact, rendition of the Rattlin' Bog. She looked up from it to keep an eye on him, only, to see him puffing out his chest and winking at her, being oh-so humble as he usually was. But she smirked, and in her eyes that sultry glint arose, and she put down the glass. She came out from the other side of the counter, and walking over to the sitting Ty. She landed in his lap, grabbed his jaw and squeezed it playfully as she said, "If you're a god, then I guess that makes me your goddess, doesn't it, baby?" She smirked with raised brows.[/font]

 

[_amaranth_]

Scarlett Costello

The Muscano Residence

The room was dimly lit and quiet music, smooth voice of Frank Sinatra, was flowing in the air. Alongside the thick cloud of smoke which was a clear sign that Scarlett Costello was in the room. She was enjoying her alone time before dinner, indulging in music, cigarettes and whiskey. She was slowdancing alone as she usually did and would never admit it, rather shoot anyone who would claim it in public. To the outside world, Scarlett was tough enforcer of her uncle Al’s will. But on the inside, she was actually soft sensitive girl with a lot of misfortune in her life. Only very few people saw her emotional side, including her mother, God rest her soul, uncle Al and her cousin Bella. Other than that, Scarlett was as good as any man working for the Muscanos. That’s how she became one of the Capos. Sure, being a family helped. But her abilities were there and despite always listening to chauvinistic remarks of other males, Scarlett really could hold her ground. But these days were difficult for her. She and weddings...it didn’t really work. Mostly because her own was a disaster. No, Scarlett was not married. And that was half of the problem. On the day of her wedding, her fiancé broke up with her and married her best friend. And Scarlett was one second from putting bullets in both of them. Her mother stopped her. And then she died. Two days later. How about that?

If someone asked why Scarlett was that way, there was the proof. But after losing her parents, Italy wasn’t the same anymore. She left to America and the Muscanos took her in. Uncle Al was her mother’s brother and he took care of the girl when she was in really bad state. Now…now she was a real badass when it came to business. And men? She was waiting for the one person who would literally rock her world. Anything less than that was unacceptable. She finished her cigarette, downed her drink and shut Sinatra up to walk downstairs and have dinner with her family. It was going to be a big event tonight because of the wedding. She smoothed out her dress, sapphire blue, perfect match for those eyes and left. Seeing she was early, she took her seat and lit up another cigarette. “Where’s everyone?” she asked as there was just her uncle and Bella. “Am I too early or is everyone else late?”

Enzo Muscano

The Muscano Residence

“No worries, bella, I will find you tomorrow.” Enzo said to a pretty brunette and pushed a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. “Sei il fiore più bello di tutti.” he said one of those learned phrases and the girl gave him a warm smile, loving the sound of it. Poor girl had no idea what he told her but it was enough for the butterflies to explode in her stomach. “You promise?” she asked and cupped his face. “I promise, bella, you have my word. But I do have to go now.” He kissed her again to convince her about his undying love for her and they parted. He smirked, adjusted his tie and put his hat back on. He would never see Anette…or was it Alice? Audrey? He wouldn’t remember. The important thing was that he would never see her again and his collection just grew by one. Enzo was what they called the ladies’ man. He had the looks, the style, the money and last but not least, the name. It was enough for him to introduce himself and the ladies came beggin’. It was the same with Amelia…oh Christ! The brunette! All he said was ‘Hello, I’m Enzo Muscano, how about I buy you a drink?’ and she was all hot for him. Cheap? Absolutely. Did it work? Perfectly. But now, Enzo tucked his hands in his pockets and walked home. The family dinner was nothing to be missed and he didn’t want to anger his father. Definitely not one day before his big brother was going to marry an Irish girl.

Also, what kind of idea was that? The city was full of pretty girls, just waiting to be picked up and Gianni chooses a Hughes? Well, who was the bad son now? Enzo knew the answer to that question immediately and he decided not to answer it. His walk was brisk and cheerful with the taste of Ariana’s (or Anna?) cherry lipstick still on his mouth. He greeted several friends and got in his car, parked few streets away from his favorite dating spot.

After he finally arrived home, there were not many cars parked in front which meant he was early. That was curious as usually he was the one to be late every single time. He walked in and left his hat in the hallway. There were only a few people at the table which seemed odd. “Ciao familia!” he cried out, practicing his flawless Italian. “Papa, brooding as ever, Bella, beautiful as always and Scarlett…oooh, Scarlett, Scarlett, Scarlett…” he was stalling before he could come up with some original adjective for her but one look from his cousin was enough for him to just point a two-finger gun at her and give her a wink with a loud “tsk” sound. He nodded to Ruby and Amun as well. “And where is the rest?” he asked as he took a seat next to his sister and put his arms up on the backs of neighboring chairs.

Rusty of Shackleford Delphine Satone​

 

[Misty Gray]

Gianni Muscano​

Gianni stood by the rear door of the club smoking as he leaned back against the wall. He took in a long drag of the cigarette as he listened to the sounds coming from down the narrow alleyway around the corner. The pained grunting sounds of a man as he was kicked and punched by two Italian friends of Gianni's. Then there was a crashing sound as the beaten man was thrown back an stumbled over a metal trashcan. Deep, muffled voice were heard before a calm silence. Eventually, the two Italians left the bloodied and beaten man on the floor so they could return to Gianni's side. "All there, with interest," one of the men quietly spoke, handing a pile of cash to Gianni.

Gianni took the money and slotted it on the inside pocket of his jacket. He would normally have taken pleasure in at least watching or even doing the job himself, but he didn't want to take any risks of getting in trouble the day before his wedding. Nor did he want to show up to the family dinner with any signs of fighting. "If he doesn't pay up on time next month, I want you to break both of his legs.," he seriously told them. Glancing to his watch, Gianni grimaced as he realised just how fine he was cutting it if he wanted to be punctual for dinner.

Gianni was soon back home and preening himself in the mirror, already imagining the following day and how good he would look in his expensive, perfectly tailored outfit. Everything had to be perfect, including himself. There was enough controversy about the wedding, so he wanted to make sure nothing went wrong so the sceptics would have little to criticise. The day was meant to be about him and Saoirse, to celebrate the love and devotion they had for each other. If anyone spoiled or criticised their wedding, Gianni was sure he'd take it quite personally.

Despite the pride he had in his physical appearance and the confidence that gave him, Gianni was well aware of the issues he and Saoirse faced. Both his own family and the Hughes' were critical of their relationship, which paved the way for some tension and awkwardness the next day. It was worth it. Before falling in love with the redheaded Irishwoman, Gianni had spent many a night or short relationship with other women. They had all been fickle and shallow, with little inside of their pretty heads to call a brain. There had been no connection or enjoyment, other than a bit of fun between the sheets. Things were different with Saoirse. She was strong and intelligent, not to mention as stubborn and hot-headed as he could be. He loved that she was as close to an equal as he'd get. He didn't want a trophy on his arm or a typical housewife. Things were much more interesting with Saoirse and she was beautiful on top of it all.

