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

[Pyroclast]

Chapter 18: The Final Nail
Friday 25th February 1972
...2 Days Later…
Evening - Cold, Rain Showers

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New York Aquarium
~ Brooklyn ~
​

Danny Vaughan

Having spent the last couple of hours in New York’s windowless aquarium, Danny had completely forgotten about the gruelling weather outside. It was like a safe haven, beyond the reach of the escalating war and out of earshot of the sirens that plagued the city. It meant a lot to him that Savannah had agreed to come out with him again; the last time the couple had indulged in a night to themselves, her mother’s jazz club had been burned to the ground, killing all but one of the civilians and staff members trapped inside. Based on the determination she had expressed not to let her abduction keep her from living her life, Danny thought she would appreciate an outing somewhere immersive yet peaceful to help heal any anxiety she may have. Without having to exert any conscious effort, his mind was purely in the present moment.

An excitable group of young children and their guardian exited the room, leaving him and Savannah enclosed in a silent, otherworldly space. The only light came from the illuminated tank of jellyfish, to which Danny’s eyes were transfixed. Now that they were alone, Danny wrapped his arms around Savannah from behind, resting his chin on her head, and the two stood close enough to the enclosure that it filled their peripheral vision. “Wait a sec’...I’ve been on this acid trip before,” he joked, as he watched the jellyfish dance across the scene. He kissed the top of her head. “If I turned into a jellyfish one day, would you still love me?” The way his arms were hooked around her shoulders reminded him of the sticky, venomous tentacles he had once had to peel off his ankle, and it answered his question for him. “Actually, you’d be better off flushing me down the toilet or something - I got stung by a bluebottle in Bombay one time and it hurt like a motherfucker. Plus, they don’t have hearts or brains, so I wouldn’t be able to love you back...” Despite their mesmerising grace, they appeared rather lonely, like disembodied souls floating aimlessly through the underworld. “I know what sea creature you’d be. You and me both, actually. We’d be seahorses, right? They have a soulmate that they stay with the rest of their lives, and then they spend hours every day just hangin’ out and dancin’ together. Sounds like a pretty chill way to live out your days, don't ya' think?” He began to dance with her in his arms. "What d'you say, Sav? Shall we give up the stress of being human and try out a life as dancing seahorses instead?" Danny was aware that it may be a rather forward thing to suggest, but he was secure in his relationship with Savannah. They were reaching new boundaries together all the time, and he didn’t see a reason why they would break up any time soon.

Misty Gray Savannah

Irish Mob Safe House
~ Manhattan ~​

Chase Zegarra

Even after three nights of tireless searching, Chase wasn’t used to getting as much as ten hours of sleep. After dropping off Mitch and Adam and calling Finn to make the necessary rounds when his shift at the hospital was over, Chase had driven Jasmine back to his apartment and set her up with a hot bath and a warm bed, taking the couch for himself. Far from being in the habit of having women stay overnight, he had wanted to do the gentlemanly thing of waking her with the smell of pancakes in the morning, but as it happened he had slept into the afternoon and sheepishly awoken to the sound of Jasmine entering the room. His offer to keep her company for the night was of course dressed as a favour and Chase kept telling himself that he would have done the same for any of his other colleagues and it was just a coincidence that none of them had ever been in the same position before. Apart from Mitch, he supposed. The thought of running the lawyer a bath and lending him his bed hadn’t even occurred to him though, and when he thought of it that way he was forced to admit to himself that it wasn’t just a favour he was doing Jasmine. He didn’t expect anything from her in return - he just wanted to make sure that she felt safe and comfortable.

Once he could no longer label his offer of shelter as a work favour, the new boundary that the two had reached felt more significant. Seeing the inside of a person’s home wasn’t always personal, but with her - to him - it was. The following night he had returned to his own bed, alone of course, and thought of her and how she had slept upon the same sheets. How she had laid in his bathtub and no doubt gazed up at the same crack in the ceiling that his eyes always drifted towards. She would have seen some of his paintings hanging up on the walls, too, though he doubted she knew they were his own. Still, it made his heart swell at the thought that she had had a glimpse into his personal life. His home felt somehow blessed by her having been there.

Conor seemed lenient towards them after the state they had all ended up in and instead of sending them out on an active job, had designated them a quiet guard duty at the safe house in Manhattan. Chase sat with Jasmine at a table in the apartment next door to where Maddox Parker was currently being kept. Nobody lived there so it was relatively bare, but as Sullivan property it was kept in good enough shape. The important thing was that the telephone worked. Although he was now the boss, Conor had never suited a life behind a desk and unless his personality changed drastically or he grew old and decrepit, he likely never would. So while he was out on the field the desk duties had to be tended to by somebody else - in this case, Chase and Jasmine. Any calls for backup or emergencies, both home and business related, could come through that phone, and so they had to be prepared for anything. Most days it didn’t even ring, however, so Chase wasn’t expecting much to happen. He was just pleased to be having a restful evening in the company of a woman he was so fond of.

About an hour into the job, Chase began teaching her how to play Brisca with a deck of 40 cards that he had brought with him. It was a simple two player game that he had played many times with his father back in Cuba. Now, as he watched Jasmine mull over her hand, he wore a smile that reached up to his eyes. When she placed down her card, Chase sucked his teeth just to tease her. “I forgot to tell you a rule,” he admitted, before placing his card down. “Well, my 5 of cups means I win this round, anyway - because that’s the trump suit.” He swept all the cards in the centre of the table off to one side. “But there’s another rule: the winner of each round gets to ask a truth.” He couldn’t keep a straight face as he spoke, but he didn’t care if she knew he was having her on. “So now I can ask you something really incriminating.” The way he had set it up made it sound like he had a particular question in mind, but he didn’t. A lot of the things he wondered about her he felt far too shy to ask about; all he ended up doing, as he leaned forward on his elbows and looked deep into her eyes, was making himself blush. Finally, after dismissing a dozen questions that had breezed through his mind, he settled on something that wasn’t incriminating at all, but would potentially be useful to know if he wanted to impress her: “What makes you decide to stick around somebody?”

Interactions
Misty Gray Jasmine

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Aliana Sullivan

Parting ways with Kerry had been a bitter-sweet moment in the Sullivan household. For starters, Ali was happy that the young woman was going to be getting help mentally. If she were going to even think about where to go next, she would need therapy and it was the least they could do for her. Leo, on the other hand, was only happy she was leaving because Charlie seemed to like her more than him at the moment. Ali had to often berate him for throwing a hissy fit about it, telling him to grow up. "I have plenty of time for that." Had been his response every single time, suddenly making her regret letting him have a dog, to begin with.

She still didn't like the idea of her staying with Maddox and Ani, despite her husband vouching for the both of them. It just didn't sit well with her even if they were under lock and key. But, this was a test for her wasn't it? Testing her trust in her husband that he knew what he was doing? If only Dr. Summers could see me now, she thought to herself. Kerry was going to be fine and she had to believe that, otherwise she would just drive herself insane and Conor wasn't going to let her do anything of the sort. Instead, she said her goodbye's to her and reminded Kerry that if she ever needed anything to just ask. Especially if it had to do with Charlie the dog.

Conor being away on business always stressed her out, hating that unsure feeling that he may or may not come home to her. It was easier to deal with when it was just the two of them, just bearable when Leo was born but now? If Lucy hadn't suggested the get-together she would have been pacing by the front door of her home until he returned. She couldn't even drink wine to calm her nerves, having done her one glass a week two days prior. Now she was sat on Lucy's couch, playing with her ponytail lost in thought, the sound of something breaking making her jump back into the moment. The kids were playing in the house again, Lucy berating them for it as she looked for her own little person. Leo hadn't finished a portion of his homework and therefore wasn't allowed to play until he did. Once he heard more of the excitement, he rushed into the lounge and placed the paper on her lap, and crossed his arms. "Can I play now? Please?" Ali gave him a look and glanced over the paper. "Fine you gremlin, but it better be actually finished and not some bs you scribbled down" She handed it back to him to put away, watching as he ran to join the rest of the kids "Stop running indoors!" She looked between both Sinead and Lucy. "Your brother's child, I swear to God." She scoffed and leaned back in her seat before smirking at Lucy. "Trust me, if I could just have them delivered to me all potty trained and well-behaved I would."

Ali reached forward to put food in her mouth before turning to Roxie. "No no, that's nothing. Wait until they develop temper-tantrums. Leo used to get angry when his socks were wet as if he wasn't the one wetting them." She shook her head in thought of the memory, dreading having to go through it again... Lucy's news took her mind off her brief, dark, flashback of the younger years as she smiled and clapped her hands together. It was nice that their family was growing even more, happy that Olivia was going to be raised by amazing people. Ali voiced her congrats to them before responding to Lucy's question. "Uh yeah. If you could go get your magic wand and just speed up this pregnancy that would be lovely. Morning sickness is a myth made by men because I definitely feel it all day. The amount of ginger ale I drink a day is criminal." She raised the ginger ale she had in her cup in the air, politely declining her offer. "Blake's turn next."

​

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Theodore Wycliff

Confessing his feelings for Valentina had probably been one of the hardest things for Theodore to do. Not only did it involve him opening himself up to someone, but it also made him come to terms with settling down. His bachelor lifestyle was about to completely change for the better. So much so, that he had gone through every inch of his apartment to make sure any trace of his past was gone. No longer did he have extra clothes for his nightly conquests or the address book of numbers. He was becoming a changed, one woman man and he was doing it all for Valentina Moretti. It was still crazy to him to even be doing such a thing, but he had the feeling that she was going to be worth it. However, he knew better than to think coming to terms with his feelings for her was going to be the hard part. No, the hard part was talking to Gabriel Moretti and getting his blessing for their relationship. Talking to his boss about wanting to be with his daughter was going to not only be awkward, but cause him more stress than he already had. Two nights prior, before he left Valentina for the evening, he teased her about it but he was very serious.

Before he made his way to the office, he stopped by the graveyard for the first time in what seemed to be years. His mother was buried there and he didn't visit as much as he wanted or should have. He squatted in front of the tombstone, 'Evangeline Wycliff. A fighter until her last breath.' Had his mother seen the kind of script written on her tombstone, she would have kicked his father's ass. It always made him chuckle to read, placing his hand on the top of it as he started to fill her in on everything. Settling down was probably the last thing on his list of promises he made before she died, and now here he was about to do that. He didn't spend too long in the graveyard, knowing he was about to have his meeting with his boss soon and didn't want to be late. Once he was finished, he headed immediately to the tall building that housed his bosses office. Just yesterday he had asked Gabe if he could speak with him, wanting to rip the band-aid off in the very beginning. Teddy didn't want to be with Valentina behind his back and decided to be more than upfront about their relationship.

He was nervous, standing outside those office doors. How was Gabe going to take on of his right hand men dating one of his daughters? Well, that question was about to be answered as he watched Steve and Ethan leaving the room. That's right, they had gotten to the second person who attacked Valentina. While he was happy Tin would be able to sleep better at night, a part of him was still unsettled. Mostly because he wanted to be the person to kind and kill him, but as long as it got done who cared? He nodded his head in their direction before it was his turn to go inside. Once he did entered, he was told to take a seat at the dining table instead of in the lounge. At this point, he wanted to just runaway, tell Valentina they just couldn't be together but he wasn't about to do that whatsoever. He couldn't be a coward today. Taking a seat, he offered his boss a small smile before gently stroking his beard.

The look Gabe was giving him, his whole aura was very much intimidating, more so than it had in the past. 'Quit being a pussy...' He chastised himself before clearing his throat. "Right... So... Mr. Moretti, today I'm not necessarily coming to you as your employee today but something much more personal. I'm just going to go outright and say it." He took a deep breath before summoning every ounce of strength he had to say what he needed. "I would like your permission to start seeing your daughter, Valentina, romantically. Now, before you say anything, hear me out. I know that my past may make you apprehensive about allowing such a thing, but she makes me want to change and be better for her. I want to prove to you and her that I'm more than what my past makes me out to be."

​

 

[Enzyme]

Chapter 18: The Final Nail
Friday 25th February 1972
...2 days later…
Evening - Cold, Rain Showers
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Battery Park, New York
Jackson McCarthy
​

February 25, 1972. The date strangely resonated in Jackson's head as he scanned the newspaper. It was the big day, and presumably his last mission - not just in New York but maybe ever. That thought alone left a funny feeling in his gut, so he let the idea subside into the back of his head. He was an NBA player retiring in their prime, and today he had every intention to show he wasn't just an old man who lost his touch. He was a force to be reckoned with until he took his last breath and anyone who doubted that would be in for a rude awakening.

This mission was starting out as most big jobs had back in the day, with him sitting in the back of a packed, windowless van, wearing some sort of ambiguous outfit. He hadn't felt this way since the IWU job back in the '60s. The nervous faces sitting across from him, the boiling heat mixed with an anxiety-filled atmosphere. On the exterior, things hadn't changed, but inside, this was a whole different ballpark. Jackson wasn't the same uncertain, rookie-leader he used to be over a decade ago. He was confident that whatever was waiting in that building for them, he'd be more than ready to face.

He felt the lifted floor beneath him roll to stop, as the occupants of the van swayed with gravity. He could feel the tension in the space peak, as the inevitable was on their doorstep. "Hey, let's get one thing clear," Jackson broke the silence, looking to everyone in the room - both familiar veterans and fresh-faced novices. "We have one job, and that's to assassinate Gabriel Moretti and any of his high ranking officials," he made that clear distributing eye contract throughout the small, metal box. "I know some of you are quite uncertain about it all, but from our intel, we're here without any suspicion. Now, if something does happen and shit goes South, you stick to your training and watch other's backs." Jackson dropped his arm, scooping the Mac-10 off the floor. "I've seen every single one of you operate, and that's why I trust you here covering my arse." Jackson snapped the magazine to his submachine gun in place, before sliding it behind the flap to his white fumigation coverall. "Let's get to work. Put your faces on," Jackson ordered everyone as he fitted on his hazmat respirator.

This was it, the last seconds of the grace period before the job. Jackson put a strong grip on Conor's shoulder, looking at him through his fogging mask lens. The familiar twinkle in his eye resonated with hope, and trust. "This is it, mate," Jackson's distorted voice, croaked through his breathing tube. "Let's get you that throne," he said, before sending a hard squeeze to Conor's shoulder.

As the doors to the back of the van opened, blinding light flooded into the small space. For a brief second, everyone's senses were rendered useless. The light patter of rain soaked into their fuzzy brains, before the light faded away to reveal grey skies. The sweet, wet air would've felt great in Jackson's lungs, but all he could taste was his recycled breath. In a sense, it calmed his nerves. Behind that lens, it was just him, his thoughts, and his instincts.

Jackson let everyone file out in front of him, before grabbing Syd's wrist to pull him back. "C'mere," Jackson said firmly. "Everything you've been through, all that perseverance, has lead up to this moment. This is your time," he assured him, his blue orbs beaming through the thin glass in front the top of his face. "It's all comin' at you at the speed of light. Are you ready for it?" Jackson asked, holding both of Syd's shoulders stiff, his eyes locked sturdily on his godson's.

Misty Gray (Conor) Pyroclast (Syd) Bellz (Rebel)

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Elvian Moretti

Elvian had been very full of herself knowing that her plan worked. At one point in the night she had snuck down the stairs and peeked into the kitchen, seeing them all cuddled up. The grin on her face resembled that of a child on Christmas day. It was inevitable to happen, she thought, but the two just needed a little bit of a shove. One was afraid of his boss and the other afraid of rejection but she knew as long as she facilitated their interaction, they would be fine. Getting them to admit their feelings for each other was the easy part; getting Gabe to agree was the hard to part. Her husband, despite what some people may think, wasn't a monster. She didn't think he would do anything to sabotage their daughter's happiness, but if he didn't like the idea he very well may sabotage it.

Ever since they had met up with one another to see Gabriel, Valentina had been talking her ear off about Teddy. She wasn't annoyed or upset, but quite the opposite and shared her excitement. Seeing all three of her children in happy, loving relationships was always her mission and now she only had two left to go. She was sure Tatiana and Marcus were going to be the harder ones, but that was fine. It felt normal to dedicate her life to making sure her children were happy and being able to carry on the family name. Elvian looked at her daughter and look off her sunglasses, a smile on her face. "I'm glad you're becoming comfortable with him. I didn't think it would be so soon, but the fact that you are says something, no?" Their conversation paused, hearing the ding of the elevator and exiting. Elvian had all intentions of just walking past, figuring the guards knew better than to touch them when the tone of Val's voice changed. The smile on her face quickly dropped, suddenly showing concern. "Draga, are you okay?" She softly placed a hand on her arm before watching her reach for her pills.

Her sudden movement down the hall took her off guard, extending her legs to catch up with her. "Valentina, slow down." As if on cue, she stopped but only because she had bumped into Steve and Ethan. Elvian was a few feet away from them, watching her daughter reach down to grab her pills. She was having a moment, that much she knew, but she wasn't sure where it had suddenly come from. Ethan's voice distracted her, the older woman offering him a smile. "Ethan, ever the charmer aren't you?" She stated, looking at his partner then back to him. "Is that so? Well, hopefully they'll wrap it up shortly, hm?" The two men quickly departed and once the elevator doors closed, she dropped her smile once more. Despite him being a good employee for her husband, she had always found Steve... Unsettling. She was about to share this with her daughter when she noticed something was wrong. All she could hear was her asking for water, quickly digging through her bag and fishing out a mini water-bottle. When she said she was going to be sick, she decided to take her to the private bathroom first.

She locked the door behind them and helped her daughter to the toilet. "Hey, hey, hey. It's okay, dragostea mea. I'm right here, mama's right here." She rubbed her back in circles, trying to comfort her. Her daughter was having a panic attack and she was trying to find a way to calm her down. "Five of your favorite things, sweetheart. Tell me five of your most favorite things in the world."

​

 

[Misty Gray]

Gabriel Moretti​

Gabriel sat back and listened as Teddy began speaking. The man had seemed hesitant followed by nervous. Still, he managed to go on to make it clear he was asking for permission to date Valentina. Gabriel shifted in his seat but made a conscious effort to remain silent until the other man had spoken. It was difficult holding back and not simply putting a stop to the man there and then. However, he'd promised he would give Teddy a chance to say what he had to and he would give it consideration. His children wanted more freedom and to have their lives controlled less, but whilst he understood that, he still wasn't willing to turn a blind eye if he believed any of his family members were at risk.

As Teddy explained how Valentina made him want to change and that he wanted to prove he'd put aspects of his life in the past, Gabriel briefly displayed a curious smirk before turning serious again. Taking his opportunity to speak, Gabriel sat up straight and studied Teddy closely for a time, massaging his own chin with his thumb and index finger as he did. After clearing this throat, he spoke up. "My daughter has been through a lot and the last thing she needs right now is to be messed around. Her recovery is going to be difficult enough without having further complications and heartache to contend with too."

Gabriel briefly rapped his fingertips on the table before stopped and exhaling deeply. "Now, I believe Valentina cares for you and has feelings for you," he began, nodding his head to back up his belief. "And I suppose I believe you're being honest, at least right now." Gabriel shook his head and for a short time let his eyes wander around the room. "You're damn right your past makes me apprehensive. Sleeping around with women, then ditching them the next day. Behaving like you were put on this Earth as a gift to all beautiful women," he said, his voice raising on each word. He then took a deep breath and allowed his voice to return to his normal volume. "Say you and Valentina become romantically involved. Are you sure you want to be in a committed relationship? To be loyal, considerate and committed to my daughter... Say a few weeks or months down the line, some pretty young woman stops in front of you, fluttering her eyelashes in your direction whilst giving you those 'come to bed' eyes. Are you telling me now that you wouldn't be interested in that?"

Melanin-Gxdess (Teddy)

 

[Misty Gray]

Savannah Callahan​

Over the last few days, there had been so much occupying Savannah's mind. Between rehearsals and auditions, she was still trying to get her head around the fact her parents and Emery were moving back to Dublin. It had broken her heart to decline the offer of joining them, but she knew Dublin wouldn't give her the same opportunities New York had and she believed she would grow to regret walking away from the chance to achieve her dreams.