Once dressed in a fancy black suit, Gianni joined his family for dinner. Most of them had already arrived, but he wasn't bothered by it. "Good evening, everyone," he pleasantly greeted his family. In his hands, he carried a bunch of red roses which he proceeded to place in the vase at the centre of the dinner table. "Magnifico!" he commented, sending those at the tabe a confident smirk. Hopefully the gesture would appease everyone long enough for the evening to be bearable.

He just had to survive the next couple of days without losing his patience with either his own family or the Hughes'.

 

[Goonfire]

Michela Gatti-Muscano

Muscano Household, 5:41pm
It was nights like these when the number-one mob wife went into overdrive. Mimi ‘danced’ through her kitchen in a series of steps so structured and rhythmic, the rare onlooker would know she had cooked like this many times and had it down to an art. Indeed, the kitchen was her domain; no one—except maybe Al or one of the kids—came or went from here unless she gave her blessing.

The most time-consuming elements of Mimi’s cooking were usually the main course and the soup. The countertop looked like an Italian buffet already, with fresh focaccia al rosmarino, bruschetta with a tomato and cheese dip, antipasto, and arancini. She also smirked and glanced towards the fridge, all too eager to pull her little surprise from there already. The components of her main course caught her attention; the massive pan of ossobuco alla milanese were ready, along with the risotto. Mimi then panned over to the gargantuan pot of ribollita soup, which she lifted out of the oven after putting on some mitts. She lifted the lid, fetched a ladle, retrieved a small helping, blew on it, and finally sampled it. Everything was ready, after hours of preparation.

The dining room table was already set. At 5:55, she started hauling out the appetizers. “Good evening! Oh, look at this; the table hasn’t been this full in months.” There were still a few seats left.

Rusty of Shackleford Delphine Misty Gray _amaranth_ Satone

 

[wendy]

Ciara anne hughes

Ciara smiles as she saw her sister walk into the pub. “Saoirse! Thank god you’re here!” She says running a hand through her hair as she was pouring another pint of Guinness for another drunk man. “I’m trying to get everyone to behave but like usual everyone is in high spirits.” Ciara says the stress on her face clear as day. At her sisters request she got the whiskey bottle off the shelf placing it on the bar followed by a glass. “Fiona seems set on getting herself a boyfriend by the end of the night and Tyrone is gonna end up so drunk he won’t be able to remember where he is!” Ciara says as another customer needed her attention. The reason why the young women was so stressed was because this was her sisters wedding, she’d spent months of preparation organising every single little detail to her sisters and Gianni’s taste and she wasn’t going to let a bunch of hungover rowdy men ruin her sisters big day. “Tommy is no where in sight as well!” Ciara says practically slamming the pint glass down in front of customer out of stress. “Sorry.” Ciara says gently to the customer before wiping up the small mess she made with a rag. “I’m just gonna go get some air.” Ciara says as she walks over to the other side of the bar hoping to grab Elaine’s attention. “Elaine! Could you watch the bar for me, I just need a breather.” Ciara says her eyes glancing to James for a split second before she headed out the back door into the back alley to get some air.


mentions: Elaine White ( Arcanist ) Saoirse Hughes ( Arcanist ), Tyrone Hughes ( GreedyBoy ), James McCarthy ( Rusty of Shackleford )​

 

[Delphine]

Cadenza 'Bella' Muscano, Angelica Lucia "Gigi" Romano and Christiano "Nenno" Romano
x x x
The Muscano Residence
5:55 P.M.

As more people started coming at the table, Cadenza stopped thinking about the difficult subject. When two of their guests came, she smiled brightly "Oh, no no, you're not late. We're simply extra early" She was pretty sure they weren't going to eat at least until 6, so they were considerably early. When Scarlett came by, she gave her a small nod "The dinner table's almost full, Scarlett.. We're simply waiting for Gigi, Nenno, Gianni and Enzo" She was a bit impatient for their arrival, but knowing that they most likely got into a petty argument before coming, she wasn't expecting much.

When Enzo came along, Bella could only muster a smirk "Enzo, my dear brother, did you go get another conquest or did you finally screw your head on right and try to get someone more.. Permanent?" She wasn't really asking it as a question, since she knew the answer to it. She was practically sure her little brother would never settle down for someone. Bella wasn't exactly okay with the idea of her brother using their family name and riches to get with girls who most likely wouldn't stick for long... But there was nothing she could really do, was there? When Gianni finally came back, Bella directed her attention to him "Gianni, what beautiful flowers you brought us.." She decided to let the subject drop since he was there. After a couple of seconds, she heard a knock at the door, and turned her head to find both of her friends taking off their coats.

Gigi and Christiano had managed to not kill each other while driving. They had brought a bottle of wine to celebrate with the Muscano's. Once they entered and got their coats off, they immediately went to the table to put the bottle down "Good evening Al, Bella.." Christiano decided for better or worse to sit down next to Scarlett. He then turned his head to her and smiled slightly "Scarlett, how's the best capo in town doing, hm?" It probably wasn't the smoothest approach to a conversation, but Christiano was confident, and when he was confident, he was a fool. Gigi sat in front of her friend and looked around "I'm so sorry our parents couldn't be here, but they send you their best regards, and the bottle of wine" She said, looking at the man at the head of the table

​

 

[Bloodshed]

Adamo
The Muscano Residence​

Adamo woke up again, following the same ritual again despite the unease within the family. Six AM: reading Anarchism again, musing about freedom in the hopes that one day he might grasp it. Eight AM: calisthenics and running. It was all so mundane to the outside viewer. For him, this was his favorite portion of the day. It was the peace before the storm. Today, his routine was not peaceful because his mind was clouded. Dinner tonight with the family made him fearful; he wanted civility to their proceedings, not savagery, but Gianni had still brought chaos into their world under the guise of love. The thought of betraying the family like this was a cruel experiment, and the follow-through enraged Adamo even more. Who the fuck did Gianni think he was to do this? The anger spread through his blood like a pulsing poison that made his heart grow dark.

With his morning routine ruined by his own violent thoughts, he went to find another outlet in his own form... The rest of his day was spent in a bloody blur of sorts, exerting his frustrations in a barrage of extortions and beatings. Hour after hour, broken orbital after busted rib, he let everything out on the table that day. He was normally able to contain it, but not today. His frustrations with Gianni were simply too strong, but he needed to be like his father and show strength, solidarity. To be that stoic rock for the family that doesn't break under pressure. Since he had been taken in by Alphonso, Adamo tried to be the man. With that desire, the Cameroonian knew that he was betraying his own desire for freedom through trying to be someone else; however, he could not help it. His father was the last true man left. To be him was all he'd ever desired. For that, he would be strong at the dinner that night.