With the war in New York still playing out on the streets and no doubt in this very moment, Savannah was grateful Danny had taken her to the aquarium. it was peaceful and felt far removed from the chaos of the city outside. She felt so relaxed and at ease as he held her from behind. The way the large jellyfish tank provided the only illumination in the room gave off a tranquil atmosphere and with it being just the two of them standing there, Savannah found herself getting lost in the calming moment. She let out a light, feminine giggle as Danny joked about it being familiar to one of his past acid trips. Then he went on to ask over-imaginative questions about what she would do if he were a jellyfish.

"That's a complicated one, Danny. I certainly wouldn't have the heart to flush you away down the toilet," she reassured him, perhaps in too serious a tone for a purely silly and impossible scenario. "I could keep you in a tank of my own and light it up with pretty lights, but that wouldn't seem kind. It would be cruel to leave you locked up in there, all alone, without a heart or a brain to know who I am anyway. I'd bring you here, so you can be with other jellyfish, forming the very structure of some other visitor's acid trip. Or even better, I could take you out to the ocean where you could be truly free." She then let out something of a scoff at her own expense for the answer she'd just given.

"Aww, now seahorses are very pretty and magical," she enthused about his suggestion they would actually be seahorses. As he went on about soulmates, a fond smile remained firmly on her face. However, as he spoke on about spending every hour of their days together, her smile gradually faded to be replace by something of a longing. Her eyes began to tear up as his words struck a chord, one she'd been dreading opening up about. She had wanted them to enjoy their date before telling Danny her news, but she didn't have the heart to play along with their conversation knowing it would be dishonest.

Savannah turned to face Danny. Taking hold of his hands, she looked up to his face. "Danny, I love you. I've never felt as happy as I do when I'm with you," she assured him. "But I don't think we're going to be able to spend lots of our time together like seahorses, not just yet." She let out a sigh. "The auditions I've been having over the last few weeks went really well. So well that they chose me and they want me as their lead," she said, her excitement clear to see even if she was obviously conflicted about something. "But that means I have to leave New York. This is the biggest opportunity I've been offered - it's in London's West End theatre. It's doesn't get bigger than that..."


Pyroclast (Danny)

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter

It wasn’t often that a job took quite so much preparation. Sitting in the back of a van, anxiety swirling in his gut, Syd hadn’t felt such a heavy weight in the air since the mission to rescue Roxie on Liberty Island. It wasn’t the taking of a life that made him nervous - at least, he didn’t think it was - but more the anticipation of facing the enemy. Even for all the inner turmoil that killing Stefano had caused in his relationship with Roxie, he always told himself he wouldn’t have done anything differently. Sometimes, in order to survive, in order to keep his family safe from torture and kidnappings and murder, drastic measures had to be taken. Perhaps HazMat respirators looked a bit extreme, but to Syd, no measure was too extreme for this mission. Moretti and East Harlem had taken and ruined enough lives; the war had gone on too long already and somebody needed to end it once and for all. Somebody needed to win, and right now was the best chance the mob had.

It helped that he was among some of the people he trusted most in the whole world. Jackson and Conor, two role models of his since he had first met them 22 years ago, the men who had trained him, looked after him and taken him out on jobs from the age of 18. Then there was Rebel, who had earned his respect as a reliable, long-standing senior guard for the mob. Syd had complete faith in the team, even the soldiers he wasn’t so familiar with, for they had all earned their place on this mission one way or another. Besides, he had no choice but to believe they would succeed; it was a matter of morale.

When the van rolled to a stop, Syd’s anxiety surged and he had to press down on his knee to stop it from bouncing up and down. This was it; with any luck, this would be the final showdown, the end to a vicious war. Syd was eager to get out and get started just to release his pent-up energy; he squeezed the handle of his MP5 and took deep, slow breaths to stabilise his mind. Jackson began his usual routine of giving a short, last-minute briefing and boost of encouragement. That marked the last stage before entering the war zone. His words filled Syd with determination and the confidence he sorely needed, and at his Godfather’s command, he fitted his respirator with ease and climbed out of the van.

Feeling someone grab his wrist, Syd turned back to face Jackson, curious to what the man wanted with him. Although his 31st birthday was just around the corner, Syd still responded to the man’s assertive voice with the attention of a deferent child. For the past two days Syd had thought of little more than the mission - questioning it, questioning himself, remembering all the accounts of horrendous suffering he and his family had endured at the hands of Moretti and East Harlem. Still, no matter how keen he was to advance into the station, the tone of Jackson’s voice as he held his shoulders in that familiar grip still commanded him to think more about it. Here was a man who had always been there for Syd growing up, from his wedding to his wife’s death, from wrapping his hands for boxing lessons to leading him into battle. He had saved him from suicide and been there for the birth of his two children. When Syd had no faith, no hope, Jackson had been there to restore it. And he had been right every time. The man always looked at him as though he was looking in the mirror, spoke to him as though trying to reach his former self. A smile grew on Syd's face as a piece of wisdom his Godfather had once given him came to mind. “We can’t be afraid of killing the people who want us in a shallow ditch,” he recited with an affirming nod. His blue eyes mirrored Jackson’s and the silence deepened as they tried to read each other through their obstructive masks. “You trained me for this moment, Jackson. I can do this.”

Interactions
Enzyme Jackson
Misty Gray Conor
Bellz Rebel

 

[Misty Gray]

James Porter​

James was feeling some apprehension about the evening ahead. With Syd, Conor and Jackson all out on such an important and potentially dangerous job, he couldn't help but feel uncomfortable. His initial reaction to hearing about the plan was to join them on the mission. However, he knew he couldn't go back on his retirement promise to Lucy and having only just given Olivia the hope of having parents again, it felt wrong to put his own pride before the child's well-being. Instead, he'd helped the men where he could, sitting in on a planning meeting and offering up any suggestions.

Now the time had arrived, all James could do was keep busy, which wasn't too difficult with so many family members at the house. Thomas was playing tag around the house with the other children and the dogs seemed keen to join in with the running around too. James had sat patiently as he listened to the children's footsteps thudding around the house, but he'd been just about ready to tell them to stop running around in the house when a loud crashing sound could be heard. James remained seated as he shook his head in exasperation. He wondered which of Lucy's ornaments it was this time. "I hope it's that ugly cat ornament," he remarked out loud. Soon enough, Thomas and Natasha stepped into view with guilty looks on their faces before they left again. "I'm starting to get suspicious of how it's always the dogs getting the blame for breakages and spillages in this house. I think poor Bruno is becoming their fall guy."

When Lucy brought up them going ahead with adopting Olivia, James couldn't help but smile. "She's a good kid," James echoed Roxie's assessment of Olivia as being sweet. "A potty mouth at times, but what do you expect living around this place?" he joked. He nodded along as Lucy mentioned how they hadn't expected to his a five year old at their age. "Old? You know. The Sullivan women have been calling me an old man since I was 27!" he complained, pointing to Lucy and Sinead.

With talk of Aliana's and Sinead's pregnancies, James took a sip of his coffee before speaking up again, hiding his amused face behind his mug. "Jeez, at least Olivia is already born. I don't envy Conor and Pete having to go through that again," he teased, figuring he'd get some kind of a rise out of Aliana and Sinead for such a comment. He placed his mug down and having heard Aliana say it was Blake's turn next, he sent a grin her way. "Absolutely. I think Jackson would love to have lots of kids running around his house, otherwise, he's getting it way too easy going off back to Dublin and putting his feet up."

Sinead Callahan​

Sinead was still struggling to come out of her depressive state. She'd been having a lot of dreams about her club, some of which so vivid they played on her mind for the whole waking day. She'd heard the basics of what Kerry had been through and though part of her really waned to see the girl, she felt her own mood would do nothing to help her recover from such an ordeal. She hoped that before leaving New York, she would be able to see Kerry and show how sorry she was for what had happened.

With many of the family gathering at the Porter home that evening, Sinead had been glad for the change of scenery and hoped the company would cheer her up. From what she understood, the job her brother, nephew and friend were all on was the best chance they had to take down the Moretti monster. She hoped they would do that, and contrary to what she'd always believed about forgiveness and mercy, she didn't wish any of that for Gabriel or any of the men who had harmed her family and friends. They were far past her sympathy.

All of the talk of children and babies brought a smile to Sinead's face. She was happy that Olivia was being adopted. After Arlene had been killed, the least the little girl deserved was a loving family and a home. With mention of Leo's behaviour being the fault of Conor's, she quickly nodded her head. "Hey, you know what you signed up for, Ali. Me and Luce had to grown up with that dork. He and Leo are your responsibility now," she teased.

When Lucy addressed her directly, Sinead placed her hand on her small bump and softly smiled. "They're worth the sleepless nights and messy homes. I'm already so excited to meet this little girl or boy," she warmly replied. Sinead didn't answer the question as to how she was feeling. The last thing she wanted to do was bring any kind of cloud over the evening they were having. She was handling the pregnancy symptoms well, so she didn't need her sister to get her anything. "I'm doing okay, Luce. Thank you," she softly replied to her.

Peter came to sit beside her and Sinead leaned into him when he put his arm around her shoulder. She met his gaze and sent him an unconvincing smile. Being with their family was lifting her mood and she was glad she was with them all. She gently rubbed her hand over her baby bump and couldn't help but feel choked up. She wasn't regretting the decision to return to Dublin because she couldn't stay through another war and risk any complications with her pregnancy. But all of the talk of the family's children left her with a longing. She and her children had all grown up with their extended family around. Being able to play with their siblings and cousins. She felt sad that her unborn baby wouldn't be able to grown up with their cousins and the twins. Her biggest fear about returning to Dublin was not having all of the family nearby. She put her arm around Peter's waist, wanting to be close to him. He already knew about these concerns, so she was sure she didn't need to tell him what was on her mind. She looked to Blake and sent her a smile. "You're going back to Dublin soon, aren't you. Please talk Jackson into having another child. Our little ones could play together then," she enthused.