Once he'd robbed and assaulted his fair share that day, he made it a point to clean up before heading to the dinner. In his apartment, he filled a bucket with water and began to wash his hands in it. Normally smooth, they were cracked open and stained with a mixture of blood, some his own and some of his myriad of victims. He let his hands relax in the water, the warmth washing over him to fill him with comfort. Two eyelids shut and the plasma coating his hands began to evaporate into a maroon cloud within the water to reveal the callused yet kind hands below. This routine continued as he cleansed every inch of himself. His physicality would be wiped clean to hide the monstrosity within. Too long was spent on this little ritual, and Adamo was making himself late. He snatched his favorite suit: pure black. The shirt clung to his chest to reveal the muscularity hidden below, contouring to his form to show power and confidence at the same time. Once he found himself in perfect condition, it was time to go.

After a relatively short taxi drive with an overly talkative runt of a man, Adamo found himself outside of his "childhood home" if you could call that his full childhood. He skipped the knock on the door and let himself in, immediately heading his way into the dining room. As he moved through the house, there was a swift silence to each step as if he walked upon the sky itself. The way that he walked radiated confidence and care. He must have been the last to show up, but, as he entered the dining room, he flashed his whole "family" a deep smile that showcased pure joy, raising both of his hands out to his sides to give the entirety of the room his warm embrace. In a sultry and deep tone, he spoke: "It is good to be amongst family and friends." The genuine joy of seeing those he cared for outweighed the anger he felt when thinking of Gianni's poor moves. Within his voice, there was an infection rooted deep within that seemed to make those around him feel just a tad bit brighter on their darkest of days. A man of few words he was, but, in those moments, it was hard to resist that feeling of peace. He lowered his hands and began to find his seat near Enzo. Upon taking his seat, he met the eyes of his "father" and dropped his grin to feed the man a gracious nod. No words were spoken, just a vow of silence and respect. Nobody at the rest of the table received this same individual respect, and Adamo didn't seem too ready to pass it out. His eyes did betray his attempt at nonchalance as they seemed to levitate towards Scarlett, Papa, and Enzo.

 

[_amaranth_]

Enzo Muscano & Scarlett Costello
The Muscano Residence
1 & 2

The family dinners were something Enzo had mixed feeling about. In his very own way. He loved his family more than anything in this world and if necessary, he would die for every single one of its members. These meetings were actually funny, he got to tease his siblings or brag about the girls and, depending on who sat at the table, got admiring looks. Sometimes. But then again, these events usually turned into a scold fest by his father for wasting the family money again. God forbid father found out about his expenses in the city again. Enzo was hoping he wouldn't but with Al, that was a hard bet. For that man, it was enough to look at his youngest and he already knew about everything the boy did during the day. Enzo spent years trying to perfect his abilities to hide and yet failed miserably every single time he tried.

"Cadenza, mi amore. I am not the man to be tied down." he said with the charming smile he wore so often and put his hand around his sister's shoulder. "There are so many flowers in this world so why would you only satisfied with one? Especially, when you can have them...all. Tell her, Adamo, my good man." he turned to the newest addition to the table. As he was talking, he waved theatrically in front of Bella's face and resisted urge to ruffle her hair. That up-do looked like she spent some significant time with it and she would probably bite his hand off. "Speaking about settling down, here's the man of the hour." he grinned when Gianni entered with the bouquet of roses. "You bringing roses for Mama? That's a good son." Enzo really had several flaws on his record but one of the greater ones was, he never knew when to stop talking.

The arrival of next guests has intervened with Enzo's little annoying speech and Scarlett just chuckled silently. She was actually thankful for it because that boy could go on and on for hours. Also, he never got to talk about his most recent conquest and it was probably for the best now. Uncle Al was a bit anxious anyway, due to the wedding and everything. If he had to deal with the missteps of his youngest right now, things would not have to go as smooth.

Scarlett was mostly silent or keeping a polite conversation with anyone at the table. She was genuinely happy for Gianni, although the choice of his bride struck her as an odd one. But it wasn't her place to judge, she could have had her own thoughts but she certainly wasn't going to be vocal about them. And Gianni has probably heard enough already without even his cousin prying. She rather focused on new people arriving. Gigi and Nenno were nice addition to their family. Well, they were so close as family so no wonder Uncle Al invited them over. Scarlett was almost done with her cigarette when Christiano joined her side. Hearing that question, she smoothed already perfect hair and turned her head to him after she blew out the smoke. "Is this really the best you got?" she asked, adding a little sting. "But I am fine. Thank you for asking." she said in the end, lifting the right corner of her mouth in a crooked smile which somehow looked good on her. The man was nice, pleasant to talk to. Though Scarlett wouldn't admit it out loud.

Rusty of Shackleford Delphine Bloodshed Satone Misty Gray Goonfire​

 

[Satone]

Ruby & Amun

Ruby and Amun nodded back at Enzo, and gave greeting smiles to each new face. They sat there and did as they always did. They watched. Watched all the people come in, and take their seats. All the sons and daughters and nieces and nephews. The family friends. All such vibrant and eclectic personalities, yet all very similar deep down. Ruby supposed that is what family was all about, not like she would know much about that in any case. She took a whiff of the air subtly, smelling that homemade, herb heavy Italian food. If she weren't a lady, she'd be salivating. And to see the beginning of the course being brought out, she couldn't help the compliment that went flew out of her lips. "Darlin', it smells absolutely divine in here. You must have whipped up something heavenly." That was the Southern deep down inside her. Always ready to appreciate a good meal. They carried on polite conversation like they were born for it as they were social creatures at their very cores. Plus, it was always a good quality to be remembered fondly. Good for business if not for anything else.

At Gianni's arrival, both raised their glasses in quiet congratulations, likely to give their well wishes later on when both were more liquored up. "If we're speaking flowers and picking them, I believe any woman who lets you into her garden must be an... Odd woman, indeed." Ruby teased Enzo, giving him a smirk and eyebrow arched upward. Amun shook his head and laughed, looking at the appetizers that the matron of the Muscano's placed on the table. The image was warm. Beautiful food, gorgeous roses, and a wedding only half a day away. It was a setting he wasn't much used to. He looked up, hazel eyes caught Adamo's for only the smallest of moments. However in that moment Amun smiled, passed a subtle wink the man's way before looking away directly after. He was a New Yorker, born and raised. But he had watched his parents, Egyptians, go through their fair share of trials among people who looked just like the crowd they were sitting with then. While he knew Adamo was family to these people, Ruby and himself were almost strangers. Only around for a moment then gone the next. It was never a bad thing to wave a friendly flag, no matter how small. At this point, he turned his eyes over to the matriarch.

"Mrs. Muscano, did you need any help bringin' anything else out of the kitchen?" He could already hear his own mother's voice chiding him in his head if he didn't offer. He was always dragged into the kitchen to help while his sister always got to study. Seeing as she was actually studying and if Amun didn't have his hands doing something productive, they were doing something destructive instead. Idle hands and all that.
( _amaranth_ Bloodshed Goonfire Misty Gray ) ​

 

[Arcanist]

Saoirse Hughes
Location: Moore's Pub | Mentions: Rusty of Shackleford GreedyBoy wendy SandraDeelightful ​

Saoirse lent an ear to Ciara, listening to her insist that she was trying to calm everyone in here. She couldn't help but hear the age-old phrase in her head; you can bring a horse to water, but you can't make it drink it. Or else, they would turn to Guinness instead of the water, which was applicable to these lot. She nodded with a gesture of thanks to Ciara, before she started pouring the whiskey into her glass. She could hear the stress in her voice, and she could understand it; for she had that same stress bottled up and bubbling inside of her, but given her position in the family, she was in no way thinking of revealing it to anyone. She gave a lighthearted chuckle, and she reached across to Ciara to console her. "You leave these drunkards to me, alright? I'll give 'em a good talkin' to, once Tommy gets back her." She said with a reassured air about her. If Tommy gets back here. She wondered where he had gone off to, in all of this. Teasingly, she added for good measure, "And let me talk some sense into Fiona. Having a man isn't all fun and games, you know." Believe me, in Saoirse's case, it certainly wasn't.

The woman lifted her glass, swirling the whiskey in it before she took a sip, watching the drunken antics continue. If she could have, she would have been just as pissed. She felt like it, but she also didn't feel like being hungover the next morning, especially at her own wedding.

Elaine White
Location: Moore's Pub | Mentions: GreedyBoy
​

Waiting for Ty's reply so eagerly, she found them both being interrupted by Ciara's yell across the pub, which she was surprised she managed to catch, given the rowdiness of it all. Elaine gave a faux dramatic sigh but then nodded at Ciara, before she looked back at Tyrone. She leaned in closer to him, and bouncing a finger on his lips, warned, "I've got my eye on you..." Her tone was an odd mix of a stern warning, yet, also of an illustrious flirtation. She got off Tyrone's lap, brushing herself, before she give a little wave to Tyrone before returning to the bar with the intentions of guarding it before Ciara returned.

 

[Rusty of Shackleford]

Alphonso Muscano
Muscano Residence

Al smiled as Bella sat down, simply nodding as he said, "Ahh, it's no big deal. I'm sure they have their reasons. Plus, I've known 'em for years. What's one night?" His smile faded at his daughter mentioning the wedding, his hand covering his face for a bit before he said frankly, "Look, I don't like it either. I've lost a lot of friends to the Hughes. But Gianni's a man now. He can marry whoever he damn well pleases, if it makes 'im happy. We just have to deal with it, for his sake, at least." Al had dealt with worst. Nothing really fazed him anymore, so his son marrying the daughter of his late rival was actually a quaint change of pace, all things considered. Granted, the other families weren't too happy, and he was hearing rumblings of a hostile takeover coming soon. He would deal with that later. After all, his son's wedding was tomorrow.

Al's head pivoted at the sound of that familiar Southern drawl. Mama and Papa, the best damn cleaner's in the city. He respected them immensely. He could see in them a bit of himself. Professional, impersonal, and loyal. "Don't worry, you two. Thank you for coming. You didn't have to. Thanks anyway." He spotted the bottles in their hands, taking note of them. Chardonnay and...what looked like whiskey. Al was a whiskey man himself, though he didn't drink much. He preferred to stay sober and alert. Plus, he didn't want to end up like his father, the drunk deadbeat...He motioned his two business partners to sit down, his person radiating the respect he commanded. His eyes were constantly scanning the room, taking note of all the stashes his dear wife had placed, just in case things went south.

Next to arrive was his niece, Scarlett. Al stood up slowly, grimacing a bit at the pain in his leg, before limping over to hug the woman. "It's good to see you, Scarlett. You're fine. But I swear if one more person asks if they're too early, I'm gonna..." He took a deep breath, trying to hide the anger just beneath the surface. He was angry. Furious. How could Gianni marry her? He could have married anyone else. She didn't even have to be Italian. Hell, she could be Irish. But why, for the love of God, did she have to be a fucking Hughes? But the Don his this, shrouded this in the illusion of happiness, content that his firstborn was finally getting married. But he was far from this. He was an ass hair's away from snapping, and having to deal with the drunken debauchery of his soon-to-be in-laws was gonna drive him fucking crazy, he just knew it. But regardless, he was glad to see Scarlett. She was the last of his old family, and he'd promised his sister he'd look after the woman. Though Scarlett didn't need any looking after, and had proved her worth as a capo, despite her sex.

Al didn't even move to sit down before Enzo came in. The prodigal son. Alphonso loved Enzo. By God, he loved the boy. Buy holy shit, could he be a fuckin' moron. If he put his energy into something more productive than drinking and chasing tail, Enzo could be something great. A lawyer, maybe even a Senator. Al had hoped his youngest wouldn't get involved in this life, that at least one of them could have escaped. But the mob was intoxicating, like a drug. Once you got one taste...it was hard to let go. The Don's face straightened up, Al saying in a stoic, plain voice, "Good of you to join us, Enzo. Thought you'd be late. I think everyone else's on their way." Al reminded himself to thank Enzo for even coming. This was a celebration for his brother, and it meant a lot to the Don that his children were here.

Finally, the star of the show had arrived. Gianni. Alphonso's face once again broke out into a smile, the man simply nodding at his eldest, before taking a seat before his legs buckled. He was getting old, and he couldn't stand up for as long as he used to. Gianni was...da!n near perfect, in Al's eyes. The Don didn't play favorites. He loved all of his children just as much as the last, but he had an immense respect for Gianni. He'd grown into a fine young man, and he was happy to see him become who he was. "Ah, here is is, the guest of honor. It's good to see you. Gianni."

Finally, his wife came out. Al nodded at Mimi's comment, saying, "Yeah, I think the last time we had so many people was...two, three years ago. Christmas, I believe." As Don of the family, he was of course expected to host events whenever possible. He didn't do this as much as other Don's, but it was something he occasionally did. Gianni's wedding would be the biggest event in the family's history, possibly in gangland history. By God, he hoped it turned out well...