Bellz Melanin-Gxdess

 

[Misty Gray]

Valentina Moretti​

Valentina clutched at the water bottle her mother had given her but never took a drink from it, too distracted whilst struggling to breath as her chest continued to feel tight. Upon being helped to the bathroom, Valentina dropped the closed bottle into the sink before being directed by Elvian towards the toilet. She tried her hardest to control her breathing, trying to focus on her mother's hand rubbing her back. Despite the strong feeling of nausea and retching a few times, Valentina soon came to realise she wasn't going to be sick. Still crouched in front of the toilet, her heart continued to race in her chest and the shaking in her limbs continued.

"What?" she loudly whispered when Elvian asked her to tell her five favourite things. She wasn't sure how that was going to help her with what was happening. Regardless, she trusted her mother and forced herself to think about what she'd been asked. "Okay... Our family. Teddy..." she spoke quickly, pausing to suck in a deep breath. "Animals. The beach..." She quickly shook her head, never getting to the fifth thing as she suddenly stood up and moved over to the sink. She gripped onto the corner of the counter with her uninjured hand as she stared at her dishevelled reflection in the mirror. She had to blink a few times as soon the only face she could see and think of was Steve's. When she'd bumped into the man in the reception, seeing the scratches on his hand had set off the first alarm bell. But then, when she looked up to his face and into the intense gaze of his, she knew. When she'd been attacked, the only feature of the man's face that had been visible to her were his eyes. They'd been etched into her mind ever since and now she'd been up close to Steve again, she knew it was him. His eyes, height and build, along with the wounds on his forearm. There were no doubts.

"It was him," she said as she became choked up with tears. She took long and controlled breaths, trying to calm herself down enough so she could speak. "It was Steve who was with Isac. He did this to me," she said, the repulsion clear in her voice. Still gripping onto the sink to keep her balance, she anxiously rocked back and forth on her feet. "When he was dragging me back to the van, I remember hitting out at him. I dug my fingernails into his skin and dragged them down his arm. Steve has marks on his arm now. It was him."

Valentina's arm felt weak and she hadn't realised how firmly she'd been pressing her fingertips into the sink edge. She looked away from the mirror and backed into the wall behind her. She suddenly broke into another sob as she slumped down to kneeling on the floor, keeping her back against the wall. "It was Steve," she cried, her eyes looking desperately to Elvian. "He did this to me and I apologised to him for bumping into him. I feel disgusting!" she grimaced. "Mama, I don't know what to do. What do I do now?"

Melanin-Gxdess (Elvian)
Mention: Pyroclast (Steve)

 

[Pyroclast]

Jason Costello

Ever a believer of fate, Jason was relieved that in spite of all the hardships the two had faced since their very first encounter back in Dublin, his relationship with Gwen was progressing the way it was. He took it as a sign that they were made for each other. Not even a year had gone by since they had come across each other in New York, yet he felt like a completely different person now than he had been then.

Jason stood before his bedroom mirror, gazing curiously at his reflection. He knew that when Gwen said “a little nicer than normal” what she really meant was to dress to the nines. Having lived beneath the poverty line for most of his life, he wasn’t exactly used to wearing a tuxedo and so it looked like he was in costume for an acting role - he would be playing a man of class and status, perhaps like one of the personas he used to adopt to swindle money from the rich. It was worth it, though. Anything that made Gwen happy was worth doing. He was excited to see her rediscover herself now that she was on the path to recovery and even though he wasn’t sure going to a fancy restaurant all dressed up was the most sensible choice for two unemployed people who were fresh out of rehab, he wanted to treat her. They hadn’t been out together on a date for as long as he could remember and deep down, he needed this as much as she did.

An involuntary smile came over him when he heard the three knocks on his front door and immediately rushed to open it. He was greeted first by a wriggly cat jumping out of Gwen’s arms into his apartment, and second by the sheer radiance of the woman’s smile. His breath caught as his eyes poured over her and for a moment he was speechless. Even after all the drugs and the weight loss and the three months spent in rehab, glamour seemed to welcome her back as though nothing had changed. “C’mere, beautiful,” he murmured with a smile, and pulled her in for a long kiss. Going out didn’t really matter to him, then - just standing there in the doorway with her in his arms was perfect enough.

However, it was raining, and Gwen was keen to make a start on their first date. He just managed to grab an umbrella on his way out before she pulled him away and he laughed as they rushed foolishly down the slippery metal steps, trying to hold the umbrella over her head all the way.

The view from the window was beautiful, but not enough to steal his attention from the woman sitting across from him. A flirtatious grin tugged at his lips as he took in her appearance, ever so slightly spoiled by the rain. He reached forward over the menu in his hand and gently teased a raindrop from a strand of her hair, not even caring that the waiter was watching them. Gwen went first and then he followed by ordering a tonic, not quite meeting the waiter’s eye in case there was a look of judgement on his face. It wasn’t exactly that he was ashamed, but even he couldn’t think of any men who didn’t order alcohol when they went out so he was conscious of there being a stigma around it. Upon realising a lack of consideration in her ordering wine, Gwen rushed to apologise to him. "Don't punish yourself, love," he assured her with a small smile. "I just need to keep it out the house, is all. And keep away from pubs, bars and parties, that sort of thing.”

It hadn’t occurred to him until that point, but this was his first outing at a place that served alcohol since he had left rehab. Nothing was tempting him to give in, so it didn’t bother him - he didn’t often find himself in such fine establishments, nor had he done much of his drinking while on dates with Gwen, so neither held many connotations with drinking for him. He was just relaxed, and happy to be out with her. Her hand found his across the table, drawing another smile from him, and he chuckled fondly when she gave her reason for why they were breaking out of their ordinary habits. “Aye, we are adventurous. But that’s the thrill of bein’ an actor, isn’t it? Our ability to pretend, to adapt. You know - one minute we’re Gwen and Jason, the next we’re Lady Gwenneth Bryant and Lord Jason Costello.” He shot her a wink, sensing her apprehension but not quite grasping what it was about.

It turned out not to be simply the environment they were in, nor the alcohol she had ordered, but the topic of moving in together that was making her nervous. Jason could understand why. In show business, getting fired from a high tier establishment like Broadway Theatre was difficult to come back from. He hadn’t had a job in God knows how long and though his neighbourly landlords seemed like the type to be generous about rent, he didn’t want to get to the point where he was relying on anyone’s charity. Not only was he on the verge of struggling to maintain his current living situation, but the natural next step in his relationship with Gwen was to move in together and that required more than just scraping enough money to pay the rent. Still, he was determined to make it happen.

At the mention of Lorelei, Jason nodded thoughtfully and gave a small sigh. “You’re right, it is a big step welcomin' a wean into your life. But this is Lorelei we’re talkin’ about.” He smiled distantly at the thought of the girl. “I’ve basically lived my whole life alone. It’s just the way it’s always been - there was never a person I could imagine bein’ around all the time, only people that come and go.” His expression had turned pensive but his eyes drifted back to Gwen with the same tender smile. “All that time, I thought I wasn’t a family man. But I think that’s just because I never had a family. And now...I mean...now, I have you.” He raised her hands to his lips and began to kiss her knuckles. “I want you, Gwen. Whatever that comes with, I want it. I want you, I want Lorelei, I want the laughter and the petty little arguments. And most of all, I want t’be there for youse both. To see you through your recovery, to raise Lorelei at your side. I want it all, Gwen - as long as it’s with you.”

Interactions
Bellz Gwen

 

[Bellz]

Ani Sarraf ​

Not a whole lot changed once Ani was let into the safe house with Maddox and with nowhere to go, the days were starting to blend together for the pair. Ani was very grateful that she was with Maddox but without much to do she was starting to get a little antsy. She missed work very much and lately, she's been feeling pretty useless. Another person was staying in a different apartment in the building with them, a sweet young lady named Kerry. Ani could simply see that the girl had been through something traumatic and it was no surprise to her when Maddox and herself were informed that it was at the hands of Gabriel and his bunch.

It was nice to have someone new around and Ani made sure to make Kerry feel comfortable, as did Maddox. Despite what he had done in the past, Ani knew that he didn't want any harm to come to the innocent and she commended him for it. Kerry was visiting for a second time today and even though Ani knew their place of housing couldn't be completely cleaned, she still tidied up where it needed to be done, just for the sake of doing so.

Having heard the horrible things that had happened to her, Ani wasn't surprised by Kerry's behavior and only wanted to make sure she knew that they were both there for her. Today she looked a bit worse but Ani knew better than to point that out, but something was off. Ani briefly glanced at Maddox for a moment, knowing that he most definitely would sense that too. Maddox asked Kerry what was on her mind before glancing Ani's way and the woman watched him for a long moment before turning her head to reassure the girl herself.

Before much could be said, Kerry spoke up, firing away questions on whether they felt safe and if they thought Conor would let them go. Ani's brows furrowed in confusion. Now, why would she ask that? The surgeon had been asking herself the same question but that was because she was guilty of something and that guilt always told her that they weren't going to make it out of this safe house alive, even if they had helped the Sullivans in one way or another.

"They have successfully kept us hidden from Gabriel, yes. As to whether we feel safe here...I feel much safer in the Sullivans grasp than I do somewhere out on my own. And you should too." Ani answered, leaning forward in her seat to take a closer look at the woman. When thinking of how to address her other questions, Ani let out a long sigh. "Having worked for the other side for a while, I have come to learn something about the Sullivans." Pausing, she looked to Maddox for a moment, wondering if he would agree with her after everything he had been through with them before. "They are definitely more forgiving than Gabriel. I mean, they could have killed us at any moment, and yet here we are talking to you. They've had every opportunity to get rid of us, the ball is in their court after all."