Al nodded at Gigi and Christiano, saying. "Glad you two should come. You came just in time. I think all we're missing is...Adamo." Alphonso had known the Romano's for years. Gigi and Christiano's father was one of Al's old buddies from the Prohibition era, back when the two spent a brief time in Chicago with Capone. It was...interesting. It taught Al how to not run a mob family, and how big to be a Don. But in the end, he came out better for it, and he didn't regret it. Al gladly accepted their gift, saying, "Ehhh, don't worry. I owe your old man, anyways. Saved my ass more times than I can count."

And finally, their final guest had arrived. Adamo, Al's ward. They respected one another, and the Don felt genuine affection for the man. But Adamo...scared Al. He could see the darkness within the Underboss, the rage, the anger. He'd seen how brutal his adopted son could be, and it terrified the Don. He'd hoped that by bringing him up, the darker side of Adamo could be ironed out. But it seemed this was just a fantasy. Regardless, Al returned the nod, noting that everyone was here. Good. They could finally get this thing started.

Al slowly stood up, grunting a bit as he said, "I want to thank you all for coming. I know this wedding is...sudden, but it's still an event to be celebrated." He glanced over at his wife, before saying, "I'd like to toast to the reason we are celebrating. My son, Gianni. Son...I can't...I can't put into words how proud I am of you. And I know that you'll do better than me." With that, he raised his glass, and with the usual, "Salut," the toast was made, and he sat back down. Now he just had to get through this damned thing...


James McCarthy
Moore's Pub

Jim was starting to get a bit tipsy, as was expected. But he soldiered on, getting through another singing when Ciara sat right in front of him. Fucking hell, she was beautiful. It was making it hard to focus on not passing out. James smirked at his old friend, responding with, "I ain't even gettin' started, ya drunk bastard. Yer face is startin' to look like a smacked arse." Granted, James' face was getting a bit red too, but he'd nerve admit it. After all, Ciara was there. He couldn't make an ass of himself and lose to Tyrone. Or maybe James was making an ass of himself. Who knows? Still, his eyes couldn't move from Ciara. He gave the Hughes a quick smile, before straightening up and going right back to drinking Tyrone under the table.


Thomas Hughes
Moore's Pub

Thomas gave May a sweet, shy smile as she stepped out, saying. "You look great, luv." He blushed a bit when she held his hand, walking out to his car as he said, "Don't worry, May. It's fine. Ty's yer biggest problem, but if we're lucky, he'll be...drunk, by the time we get there. So he probably won't even notice you." Thomas, ever the gentleman, opened the passenger side door for his date, before getting in the driver's seat and driving off for Moore's.

Tom wasn't even in the pub for a second before he knew what was happening. Tyrone and James were having a drinking contest. Again. The hitman rubbed his forehead, muttering a prayer under his breath as he said to May, "Well...I guess you'll get the full Hughes experience, luv." Before he did anything, Thomas went over to Saorise, to wish her luck on the wedding. He gave the redhead a tight hug, saying, "I'm sure Da would have approved. Yer husband is Catholic, after all." Once he paid his respects, Tommy sat in a booth with May, within view of pissing contest, of course. The fairer of the Hughes' twins shook his at the sight of his brother, almost ashamed that May had to see this. By God, he loved his brother, but that didn't mean Tom was blind to Tyrone's faults. He just hoped there wasn't a fight, but that was wishful thinking. Throw Irishmen in a pub, and there will be fighting. It's inevitable.
Arcanist
wendy
GreedyBoy
SandraDeelightful​

 

[GreedyBoy]

tyrone whistled as elaine sat on his lap, “of course it does, lass.” he winked.
a shiver went up his spine as she whispered in his ear. there were very few women tyrone was ever truly attached to. hell, the man was the textbook example of a run-away dad. his fear of commitment had led him to gain the less than honourable but sought after reputation as somewhat of a playboy within the city. but elaine. oh elaine was different. she wasn’t afraid to call him out nor stand up to him. she was...refreshing to say the least. strong-willed and stubborn in the best way. tyrone’s gaze moved down to the blonde woman’s rear end as she walked away. he clicked his tongue and a smirk tugged at his lips. of course there was that...added bonus.
tyrone’s eyes flicked back to his old friend as he made a comment at the hughes’ red face, “well at least I don’t look like an arse constantly, unlike a few unfortunate people in the room.” he grinned at james. one thing that hadn’t changed about tyrone was his smile. that cheeky, shit-eating grin that broke many hearts and angered a hundred more.
he was about to start another round when he suddenly caught sight of a strikingly familiar face. one very much like his own. his grin widened and he stood, his chair scraping back, “I DO FINK I’M SEEING DOUBLE!” he bounded over like a red cheeked schoolboy, “bring it in, ye bloody bastard.” he gave a small hiccup before wrapping his twin brother in a worryingly firm, drunken hug. it took him a good few moments to notice may next to thomas. he looked to thomas then back to may, his drunken mind whirring. then it clicked. he gasped and whipped around, “CIARA. HE’S GOT ONE, TOMMY’S GOT ONE.” he turned back to may, wiggling his eyebrows, “hughes always have good taste in women.”

interacting with:
wendy (ciara+may) Arcanist (elaine) Rusty of Shackleford (thomas + james)
mood: surprised, happy, drunk as all hell​

 

[wendy]

Ciara Anne Hughes
Ciara took at few moments to herself, breathing in and out the chilly night air until the racing thoughts in her mind disappeared. The second youngest Hughes walked back into pub seeing that Thomas had arrived along with her good friend May. "Sorry Elaine! I'm just going to go say hi." Ciara says walking through the crowd of men hearing Tyrone shout her name, Tyrone seemed so proud of Tommie that he announced it too the whole pub. "I think you're the last one to know Ty." Ciara says with a small laugh as she grabs onto Tyrone's arm to stop her older brother from falling flat on his face. "Tommie, He's being a handful again." Ciara complains to her other older brother as Ciara smiled warmly at May. The two girls were already firm friends and spent most of their evening together because of their night classes but it was nice to see May out of the classroom. "Don't worry about him May, I'm sure you'll be able to have a proper conversation with him tomorrow when he's sobered up." Ciara says letting Tommie deal with Tyrone. "Fancy a drink?" Ciara says as May agrees and the two girls head off towards the bar. "Thanks for holding down the fort Elaine!" Ciara says releasing Elaine from her temporary bar maid duties as Ciara stepped behind the bar. "I think the others are coming over to meet you, Don't worry too much about Ty at the moment. Saoirse may be a little stand off ish but she's more than overjoyed than Tommie has finally gotten a girlfriend and Fiona will be friendly." Ciara says to May as May heads over to the group of Hughes siblings who were chatting away.