"I think Conor might let us go. At least that's what I want to believe. I have proved to have repented my ways and Maddox has and is continuing to do so for himself. As a man who is familiar with the prison system, I believe that he understands that people can redeem themselves, can become greater than the crimes they have committed." Ani smiled sweetly at Kerry, "But don't worry about us, dear, what you need to be focusing on is your freedom. You aren't here for the same reasons as us and you should be excited that once this is all over...and have hope that it will because all things do come to an end eventually, you will be able to live your life again."
with: Maddox + Kerry Misty Gray

 

[Bellz]

Lucy Porter
Blake McCarthy
Roxie Carriveau
Peter Callahan ​

Lucy let out a laugh as Ali talked about Leo to her and Sinead. Sinead told her that she knew what she was signing up for and Lucy nodded her head. "That's what you get for procreating with our brother, all of his wonderful traits!" She teased and when Ali looked to Roxie, Lucy moved her hand over to lightly touch Jane's little head. Roxie's eyes widened at what Ali was saying as she shook her head. "I think right now is a perfect age," She commented to Ali, "I could do without the constant diaper changes and screaming matches at 3 am but throwing temper tantrums is something I am not looking forward to." As if one cue, Jeanie started to get fussy and that's when Lucy came to the rescue, standing up immediately to scoop the little baby into her arms. Roxie looked relieved and Lucy winked at her before taking a seat beside her husband again.

Listening to both Ali and her sister talk about how they were feeling, she noticed the stark differences. "You are a goddess, Sin. Four times! The one was a good enough experience for me!" Luce told her sister before turning back to Ali. She really felt for Ali, as she had been feeling that way with Thomas for like 6 months out of the pregnancy. "I could fish out that magic wand somewhere, I just have to remember where I put that damn thing." She teased the woman. "I have a fridge full of ginger ale if you need restocking. Best I can do to help now." Ali mentioned that it was Blake's turn next and the fellow blonde looked at the woman with a cheeky grin. James added that Jackson would love to have more children around the house and Blake looked to the man, "With me taking care of Tash, that's all he has to do all day is put his stinky feet up!" Lucy raised her brows, knowing Blake well enough to know that there was something behind that look but before she could ask, Sinead spoke to Blake first.

Blake looked to Sinead and nodded her head gently before that cheeky smile once again returned. "Well, I guess since we are all sharing some good news...I was going to wait to tell Jackson by the way, but I feel so horrible for Ali that I think it might make her feel a little better to know that I have been suffering from morning sickness lately too." Lucy bounced in her seat but stayed quiet to let the woman confirm her news. "I am pregnant!" Blake said and Lucy let out an excited gasp for her, though she was careful not to be too loud with little Jeanie just having calmed down in her arms. Roxie smiled widely congratulating Blake before turning to Ali. "Well would you look at that," She said, laughing a bit, "someone to suffer with!" Of course, she was only teasing, but Roxie also knew how horrible the morning sickness could be. With all of these pregnant women around her now, she was kind of jealous that she didn't have anyone to share the horrible experience with. But she was really happy for everyone.

"Just no one tell Jackson, I'm planning on telling him when he gets home tonight. If any of you spoil it, I will have your heads." Blake said to which Lucy nodded her head in understanding. "We won't say a thing. But yay! He is going to be so excited! Sin, your little one gets a playmate!" Lucy said excitedly to her sister.

Knowing that moving back to Dublin was going to be hard on her, Peter had noticed the way Sinead smiled at him. She tried so hard to be convincing but he could see right through her. Hearing that Blake and Jackson would be returning back to Dublin was reassuring, however, and it brought a smile to his face when Blake told everyone that she was pregnant. Nodding along with Lucy as she told Sinead that their baby would have a playmate, Peter took his wife's hands in his own. "See? We have something to look forward to now? We won't be all alone in Dublin, love. How exciting is that?" Peter watched Sinead's face for a moment before moving to kiss her forehead gently. "This is for the best remember? Everything is gonna be alright."
with: Ali Melanin-Gxdess ; James + Sinead Misty Gray

 

[Pyroclast]

Steve Kelly

“God, he sure likes to talk, don’t he?” Steve moaned, barely waiting for the door of Gabriel’s apartment to shut. Such a significant job of course required thorough planning, but Steve had a sharp mind - once information went in, it was never lost, and so even a second longer than necessary spent at the drawing board agitated him. While the sounded useful at the time, Steve trusted his instinct and experience enough that all he really wanted was a bare skeleton of a plan and he would fill in the rest when the time came. He was always ready before he heard the word 'go', spurred on by his excitement for action and arrogance that he could handle any scenario. Lowering his voice, he grumbled, “I swear, if we turn up late ‘cause of this, I’m gonna go back for round two with his dau-” He was cut off when a woman bumped into him on the corner, causing her to drop the box of pills she was holding. Though he didn’t see her face at first, it wasn’t hard to work out who she was. Steve sent Ethan a knowing glance when she bent down to pick up the pills, then extended his arm out to support her as she stood. “You alright, doll?” She looked to him with a timid smile, and that’s when he caught her: his deep blue eyes latched onto hers like tenterhooks, trapping her in an intense gaze that not even the arrival of her mother could interrupt. Though her expression barely changed, he could sense her mind whirring behind her troubled eyes and wondered what exactly the young woman was thinking. Ethan greeted the two of them, but Steve didn’t free her from his stare just yet, allowing a slow smile to creep onto his face just for her.

When his eyes did finally let go of her his whole expression switched, as though nothing had happened at all. He flashed Elvian an innocent smile and put on the coat that Ethan tossed to him as he followed him to the lift. Just before the metal doors closed, Steve stuck his arm out to hold them and leaned out into the foyer where the two women stood. “Feel better soon, sweetheart,” his voice rang out, and he clapped a hand over his heart, sending Valentina one last smile. “I’ll be thinkin' of ya'.”

All the way to the car, Steve couldn’t keep the smirk off his face. However, while it made him feel powerful to think that he had managed to cast the girl back to the attack with nothing more than a look in his eye, it wasn’t the only thing firing him up. If it was anything more than just a thought, then Valentina was surely going to tell her father what he had done. Steve wasn’t exactly afraid of dying, and he was sure there was nothing Gabriel could do to him that would make him regret what he did, but he was still aware of what he was up against. Even after death, he would always be the one that had changed the woman’s life and made a fool of the Italian boss, and no amount of torture could take that status away from him. When Ethan made his derogatory comment, Steve sniggered and gave him a backhanded slap on the arm. “Hey, knock it off, man. She’s a human being!” Of course, he couldn’t pretend to be serious about it, and as the image of Valentina’s fearful expression played on his mind, he gave in and let himself laugh. “Right, Rooster’s waitin’ on us. Let’s get this show on the road!”

Interactions
Misty Gray Ethan, Valentina
Melanin-Gxdess Elvian (mentioned)
Enzyme Amato (mentioned)

 

[Misty Gray]

Conor Sullivan and Adam Harper​

Arlene, Warren, Ryan and Keegan... All family, or as good as, who had been killed over the last few months. Three of whom were undoubtably lost at the hands of the Morettis and East Harlem Crew. Then there were the living; Lucy, Sinead, Syd and Savannah, who had all suffered and been tortured on Moretti's command. Through her horrific ordeal, Kerry had provided both a chance and even deeper motivation to kill the bastards without mercy. It should have come as a shock to Conor that there was no inner conflict or morality about what he wished to do to his enemies. But as he sat in the back of the van, equipped with guns, knives and ammunition, he could only muse over how different a man he was compared to even only a few months ago. No longer was he seen as a loose-cannon - a hot-headed man who was controlled by his own violent aggression. For better or worse, he'd learned to control himself. That control seemed to have turned him into a man who was instead capable of killing without his conscience eating away at him from the inside. Whilst his former self wouldn't have liked the man who he was now, Conor had no doubts in his mind that he wanted to kill Gabriel Moretti and anyone else loyal to the bastard.

Although it would have been easy to stay at home whilst his employees carried out the important mission, there was no part of Conor that entertained the idea. He was exactly where he was meant to be, supporting Syd and Jackson, along with the rest of the soldiers who were assigned to the mission. For the time-being, his mask remained on his lap as he listened to Jackson speak up. Conor maintained an expression that reflected the level of respect he held for his best friend. Jackson knew exactly what he was talking about, so nobody else could have delivered the speech as well. Hearing mention of their target, Gabriel Moretti, Conor felt the small increase in adrenaline at the thought. This was the best chance they'd had to get at the man and put at stop to the war once and for all.

When Jackson was finished, Conor sent his friend a warm, appreciative smile before putting on the hazmat respirator. When Jackson addressed him, Conor squeezed the man's shoulder in return, firmly nodding his head in acknowledgement of his words. "Ah, we've got this, mate. We'll take this fuckers down and be home in time for a few beers," he confidently assured him before giving him a firm, brotherly pat on the back. He stepped out of the back of the van and gave Syd's shoulder a squeeze, followed by a single nod. "You've got this, lad," he encouraged him, but stepped away to let Jackson give the younger man a pep talk.

Throughout the ride, Adam had been silent, with all of his weapons and attire in place ready. It wasn't out of nerves or apprehension, merely the man liked to keep his head in the zone when on such a mission. Whilst he respected and cared for the people around him, his mind was very much on the task at hand. The Morettis and East Harlem lot had long since outstayed their welcome in New York, so he was keen to see them off. When he got out of the van, he gave Conor a confident thumbs up and then approached Rebel's side. Along with Jasmine, she was a woman who's skills and strength he was impressed by, even if he did wind them up on occasions. "Bonus points to whoever gets Moretti," he drily remarked to her.

Enzyme (Jackson) Bellz (Rebel) Pyroclast (Syd)

 

[Misty Gray]

Jasmine Carpenter​

After helping to get Mitch out of East Harlem's clutches, Jasmine had finally been able to get her leg wound from days earlier properly seen to. Once that was sorted, she'd returned to Chase's place where the man kindly lent his bed to her for the night. Part of her had wanted to protest about him sleeping on the couch, but she decided it was much more polite to accept his offer and perhaps too forward to suggest sharing his bed. Besides which, she'd been awake and uncomfortable for days, so being able to crash in the warmth and on a comfortable mattress was to good an opportunity to refuse. It had been nice staying at Chase's place and getting to see more of the man that she didn't get to see when they were on a job. She'd been really grateful for him trusting her enough to let her into his home, where his personal life was out on show. She'd made a mental note to ask him about the artwork he had on the walls, as she was curious if he was into any particular artists.