Ciara was leaning on the bar watching James, the man was just so gorgeous that Ciara could stare at him for hours. Right now all she wanted to was be sat with James enjoying a drink while shamelessly flirting but instead the couple had sneak about behind The Hughes back's, this was something Ciara didn't particularly like doing but since her brothers would probably beat James to a pulp if they found out about the forbidden lovers, there were occasions when Ciara wished that the pair would be found out so that they could hold hands, kiss and flirt without looking over their shoulders but even the thought of James being injured made her stomach drop and so Ciara had to be content with sneaking around with the man she loved. Ciara snapped back to reality when she realised staring at James was a bit obvious and so she returned to polishing glasses.

May Butler
May was more than scared as Tommie opened the passenger door and took her hand. The walked into the pub and Tyrone seemed very excited about their arrival, May gripped Tommie's hand tighter as the extremely drunk man walked over to them chanting about Tommie "getting one". May's nerves sky rocketed but they calmed when she saw her good friend Ciara come to calm down her brother slightly. "Of course!" May replied to Ciara's offer of a drink as the two girls walked through the crowds to reach the bar. "Could I have a Gin and Tonic?" May asks Ciara nervously as her friend quickly poured her the drink. "C! I'm so nervous, can you please tell me how to get your family to like me!" May practically begs which caused a Ciara to laugh. After the run down of each family member from Ciara May finally had to a bit of confidence to approach them. "Goof Luck!" Ciara says to her friend before May walks back through the crowd and sits down next to Tommie with her drink in hand. "How is he so drunk? It's barely evening." May whispered to Tommie as she took a sip of her own drink. May looked around spotting who she thought was Saoirse from what Tommie and Ciara had described "That's Saoirse? Your sister whose marrying Gianni? She's so pretty." May says taking another nervous sip of her drink as Saoirse was not only drop dead gorgeous but she also looked intimidating as hell. "That's Fiona right?" May asks Tommie looking at the young girl who seemed to like being doted on by men but also wore some of the cutest clothes May had seen in a long time "Does she make her clothes herself?" May asked Tommie.

May didn't realise that she should of been asking those questions to the girls themselves but her nerves were getting to the better of her. As she sat with Tyrone and Tommie, May heard the name 'James'. May could finally put a name to a face, after months of Ciara talking about this boy and how she felt about him May could see why she felt the way she did. May could see the way they looked at eachother and she couldn't help but feel a little sad for Ciara, she just wanted to openly love the man she loved but unfortunately her brothers would disapprove and so their relationship had to stay in the shadow, May had also been sworn to secrecy about the pair but from the way Saoirse caught Ciara looking at James it already seemed like someone else was catching on to their secret romance.


mentions: Tyrone ( GreedyBoy ), Thomas + James ( Rusty of Shackleford ), Fiona ( SandraDeelightful ), Saoirse + Elaine ( Arcanist )

​

 

[Goonfire]

Michela Gatti-Muscano

“Oh, I don’t need help tonight,” Mimi affirmed when Amun offered his help, though her tone implied she appreciated the offer. “Besides, you’re our guests this time; this is your night to relax.” She zipped between the kitchen and the dining room with the grace only a mother could manage. By the time the family and their guests were seated, Mimi had filled the dinner table with a feast of epic proportions and generous portions. She also placed bottles of wine and hefty pitchers of wine and Coca Cola, as well as a bowl of ice. Adding to the crowded table was a stack of glass ashtrays. Knowing the mob wife, cigarettes would be available upon request.

Once the grand meal was all there, Mimi took her seat next to Al and raised her glass to toast. “Salut,” she echoed, her red lips curling into a grin before she drank to her son’s health and happiness. While she secretly wasn’t thrilled with his choice of bride, she wouldn’t be the unfortunate soul who crashed this wedding, so she opted to grin and bear it.

Rusty of Shackleford Delphine Arcanist _amaranth_ Satone Bloodshed Misty Gray

 

[Delphine]

Cadenza 'Bella' Muscano, Angelica Lucia "Gigi" Romano and Christiano "Nenno" Romano
x x x
The Muscano Residence

When Al started talking, the two siblings picked up their glasses, getting ready to toast the future groom, while Bella just sighed. She picked up her glass after a bit and toasted with everyone else "Salut!" She knew that the food was going to be great, her mother being an excellent cook, but she was mostly afraid of the atmosphere at the table. Gianni's bride was certainly someone undesirable, especially to Cadenza. While the Romano's weren't acquainted with the Hughes, they still didn't exactly like them.

Gigi looked at her friend, putting her glass down "Now that your brother's getting married, it's your turn" She half-joked, smiling a bit. Something that she didn't like about her was the fact that she was waiting for a man that fit the criteria her parents were looking for, ignoring what she wanted... Though it was understandable, being the daughter of one of the biggest mafia families in new York came with a lot of restraints. She just hoped that she'd settle down for someone worthwhile. Bella smiled back at her friend "Yes, yes.. I might try to find a doctor, or a lawyer.. No, not a lawyer, they don't make good family men" She was a believer in true love, but also in a high and luxurious life. She usually aimed for the stars, only to go higher. She knew that she was vain, and very money-hungry, but she was true to herself.

Meanwhile, after Christiano had toasted, he turned his attention back to Scarlett "No, of course it's not the best. I'm saving that for later" He said, a cocky smile on his mouth "I'm glad to hear it. It's a beautiful day for a celebration, and certainly a great occasion to wear that dress" He said, keeping that same smile on his face. Every time he was over at the Muscano's he had the same smile and the same tenacity to keep talking to her. He never let go of the chase, he loved it, he seeked it. And she was the exact type of woman who wouldn't give him what he wanted easily.​

 

[Misty Gray]

Kayleigh Hughes​

Kayleigh hadn't intended on joining her family at the pub that evening. Instead, she'd busied herself around the house, giving it a good clean and then trying on her outfit once more before the big event the following day. Saoirse was getting married and Kayleigh would be damned if she didn't look perfect for the big event. She only hoped she could maintain a pleasant smile throughout the day. It would be a challenge, both to smile at those Italian fuckers but also to stay upbeat when Sean's absence would always be in the back of his mind. She wondered how her late husband would have really taken their daughter's engagement to a Muscano. Would he have hated the idea as much as she did? Regardless, Kayleigh trusted her daughter saw something in Gianni Muscano and she knew she would have to give Saoirse support. She hoped the Italian wouldn't let her daughter down and she would make sure he was told that first hand, but if he did, then there would be hell to pay.

The time spent alone in the house soon lost its appeal. Rather than mope alone with her thoughts, Kayleigh decided she would show her face at Moore's Pub. Either it would be one last chance to remind Saoirse of how different they were to the Muscanos, or it would just be an opportunity to get drunk with the family before their world was certain to change the following day.