Despite having a couple of nights to rest, Conor had still given Jasmine and Chase a less intensive job for this evening. Compared to the mission their colleagues were out on in that moment, it seemed like a breeze. Just keep next to the phone ready to act if any important calls came through. Usually Jasmine would begrudge sitting around, but tonight she was with Chase and so she doubted there's be any moments of boredom.

Jasmine sat back at the table with her feet up on a spare chair to relax her legs. She was holding some cards in her hands as Chase taught her a card game he used to play back in Cuba. She was trying to grasp the rules and even though she thought she was doing well, it turned out she was mistaken and Chase informed her he had won. "Well, at least you're not taking pity on me and letting me win," she remarked and pushed her cards towards him to sweep up in a pile. When he went on to speak of a further rule, she raise a curious eyebrow. When he said he won the prize of asking her a truth, she briefly smiled, wondering if it was along the lines of schoolgirl truth of dare games!

When he asked his question, she leaned back in her seat as she wondered if he was asking as a friend or as someone who was romantically attracted to her. She decided many answers she could give would cover both instances. "I guess if they treat me like an equal. I mean, I know I have my weaknesses, but I don't like it when people patronise me," she said, though that applied to people in all aspects of her life. She looked to Chase and softly smiled. Given they'd made it clear they had feelings for each other, she decided to make it a little more personal. "I like being around people who are honest, even if telling the truth might hurt my feelings. And I like to be around people who have heart. Even in our line of work, we can all still have empathy and consideration," she told him. It was easy to see that Chase had a kind heart despite his line of work. Hell, by looking close enough, Adam had a heart too, which was why she considered the man to be a friend too.

Jasmine decided to turn it up a notch and even though she knew Chase was likely to blush, it didn't deter her. She found that side of his to be both endearing and attractive. "And when it comes to relationships, I like men who think outside of the box - the quirkier and more adventurous the date, the better. It helps if they're a smoking hot Cuban man, especially one who will drive for days to find me," she said, flashing him a warm smile. She observed him for a moment to see if she'd managed to make him blush before clearing her fault. "How about you, Chase? What makes you stick around somebody?"

Pyroclast (Chase)

 

[Pyroclast]

Danny Vaughan

Savannah’s answer to his ridiculous question made him smile broadly. One thing Danny loved about her is that she wasn’t afraid to stoop to his level of weirdness. Anyone that could get silly with him was a contender for a lasting friendship, but it was especially important to him in a relationship that they were able to show all sides of themselves to each other and embrace their oddities. Her sweet nature showed itself too when she considered animal cruelty in her answer, and he laughed loudly when she told him he could even form the base of somebody else’s acid trip. “A free jelly,” he mused, as he swayed her in his arms. “That’s thoughtful of you. I’d have to do the same for you, too. But hey, don’t go turnin’ into anythin’, ya’ hear me? I ain’t ready to give you up...not yet, anyway.” He let out a teasing laugh and kissed her behind the ear as he squeezed her tight.

Since they were both facing the jellyfish enclosure, the tears in her eyes went undetected. Even when she turned around to face him, she ended up out of the light so he still failed to notice them. The only giveaway that something was wrong was her change in tone - the way she told him she loved him suggested it would be followed by a ‘but’, and when she told him that they wouldn’t be able to spend much of their time together his smile faded slightly. “What do you mean?”

Savannah went on to explain that she had been cast in a lead role of a stage production. It made sense that rehearsals would take up a significant portion of her time, so at first the only thing Danny felt was pride, happy to sacrifice time with her to allow her to follow her dreams. When it was revealed that she would be following them all the way to London, however, his heart sank. It was clear that she valued the opportunity very highly, so he didn’t want to dampen her excitement, but he found it hard not to be concerned by the thought of having to be without her for a prolonged period of time. Saying goodbye to his family had been hard enough and he couldn’t bear the thought of saying goodbye to Savannah, too. “Savvy, that’s great,” he said, in a quiet voice. Hearing the lack of enthusiasm in his tone, he covered over his reservations with a big smile and gave her shoulders an encouraging squeeze. “First Broadway, now the West End! You’re makin’ it big, girl! I’m so proud of you!” It wasn’t a lie - he could see how huge this was for her and he was happy to see her achieving her dreams. But he still had to force it, just a little bit. “So, how long would the show last? How long before you can come back to New York?”

Interactions
Misty Gray Savannah

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Theodore Wycliff

The fact the Gabriel hadn't interrupted him at all meant something to Teddy. The man was really giving him a moment, hearing him out and listening to his words, and had even smirked for a moment. It gave Teddy confidence and killed any sign of nervousness within him, helping him move it along. It was his boss's turn to talk, mentioning the things Valentina had gone through. He wasn't here to mess her around, knowing full well the consequences of doing it to innocent women. It wasn't something he'd like to admit, but he had broken more than a few hearts with his behavior. A great part of him wanted to atone for those sins and show himself and Valentina that that was old news. He wasn't going to be an asshole or a heartbreaker any longer. "I completely understand, I do. I'm not out to add to her stress or break her down any more than she already is. No, I want to help build her back up and repair some of the damage that's been done to her. My only intention is making her happy and being there for her when she needs and wants me to be." He was very serious, more so than he had been. If only Tony could see him now, he'd probably think something was wrong with the man.

The chastisement he was receiving from Gabriel was very warranted. He understood why and he definitely deserved it at the moment. However, it seemed Gabe was believing him when he explained the part of him being a changed man. Things were going well, better than well since he was still in the office and breathing. The worst-case scenario that went through his mind was that Gabe would laugh, shoot him, then get rid of his body. But they had been talking for a bit now and it seemed like he was starting to win him after. A part of him wondered if he was saying this from a father figure point of view or because of his old-school ways. He yelled at him about it, which surprised him a little as he nodded his head in thought. As much as he wanted to make a snarky comment out of fun, he knew to do so would ruin any chance he had.

It was the question of commitment that threw him for a loop. If he were being honest, he hadn't thought much about that aspect of it. Being tied down to one woman was never in his lifetime plan, but again this one woman had changed all of that for him. More often than not, he thought about their future and where it could lead. Getting married and having kids, owning a house together. It terrified him that he could mess it all up and Gabriel's questions weren't helping much either as he suddenly looked down to his hands. How was he so sure that another woman wouldn't take attention away from Val? How was he so sure that he wouldn't flirt with women anymore? 'The fact that you haven't thought about another woman.' He cleared his throat before looking at Gabriel. "The only woman I look at now is Tin. The only 'come to bed eyes' I'll be looking for is-" He immediately stopped, realizing what he was trying to accomplish and rubbed his hand down his face. Was he really about to say that right now? "I mean, the only woman I want in bed-" Another pause while clearing his throat once more and shaking his head. "I just want Valentina and whatever way she'll have me." It wasn't better, but at least it wasn't vulgar.


Elvian Moretti

It hurt Elvian more than she could ever explain to see her daughter go through what she was. She was having a panic attack, something she had learned about some time ago. She was trying to get her daughter to calm down, having her focus on something else that wasn't so heavy on her mind. The contents of her bag were sprawled all over the floor, having thrown it down to comfort her daughter. She was looking for something to help, nausea pills perhaps? There was no such thing as she shifted through it all then returned to rubbing her back. The trick she tried seemed to be working until Valentina moved herself to the sink. "Darling, I need you to focus on your breathing before you pass out." She instructed softly. Elvian remained in the same spot, standing straight up while watching her look into the mirror. She was scared of something, something or someone had set her off. Everything had been fine until they reached this floor, so what could it have been? The guard?

Her daughter's voice caught her attention, interrupting her thought process on where it all went wrong. At first, she thought she was remembering Isac, Bogdan, and Arturo who were responsible for her attack. But then she said his name; Steve. Elvian's face twisted into one of confusion, her eyes narrowing to try and process. "Wha-..." She was at a loss for words, staring at the door to the bathroom. Valentina was fine until she bumped into him, causing her already unraveling emotions to get worse. But, he wouldn't dare cross that line, that boundary would he? To touch his boss's daughter and kill innocent men, surely he wasn't that crazy? 'He's a monster, Elvian. You know that.' She immediately moved her legs again to pick her daughter up from the floor. "Look at me. You did nothing wrong, it was all the slime of a man okay? We're going to see your father right now and he's going to make sure he pays for this or I swear I will do it myself." Elvian was beyond pissed; her blood was boiling. She was tired of the men who she had welcomed into her home, trusted with the lives of her family betraying them. For years the Moretti family has had targets on their backs and she was done with it all. "I know it's a lot, but I need you to calm down and breathe. I'm not going to leave you alone in this bathroom."
​

 

[Misty Gray]

Gabriel Moretti and Valentina Moretti​

Gabriel listened closely as Teddy spoke; paying attention to the choice of words he used and the way he said them. He was at least pleased to hear the man say he wanted to help Valentina recover from her ordeal and be there for her when needed. In a way, he felt like his hands were tied on that front. Valentina needed as much happiness and positivity in her world if she was going to stay motivated to rise above her ordeal. Clearly, it was already apparent that one source of contentment for her came in the form of Teddy. From what Gabriel understood, his employee had been having something of a welcomed effect on Valentina.

When it came down to it, Gabriel believed Teddy meant what he was saying about being there for his daughter. He just wasn't so convinced the man would still feel the same after even just a few weeks. The impression he had of the younger man was that he liked instant gratification and his own enjoyment came before that of those foolish enough to fall for his charms. Teddy did nothing to help that belief of Gabriel's as the man began to stumble over his words and began saying the kind of thing a father didn't want to hear a man saying about his daughter. The man's attempt to rescue himself only made things sound worse, talking about bedding the woman. Gabriel sat with a dumbfounded expression before narrowing his eyes that were fixed on Teddy. "Have you got a screw loose in your head? Do you really think that's the kind of thing I want to hear you say when talking about my daughter?" He appeared to be sizing the man up as he maintained his overbearing stare. "Let us clear something up, Theodore. Valentina is more than another notch on your bedpost. She is worth a million times more than any of the women you've been with. But, she is old enough to make her own decision and I trust you will respect her choices, whenever she wishes to make them." It didn't escape Gabriel's attention that he was speaking of respecting Valentina's decisions when he'd been recently accused of not doing the same for his kids throughout their lives. But he felt comfortable saying such a thing to Teddy as he had come around to the fact he had to start letting his loved ones control their own lives. "Whatever happens. I would appreciate it if you spared me the details of such private matters."

Gabriel took a deep breath as he processed what Teddy was saying about wanting Valentina however she would have him. Gabriel sat forward and relaxed his posture, shaking his head as he let out an exasperated sigh. "Theodore, the fact of the matter is - contrary to how things would work in an ideal world - I can't give you permission to date Valentina. My daughter is an adult and it's her decision to make. The most I can do is give it my blessing." His face remained stern and neutral, giving little away. "I want Valentina to be happy and if that means dating you, then I can hardly refuse. But what I can do is give you a warning, and quite simply, that warning is if you do anything to hurt my daughter, I will hurt you infinitely more. I understand that relationships end and hearts get broken along the way; it's perfectly normal. But if I ever hear you've betrayed or hurt Valentina, then I won't be so understanding."

Gabriel's features uncharacteristically softened as he decided he'd let Teddy squirm enough. When it came down to it, he knew Teddy had a good chance of helping Valentina to recover. They were closer in age and had more experiences they could share together. "Please... just be good to her. I want to see her happy again..."

***************​

Valentina didn't resist as her mother helped her back up onto her feet. She lightly held onto Elvian's forearm as the woman reassured her she'd done nothing wrong. The reasonable and assertive part of her would know that, but her mind was so clouded by the anxiety that was taking control over her. She took deep breaths as she listened to her mother say they were going to tell Gabriel so they could make sure Steve was punished for what he'd done. Valentina quickly nodded her head before the movement turned into a rapid shaking of her head. "No, but Papa's going to be so angry and disappointed. He doesn't need this..." she trailed off. She knew what she was saying was nonsense and that her father needed to know. In all honesty, she wanted him to know because that meant Steve would suffer for what he'd done.

"I need a minute," Valentina told her mother. She wanted her father to know the truth, but she didn't wanted to cause him extra stress by walking into his office in her current state. She held Elvian's hand and she took deep breaths to calm herself down. The more control she got over herself, the more she was able think. "Ever since I heard about the attack on that jazz club, I've felt this rotten feeling in my stomach," she said, pressing her hand against her abdomen for emphasis. "To know dozens of people were killed on my father's order - an order I know he gave because of what happened to me. It's a rotten feeling to know those people died in my name. But to find out the Sullivans were not even behind the attack on me, and now, that Steve was cruel enough to destroy that place when he was to blame all along... I hate what the Sullivans did to our family, but fuck! They didn't do this to me!" she said, pointing to her own chest.

Although she was still on edge and disgusted about realising Steve was her attacker, she'd managed to get some control over herself. She stepped forward to give Elvian a tight hug before slowly stepping back. "We should go to Papa," she relented. She wondered if Teddy was still with Gabriel, but she wasn't worried about him hearing the truth. As they walked towards her father's office apartment, Valentina froze at the door, taking a deep breath to compose herself. "C-Can you tell him?" she asked. She wasn't so much nervous about telling Gabriel, but was more worried she wouldn't be able to hold herself together long enough to make any sense to her often abrupt father.

Upon hearing the door open, Gabriel's head shot up from his view of Teddy. He was about to yell at whoever it was for interrupting. When he saw Elvian and Valentina, his next instinct was to tell them to wait outside, suspecting they were trying to meddle in his conversation with Teddy. Instead, he was perceptive of the tension in the air, prompting him to stand up. "I think our discussion is finished, Theodore," he confirmed. He then walked to meet the two women, presumably with Teddy accompanying him. "What are you both doing here? Is there a problem?" he calmly asked. Despite his tactful tone of voice, he wasn't pleased with them still being in the city, tonight of all nights.

Melanin-Gxdess (Teddy, Elvian)

 

[Bellz]

Rebel Holt​

Rebel was quiet on the ride over. Then again, when wasn't she? Despite having smooth talked her way into disaster with Tatianna Moretti a while back, Rebel hadn't made any time for small talk. Today wasn't the day for it. Looking around her, all the men, she could see some nervous faces. Rebel being who she was tried to always remain neutral, compared to the other men in the van she was pretty expendable. She had worked for the mob for a really long time of course, and she was sure in her leader's eyes that was something but...looking around, she knew that it was her duty to make sure the ones closest to the family got out alive tonight. If that meant she did not, then oh well. Rebel hadn't really seen herself getting a life anyway. For a brief, brief moment she saw something with Tati but then all of that ended too quickly and now there was nothing.

The van came rolling to a stop and Rebel looked up from the spot she had been staring at on the floor when Jackson spoke up. He made it clear that they only had one job and Rebel gave a firm nod of her head in understanding, making eye contact with the man for a moment before he looked on. His words were encouraging but Rebel felt some pressure about being chosen to take part in this mission. This area of work didn't exactly scream femininity so it felt like a big deal to her that she was here with all of these extraordinarily capable men.

Once Jackson finished speaking and told them to place their faces on, Rebel grabbed the obstructing face mask and placed it over her face. She couldn't help but feel a little bummed that she wouldn't be able to look the people she killed directly into their soul but she got over it really quickly as things started to fall into place.

Stepping out of the van was a little disorienting and Rebel couldn't help but wonder what the cool night air felt like underneath the suit she was wearing. Looking around them, she calmly waited for further instruction as Conor, Jackson, and Syd seemed to have a small pep talk on the side. Adam addressed her and Rebel let out an equally dry laugh. "What kind of Bonus points are we talking about here? I'm willing to wager buying drinks for the rest of the month to whoever shoots the asshole. Be willing to double it if it's a headshot." She said to the man, looking at him a moment before looking down towards the ground.

She couldn't help but think of Tatianna again, annoyingly enough. Even though Rebel knew things would never work with her, they had both agreed to it, she couldn't help but wonder where the woman was at now. There was definitely no way of them rekindling things now that the Sullivans were going to kill Moretti. But that didn't matter now, they didn't stand a chance in hell. Letting out a heavy sigh, the woman busied herself by turning towards Jackson, allowing her mind to clear and focus so that she could protect who needed to be protected.
with: Adam + Conor Misty Gray ; Jackson Enzyme ; Syd Pyroclast

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Aliana Sullivan

Ali definitely knew what she was signing up for when she decided to have children with Conor but she didn't know just how much of his traits would transfer. Not to say she wished she didn't because she loved Leo with every ounce of her being, even if he did basically betray her by being more like his father. She playfully shook her head. "No, I was tricked. Bewitched if you will by the muscles and the charm." She looked to Sinead and smaller at her and gave her a cheeky smile. "Besides, how else was I going to be able to be your sister?" She joked. Her attention turned to Roxie, hearing her response to her comment. "If it makes you feel better, the diaper changing stage lasts longer so you have time." She nodded her head in agreement with Lucy, Sinead handling her pregnancies with grace. "Agreed. While other normal people just suffer." Ali gave Lucy a thumbs up to her offer of her fridge, more than likely going to be raiding her fridge for it later.

It was Blake's turn to speak, Ali catching the cheeky little grin she was given. She had a feeling she knew what she was about to say, but kept it to herself for the time being. As soon as she said the words, Ali jumped up in excitement and shouted, "Yes! Yes, yes yes. Misery loves company!" She was smiling wide and though it seemed liked she was excited because of the sickness, she was excited about the new child. Any news of new children was a good one, even if it seemed the adults were going to be outnumbered by children soon. She gave Blake a hug before returning to her seat, folding her legs underneath her. She promised she wouldn't say a word until the guys got home, which made her think to what they were probably doing. It was dangerous no doubt, their line of work always being dangerous. The smile on her face wavered for a moment as she thought on her husband's safety, as well as the others who had followed him out tonight. She shouldn't be thinking about this, especially with how warm the room was and all the good news that was being brought out. A part of her felt selfish not paying attention to everything else, but she couldn't help it. The last time Conor had gone out, he told her he was practically killed. The last time someone she cared about went on a dangerous mission he was killed. But, this wasn't like those times was it?

Turning her attention back to the group, she looked to Blake. "When's the due date?" She asked, momentarily tapping her finger on her chin. "Now that I mention it, there are going to be TONS of birthdays to remember! I already can't keep track." She playfully groaned and shook her head just thinking about it. Their family was already big and it was growing everyday.

​

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Theodore Wycliff

Theodore had begun to chastise his own self for the stupid words he allowed out of his mouth. How did his mind think that was an okay thing to let out of his mouth? He was trying to win over Gabriel not make him even more apprehensive. He deserved every bit of what Gabriel was telling him, the overbearing stare too as he buried his face in his hands. Embarrassed wasn't even the right word to use as he was feeling something far worse than embarrassment. He looked back up and pointed to his head, nodding in agreement. "You know, that beating I took may have done it... I apologize..." He stated. Taking in the older man's words, he nodded his head. He was making it clear that Valentina wasn't another one of the girls he normally slept around with, to which Teddy wholeheartedly agreed to. She wasn't, but he knew that it would take time for that much to be known. It was strange to hear him give her so much freedom, having been present when Valentina shared her concerns about being treated like a child. Something must of been changing with the man or there was just something in the air but this was a side of him he hadn't seen. Granted, he normally only saw him as his boss which could be the reason why. Today, he was sitting with him as the father of the woman he wanted to be with. He nodded his head in agreement about keeping their private affairs just that; private.

His heart sank when he said he couldn't give him his permission, thinking he had failed in his mission. It wasn't until he was given his blessing that he perked back up, trying to hide the smile on his face. His attempt failed, but that didn't matter to him at the moment as he was happy. The blessing was followed by a warning, a threat if you will that he would be hurt if Valentina was. He shook his head, no intentions on hurting her ever entering his head. "I can promise you right now, that's not going to happen. I'm going to make sure Tin becomes happy again and stays that way. On my life." He was about to say more when the door to the office opened, prompting him to quickly turn around. There was a joke in there somewhere but he didn't get to make it, noticing something wrong with Valentina. He immediately stood up at made his way over to her, gently placing his hands on her cheeks. "Hey, what's wrong? you can tell me, Tin, what's going on?" He looked to Elvian for help, who appeared to be angry, more so than he had ever seen her before.