The taxi stopped outside the pub and the male driver turned to Kayleigh, flashing her a familiar smile. "No charge for you, Mrs. Hughes. Your husband was a top bloke," he energetically told her.

"At least have a smoke on me," she told him, holding out the packet of cigarettes to him so he could take one from the box. "Now, you stay out of trouble," she knowingly suggested. She stepped out of the vehicle, her heels clicking on the pavement as she did. Even from outside, she could tell the pub was full of life, no doubt much of the energy and noise coming from her own family. She didn't approach the door, instead deciding to take in some air before showing her face inside. The one thing she didn't want was to have any sympathy or constant reminders of Sean's death. A smoke would surely give her strength beforehand.

"Ahhh. Mrs. Hughes. Ain't it rowdy enough in there wi'out you joining in?" the gruff voice of Jack, one of the older regulars, heckled her as he leaned against the wall smoking.

"You cheeky fucker," Kayleigh replied, a smirk on her face as she approached Jack. "Light us up, would you?" she asked. She didn't reach into her purse for her own box of cigarettes, instead waiting for Jack to give up one of his own. When he handed her one, she accepted it and placed the cigarette between her red-coloured lips, which matched her deep scarlet manicured fingernails. She moved her face closer to Jack while he lit her cigarette for her. She then stepped back and took a long drag from the stick, then blew out a cloud of smoke, as if releasing a weight of stress in the process. "Break it to me gently. Is the pub full of dirty fucking Italians or is it safe to go in?"

"I've not seen any of 'em. Not even Prince Charming," the man confirmed. "Itching for a fight, I bet you are," he joked.

 

[Arcanist]

Saoirse Hughes
Location: Moore's Pub | Mentions: Rusty of Shackleford GreedyBoy wendy SandraDeelightful (and literally anyone else whose in the bar)​

Saoirse, putting on the illusion of the older sister who seemed to have most things under control, stood drinking at the bar when Tommy finally arrived in the pub. She held in her sigh of relief, glad to see he had made it back safe and sound. Though, the difference this time was that he brought a woman. Tom had a woman? She tried to recall if she had known that in the deep recesses of her mind...and she vaguely remembered the mention of a 'May'. Saoirse felt a brief guilt settle inside her. She must have put it to the back of her mind whilst she was thinking of the wedding and how to plan it.

Though, that guilt seemed to melt away as Tommy made a beeline straight to her, and enveloped her in a hug. She squeezed a little tighter at the mention of their father, though, she did laugh, glad that at least Tommy could take this marriage in good spirits. "Yeah. I don't think our Da would accept anything less," she chuckled, eventually pulling away from her brother, thanking him for the good wishes. She hadn't the time to introduce herself to May, but she made sure to get a good look at her. A pretty thing, for sure. Tommy could sure pick them. Then again, like her brother had drunkenly explained, any Hughes could certainly pick them...but she looked nice, and that was all that mattered. She hoped at some point in the evening, she'd be able to speak more with her, when she and Tommy weren't so swamped with attention.

Saoirse figured she would rip off the band-aid now, get the rules for tomorrow ingrained in each and every one of these men's heads. Though, before she thought of moving, she couldn't help but notice the rather dumb look on Ciara's face. Saoirse's eyes followed in the direction of her stare, trying not to be obvious in her search. Her eyes eventually landed on James, who had been complicit in Ty's descent into his normal, drunken state. It took a moment, but things started to click. The lovesick puppy look, the fleeting glances...of course, how could she not have seen it sooner? She was acting just as Saoirse had been with Gianni, albeit, they hadn't needed to do it in front of their own families. She knew rightly, if anything about Ciara and James - if it was true, this was only a guess on her part of course - her brothers would pummel James, and worse. It was bad enough some of them were mourning Saoirse's upcoming marriage, they didn't need to be doing the same in finding out Ciara and James' secret affair. She'd keep their secret. She knew how it felt sneaking around, after all.

Right. Let's get this over with. Saoirse took a breath in - something she hadn't done since she and Gianni burst into that room and announced their intentions to get married. Swigging the rest of her whiskey, she stepped forward, putting both fingers in her mouth, and giving a loud whistle. Once she knew that got most of the bar's attention, she started speaking loudly enough to eventually catch the rest of the pub's attention.

"Alright, listen up, ye half-cut bastards," Saoirse started. "I'll not keep ye's all back from your pints, but it's important I lay some ground rules for ye all tomorrow." At that, there came the inevitable chorus of groans, and she sighed. "Yeah, yeah, I'm that bad guy. But listen, I don't want no trouble at this wedding tomorrow. Or at least, nothing major. No shootouts, no slashing tyres, no badmouthing the Italians in front of them, yeah? Whether you all like it or not, they're our family now, and you better get used to it."

Elaine White
Location: Moore's Pub | Mentions: GreedyBoy wendy
​

Even in her walk back to the bar, Elaine made sure that her hips swayed on the way back, knowing Ty's eyes would be on her more...delicate assets. Sure, she was a tease, but she couldn't just refuse his gaze on her all the time. As Tommy arrived in with his beau, Ciara apologised to Elaine to go and speak to May, but the woman simply gave her a smile and said, "No sweat, honey. Take all the time you need." In the meanwhile, she had served some more pints, cleaned a few glasses, smirked a little at her own love's drunken greetings and antics. Seeing the connection between Ty and his brother, it made her miss her own brothers, and miss home in general. She had to remind herself why she had come here in the first place, but she could often feel the pain of distance between herself and her own family. Luckily enough, when Elaine had met the rest of the Hughes, they took her in with immediate warmth, and she was at home as soon as she met the rest of the family.

Once Ciara returned to the bar and returned back to her normal jobs behind it, Elaine took the opportunity to meet and speak with this May herself, as well as curb Ty once again. She sauntered over, putting her hands on Ty's shoulders, and she chuckled that seductive manner of hers again before she teased Ty, "And don't'chu forget it, honey." She winked at him, before she look over to May and smiled. "Don't'chu worry about him, darlin'. He's a little loud and rough, but he's nothin' we can't handle." Before she said anything more, she realised she had to introduce herself, and she said, "They call me Elaine. I hear you're the famous May Tommy's been gushin' over."

 

[Misty Gray]

Gianni Muscano​

There were plenty of comments to Gianni about the flowers he'd brought to add to the nicely decorated table. They evoked a simple smile from the man, but it was Enzo's comment about him being a good son bringing roses for their mother which lead him to respond. "Well, doesn't Mama deserve all of the beautiful flowers?" he softly asked. He sat forward in his seat as a more familiar devious and smug smile crossed his face to continue addressing his little brother. "Not only am I a good son, but I'm the best son," he teased, finishing off with a playful chuckle. It was technically true regardless, but Gianni meant his comment in the lightest of manners, for a change.