Elvian Moretti

The same realizations Valentina were having were also flowing through Elvian's mind. She was all for killing those who had harmed their family but this time around it wasn't them. Her own people had caused irreparable damage and caused them to make a mistake. Innocent lives were lost because of someone else and they were going to pay for it. She was trying to calm Val down, stroking her hair and nodding her head along with everything she was saying. She was blaming herself and everytime she did, Elvian shook her head. "No, no, no don't blame yourself. This wasn't your fault and no one blames you. This was Steve and Isac, perhaps even Ethan but don't you dare put this on yourself okay?" She brought her in for a hug, her arms wrapping around her tightly as she kissed the top of her head. For a moment, she just held her daughter and said nothing until she was ready to move again. She nodded her head when Valentina asked to see her father, pausing for a moment to put everything back in her bag. Once she was done, she escorted her daughter from the bathroom and towards Gabriel's office.

To say the Romanian woman was angry would be an understatement; her blood was reaching its boiling point. The men were just in the office, just in their faces with those disgusting smiles on their faces. All the damage they had caused, what Steve and his partner had done to her child was unforgivable. They were welcomed in her home and thought they would get away with this? They were sorely mistaken. Just as she was about to burst into the room, Valentina froze and asked her to tell them what happened. She gave a determined nod before walking barging in the room, not caring about protocol or whatever her husband would have to say. She was frowning as her mouth opened and she started speaking, nothing but Romanian pouring out of her mouth. It was a slight oversight on her part and once she realized it, she paused and took a deep breath. "Steve. Valentina has just come to the revelation that the second man who was with Isac was Steve. Don't ask me if I'm sure because I am. She bumped into him in the lobby and she immediately had a panic attack because of it. That son of a bitch hurt my daughter, Gabriel." She was speaking fast, tears threatening to fall from her eyes as she was frustrated. It wasn't because she was sad, but because her anger had reached its peak.
​

 

[Misty Gray]

Savannah Callahan​

Although Danny said her news was great, Savannah could see it wasn't exactly what he'd hoped to hear. Whilst she was sure he was happy for her, she knew what it meant for him and their relationship. Living in the same city, they were able to see each other relatively often when their jobs allowed for it and everyday they spent together was cherished. But with her moving to London, she knew it wouldn't be possible to arrange last minute dates or spend time together whenever they were free. She was moving to England to follow her dreams, yet it still made her heart ache to know she would be apart from Danny. She could only imagine how much harder it was for him when he wouldn't gain any benefit.

Danny eventually smiled at her and squeezed her shoulders. He went on to enthuse about her making it big. She managed a bashful smile as he spoke, but in the back of her mind she still knew how difficult the sacrifice of being apart from Danny would be. He asked her how long she'd be in London for and she took a moment to think. "Well, there's going to be a couple of months of rehearsals and then the show will be playing for another month." She let out a sigh, knowing three months wasn't going to be all. "But I'm confident there will be opportunities once that's done. If everything goes well, I'll be keen to audition for more, to keep the momentum going," she admitted.

Savannah knew it was a lot to ask of Danny; to expect him to wait for her while she was away. Since she was a child, she knew performing was the career she dreamed of, so she couldn't turn down the opportunity of a lifetime now. She looked to Danny's face, her large eyes studying his features as she did. She took his hands in hers and stood restlessly on the spot. "The question is, can you you wait that long for me to come back to New York? Do you even want to?" She lightly shook her head. "I understand if a long-distance relationship isn't something you want. I do love you, Danny, and it's really difficult knowing we'll be so far apart for so much time. I want to give it a try, though. But I understand if you don't want to. I can't expect the best of all worlds. People might call me a Princess, but I'm not spoilt like that. I don't want to be selfish."

Pyroclast (Danny)

 

[Pyroclast]

Chase Zegarra

Given the nature of his question, Chase immediately began to measure himself against Jasmine’s standards. While the mob wouldn’t function half as well if it weren’t for the women involved, it was an undeniable fact that the active work was dominated by men. Jasmine was one of the few female recruits who was involved in the action and she carried a lot of experience on her belt. During a job at least, Jasmine was a colleague first and foremost - at least equal in rank, if not his superior - and that separated her from other women whom Chase treated as civilians. No matter how much he cared about her and didn’t want to see her get hurt, he made a conscious effort not to patronise her and instead trust her decisions. Since that kind of respect was clearly important to her, he hoped that she had never felt patronised by him.

The soft smile she directed at him deepened his own. Hearing that she valued compassion made his heart swell, though based on what he had already gathered of her personality it didn’t surprise him in the slightest. Hearing her talk about anything had an effect on him, really - just the gentle lilt of her accent or a change of mood in her tone - but sharing worldviews, even on a base level, made him feel closer to her. Each detail of her was a brushstroke in the mental picture he was trying to paint. “Yes, we can,” he softly agreed, as he began to lose himself in her eyes.

As if to read his mind, Jasmine evolved the conversation onto the topic of relationships, going on to describe her ideal date - one that clearly referred to Chase. In an instant he broke from her gaze and returned to shuffling the cards, ready to deal out a new hand. He could feel his face burning but there was nothing he could do about it - nor about the smile that tweaked the edges of his lips. Eventually his eyes flickered up to catch hers, throwing her a playful, knowing glance. She knew exactly what she was doing to him, and since the occasional yet-to-be-verbally-acknowledged moments of intimacy had been mounting in recent weeks, she knew that he wouldn’t be able to deny it. And he didn’t.

When she turned the question onto him, he was about to stubbornly point out that she would have to earn her right to ask it by first winning a round of their card game. By now, however, the conversation felt intimate enough that he wanted to dig around in his mind for something to tell her. He didn’t have to dig very deep. “Sometimes when I meet a person, I can’t tell that we’ll make a connection at first," he began. "When I met Adam, he was making me go to all these wild parties and I thought, this guy is too much for me.” He let out a soft chuckle as he looked distantly through his new hand of cards, handling them like each one represented a memory. “But if I get lucky, there’s a point when I know that a person is worth being around. For Adam, it was when my father died, I think. Suddenly I noticed his patience and his understanding, not just for my grief but he was always helping me with my English, too, finding for me the words I wanted. For you, it was more immediate.” At this point he could almost hear the heavy beating of his heart, and felt a swirl of butterflies in his stomach. Still, he didn’t stop himself. “The way you work, which was the first thing you showed me I guess; you make a job straightforward, you don’t complicate things. So I liked working with you for that, and I would have stuck around you out of respect and trust, but then you also ...you have this…” He felt the heat return to his face as he struggled to come with a less revealing word than the ones flashing across his mind. “There’s something about you that always made me want to know more.” Chase’s eyes lifted from the nine of swords he had just placed down on the table and dared to meet her gaze. It occurred to him that it was possibly just as simple as that: those extraordinary eyes of hers, full of tenderness and untold stories. “Maybe it’s not wise to be drawn to someone for their mystery. But with you, I never had a doubt that you would be the kind of person who would make me feel my best, the way that someone you’ve known your whole life knows how to do. You’re just...I don’t know, the kind of person that I like being around. And it’s not just because you’re beautiful.” The grip on his cards tightened as a mild panic thrummed through his head. Jasmine had only just told him that she appreciated honesty, but that wasn’t the controlled kind of honesty - more like the kind that leaked through the cracks of an overflowing box of secrets. He looked to her in alarm, his heart beating almost audibly. “I’m sorry, Jasmine - I know you’re more than that - I wasn't trying to patronise you...”

Interactions
Misty Gray Jasmine

 

[Pyroclast]

Danny Vaughan

When at first it sounded like she would be gone no more than three months, Danny wasn’t too intimidated. That wasn’t to say that he wouldn’t feel her absence in that time; 90 days apart would no doubt be painful, not to mention the difference in time zones. With his family living all the way over in India, Danny already had some experience of what it felt like to live far away from people he loved, but that wasn’t the same. He didn’t call them daily, or even every week. With Savannah, on the other hand, just the thought of being far apart made him miss her already.

Her suggestion that her role would lead her towards more opportunities was easy to accept, but it was vague as to where those opportunities would take her. When she asked him if he would be happy to wait for her, he got a strange nervous feeling in the pit of his stomach. It wasn’t insecurity, because he trusted that she loved him like she said, but it did sound like she was questioning whether they should continue. “Savvy, don’t talk like that,” he said, putting on a soft smile for her. “It ain’t selfish to go and pursue your dreams. You don’t owe the world a thing. I didn’t resent my family for givin’ up their lives here and goin’ off to Bombay, did I? I sure as hell ain’t gonna stop you from doin’ what you want. That’s not up to me.” He cupped a hand on her cheek and lifted her head to look into her eyes. “I can tell you’re gonna go far, Savvy, and I can’t wait to watch your career grow. I want you to be happy, that’s the most important thing.” Despite his optimism, Danny could feel his heart growing heavier by the second. From that point on, he would be savouring every moment with her: their conversations, both silly and deep; the laughs they shared; her big blue eyes; the warm touch of her skin against his.

“And ‘course I’ll wait for you, silly,” he smiled, letting his hand fall and find hers. “We’ll get through those three months, you’ll see. I’ll send you little packages in the mail, call you up in the mornings when it’s evening over there. And who knows, maybe your next job will take you back to New York!” He wrapped his arms around her again, looking down at her with a tender smile. Feeling it begin to fade, however, he drew Savannah into a close embrace and instead directed his gaze at the jellyfish floating around in their tank, not a care in the world. Just moments ago, in their ridiculous hypothetical situation that involved turning into jellyfish, he had assured Savannah that he would set her free. Now here he was, suddenly faced with a real situation, and the decision was much harder to make. “Like I said, Sav...this isn’t just up to me,” he continued, his voice dropping to a more sullen tone. “I’m sure we’ll settle into it, and I don’t wanna’ lose you...but I also don’t wanna hold you back when you’re over there. You’ll be meetin’ people, makin’ new friends, and I don’t want you to feel stuck to the phone talkin’ to me. Just make sure you’ve really thought about it, you know?”

Interactions
Misty Gray Savannah