Despite a generally pleasant welcoming from the others, Gianni wasn't ignorant to the fact people around him were not happy or in support of his choice of bride. He was fully aware Adamo in particular wasn't impressed by his engagement to Saoirse. The evening needed to run smoothly, but it didn't mean Gianni would be willing to back down and stay quiet if anyone was to kick up a fuss. The only person he would consider taking orders and criticism from was his own father, but it just so happened Alphonso had given his blessing for the marriage.

"Thank you, Papa. It's good to see you too," he respectfully replied to Alpohnso, sending him an acknowledging nod. Watching the man struggle to stand had no effect on Gianni's features, but on the inside he was always a little concerned. His father had always been the strongest and most powerful person in his life, so to see him now struggling chipped away a little at that belief. It didn't reduce Gianni's respect for the man, but it did motivate him to be more committed to the business and ready to step in to help his father to maintain order. The security of the family and the business was of great importance.

When Alphonso stood to give his speech, Gianni shifted between looking to the man and sheepishly diverting his sight to the tabletop to hide any embarrassment at the attention. He knew he'd been a nightmare growing up and still a pain in the arse when he earned himself a prison sentence. Since his eye-opening incarceration, Gianni had matured and started to take things more seriously. His temper was still present, but he'd learned to control it more over recent years. He modestly shook his head when Alphonso said he'd do a better job than him. "Ah, that's too much. I'm sure with you leading the way, I will strive to be as good as you." He raised his glass in acknowledgement of the toast.

Once his father was settled and a silence fell onto the room, Gianni cleared his throat, though remained seated. "I will save the big speech for tomorrow, but I would just like to thank you all for being here this evening," he said, scanning the room so his eyes could fall upon each of the others. "I know not everyone here is fond of my choice of bride, but I trust you to keep such thoughts to yourselves. I have made my choice and the man himself has spoken," he said, motioning towards his father. "Nobody here can change the fact I love Saoirse. Hell, it's true that most of that Irish lot get on my nerves with their drunken, yobbish behaviour. But, instead of focusing on our differences, perhaps we can use this opportunity to secure some peace and unity. Or at least, not turn tomorrow into a bloodbath," he remarked. He grabbed his glass of wine and finished what was left in the bottom. He then grabbed the bottle to fill the glass again. "And, going back to what Mama said... At least my engagement finally got us all together again. You're welcome!" he remarked, with a cheeky wink.

Rusty of Shackleford Goonfire Delphine Bloodshed _amaranth_ Satone

 

[Rusty of Shackleford]

Alphonso Muscano

Al let out a breathy sigh as he downed his wine. Whiskey would have been great, but this was an Italian meal, and anything else would be sacrilege. His wife's words rang true. The two things that brought the mob together were weddings and funerals, of all things. "Yeah...seems like the only thing that gets the family together nowadays is a wedding...well, that's how it was in my day, too." Granted, funerals were much more common back then. Whacking folks was easy before rules were set in place, something he learned firsthand in Chicago under Capone. Some worshipped Scarface, glorified him. But all Al saw was a brutish thug. A lusty, I'll tempered bastard that big what he deserved. Sure, Al showed up to his funeral, but that was for show. Al had spent his life trying to bring order to gangland, to bring some semblance of order and balance, hoping to not repeat Chicago. Hopefully, this wedding would do that.

Gianni's words warmed the Don's heart. Hearing his son say that...it almost made the man smile. He allowed his son to speak, reluctantly nodding at his words. Al hoped the Irish at least had the decency to not get in a fight at a wedding, but he put nothing last them. "You heard 'im. I don't want no fighting, tail chasing, or dick measuring. I want everyone on their best behavior. Tell everyone that. They better act like they're attending mass at the fuckin' Vatican, alright? Good. Now let's eat, I'm frickin' starving."
Goonfire
Delphine
Misty Gray
Satone
_amaranth_


Thomas Hughes

Tommie hadn't even ordered his drink when he heard a familiar, inebriated voice. Ty, as drunk as ever. The fairer twin smiled, saying in response to his brother's question, "No, it's just me, Ty. Though judging by how you smell, you probably are seeing double..." And then Tyrone loudly proclaimed that Tommie "had one." Yes, it was well known that Tommie had yet to find a woman, despite being on the older side. But with May...dear God, this was going to be rough. "Yes, Ty, I have one. May, this is my brother, Tyrone." Tommie smiled at Ciara, responding with. "Yes, I can see that...lemme handle him." He put a hand on the drunk man's shoulder, Tommie guiding his brother back to his booth as he said, "Please, don't embarrass us, Ty. I don't want May to think bad of us, alright?"

After trying to set his twin straight, Tommie went right back to May, listening to her questions about his siblings. "Uhhh, yeah. The red head's Saorise, obviously my lookalike is Tyrone, and the young one by the bar's Fiona. I don't think Ma's here...I think she's at the house." He then turned to Ciara, saying, "Uhh... I'll just have some water, Ci, thanks." Just then, Tommie heard a whistle. His mind went blank, his vision went white. Images flashed before his eyes. Rifles, gunpowder, blood. Deafening booms. All puncuated by a sharp whistle. Tommie's eyes went...somewhere. Definitely not here. He didn't even hear what Saorise even said, so caught up in his time during the war that he couldn't even understand what was happening in the now, with his family. While he had been holding May's hand ever since he sat back down, he let go, his hands quivering, as if he was afraid.

He was.


James McCarthy

James laughed heartily at his boss's comment, saying, "Oh, shut yer mouth he drunk bastard. Yer the only one with an arse for a face." Just as James was about to start another verse, Ty got up, prompting Jim to say ,"Aww, c'mon! I was just about te start!" With the time allotted to him, he of course went back to staring at Ciara, with a cheeky, half drunken grin on his face. He was getting there, and his expression was that of pure, drunken love. To Jim, in that moment, Ciara was the prettiest woman in the universe. She always was, but now...phew. He just wanted to kiss her, but what little restraint he had left told him that doing so in front of her brothers was not a good idea. His gaze then went to Saorise as she whistled, the man nodding as the eldest Hughes spoke. He...kind of understand what she said. Like, he got the meaning, just not the words. Something about no fighting at the wedding, he thought. Or no hiding, but he didn't know why anyone would hide at a wedding. Regardless, with Ty back in front of him, James smugly grinned, saying, "So...you up for another round, Ty? Or have ye gone soft with Elaine around?"
Arcanist
GreedyBoy
wendy
Misty Gray​