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

[Melanin-Gxdess]

McCarthy Residence
~ Sutton, Dublin ~
Leo Sullivan

Leo and Natasha had just crossed a threshold of which there was no return. The thin line preventing a deeper connection from being made had crossed and there was definitely no going back - not that Leo would even want to. He'd initiated the act, meaning he knew what he was getting into and welcomed it with open arms. Though it'd only been recently he confessed the love he held for Natasha, he knew before that that they'd had a special bond. So as he dragged his fingers up and down her arm he was glad they'd completed the next step in their relationship. He couldn't help but chuckle when she mentioned them really being best friends he couldn't help but chuckle. "Erm, I think we're a bit past that, don't you think? Best friends don't do what we just did," he joked, aware that even though they were dating she was always going to be his best friend, too. She then told him she was hoping he wasn't regretting the decision and he furrowed his eyebrows when she looked away. Kissing the top of her head he pulled her in closer. "Of course not! Best decision I- we've ever made. And don't worry about that, okay?" He paused and looked down at her. "Best thing about us being young and in love and together is that we have plenty of time to learn new things. I'm sure I can teach you a trick or two," he joked, kissing her nose.

He let out another laugh at the fact she had grown speechless. It wasn't the first time he'd received such a reaction but he was trying his best not to let it boost his head too much. "Yeah I know," he started, returning her kiss. "You're quiet for once. Or rather, you are now. Because a few minutes ago you weren't." Leo then propped himself up on his arm to get a better look at her, admiration in his eyes before grabbing her hand. "You know I meant it, right? That I love you and everything. First person I've ever said that to." He paused for a moment to kiss her fingers before releasing her hand. He leaned forward to kiss her forehead and opened his mouth to say something else when a realization hit her. Watching as she scrambled out of bed he couldn't help but watch with an amused grin on his face.

Leo had just thrown the comforter on the bed when he heard Natasha yell for him. Once he'd finished zipping his pants and cleaning up he made his way down the stairs towards the kitchen. She'd already been working to get out plates for their pizza and he walked over to the kitchen sink to wash his hands. With a smirk and a chuckle, he shook his head. "There was only one sound I was interested in hearing." He quickly turned the water off and moved to the opposite side of the counter to avoid her if she tried to hit him. "You set yourself up for these jokes every time, Nat." Instead of heating up his own pizza, he just took a slice and stuck it in his mouth, leaning forward on his elbows across from her. "Before the date, no, because as I'm sure you and everyone else in my life can tell I'm a bit slow on the uptake. But, I'm glad you finally got me straight." He smiled at her before taking another bite of his pizza.

The moment she mentioned his exes and the other girls he had slept with, he shook his head. "You don't have to be jealous of them, Nat, because they didn't get the pieces of me you did." He sat his pizza down, dusted his hands off, and walked towards her. "Look, they're insignificant in my life now," he stood in front of her, wrapping his arms around her waist to pull her in for a hug. Placing a kiss on her head he chuckled. "The first and hopefully only woman I'll ever love."

​

Natasha ( Bellz )

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Sullivan Family Home
~Dublin, Ireland~

Aliana Sullivan

​

"You and me both," Ali responded, briefly looking down at the young girl in her lap. Sydney had been so engulfed in her own little world, leaning back into Ali's chest. With her armed wrapped around her daughter, she leaned forward to hand Syd a cookie and she immediately started munching on it. "Had I not had Leo I'd have sought the guy out myself and gave him a piece of my mind." Ali rolled her eyes at the thought again, trying her best to push the idea to the back of her mind. Though his accusation had led to both she and Conor finally making up, she didn't appreciate a man using her and her son to try and get back at her husband by tarnishing her character. Aliana Sullivan was a lot of things sometimes but an adulterer wasn't one of them. While Sinead spoke to Michelle, Ali picked up her glass again to refill it and paused the moment she heard the name 'Maddox'. She quickly glanced to Sinead before refocusing on her glass once again.

Maddox had been the reason her nephew had nearly killed himself - something she beat herself up for. Like other members of the family, she couldn't believe she hadn't seen it coming. The two of them may not have been super close, but they did share some emotional moments and she believed if he ever needed an escape he would tell her. For a while, she felt as though maybe she hadn't been as open as she thought and that was why he tried to commit suicide, but then it was revealed who Maddox truly was. Learning that he was behind Syd's attempt enraged her and even more so learning about his intentions with her husband. He knew the two were separated and that one more fuck up was going to push her away and he was willing to destroy their family. Ali had been just as upset as Syd when she learned Conor hadn't ended him - even if she did understand the reason behind it. "And that's all the credit he'll receive," she stated, the clear annoyance behind him actually helping Conor in her voice.

Sinead then told her things would get better for her and Conor, something that made her smile. Since the very beginning, Sinead had been team Cali and wanted to see the two of them together. From a relationship based entirely around sex to being a married couple with three children, Sinead had been rooting for them. Even when Ali had decided to separate from Conor she'd be willing them to be together. It was nice to know that they had their own cheerleader in their corner and hear her say they'd be able to get things back on track. "God, I hope so," she said, looking down at Sydney before kissing the top of her head. "We definitely need the time. All of us."

Ali echoed Sinead's words about George and Finn, along with Lucas. "Oh, I'm sure he'd be more than excited to see you! Maybe we should just throw a welcome home party so you can make your debut!" She said with a smile before turning back to Sinead once more. "Well, he and Nat did just have a nice double date with Lori and Benjie. So maybe they - along with Thomas - will be able to help him out. I know for sure Natasha's been his go-to person as of late. Which is great, considering, ya know, she was there when everything happened so they can talk to each other..." She shifted a bit in her seat, fighting the urge and temptation to touch her throat but shook her head instead. "I'm just glad he's finally made up with Thomas and he seems to be getting closer to Nat."

"In your own bed?!" Ali exclaimed, raising her eyebrows. "And you didn't kill him? We'd have figured out a way to get you out of jail, trust me." She joked, listening to her mention Conor coming to Australia to hunt him down. She nodded her head in agreement with Sinead, a wide smile on her face as she mouthed 'Tell him'. She let out a hoarse chuckle before clearing her throat, reaching for her cup for a sip again. "Oh definitely! There are plenty of attractive men here in Dublin - where do you think I met your father? Better quality too, I think." Her eyes grew wide at the mention of Michelle's children, nodding her head. "Oh, that would be nice! I think it would be good for them to meet some of their other family members too, plus I think it would be good for Conor. Maybe once he realizes he's a grandpa he'll slow down a bit."

Michelle ( BasDorcha )
Sinead ( Misty Gray )

 

[BasDorcha]

Le Hospital​

Jeremy Gray​

As the morphine high kicked in, Jeremy scowled. He hated the drug, with a passion. While logic told him at this moment she needed it, Jeremy would give anything to get here away from it immediately. It broke his heart to see that she seemed to enjoy it like so many who had lost their way to it. It took so much of him not to say anything at this moment. Jeremy finally decided it was time to go home. Once Harper slept today, he would go check on his house, her apartment, and get some real rest before coming back up. Being at the hospital was an emotional roller coaster for him.

Standing up, agitated now, both at what she said, and how she was feeling (as obvious as it was on her face), Jeremy began to pace. Lack of sleep, emotional stress, and general continuous anxiety was going to be the death of him. Who the fuck was this guy he was being? This was not him. This was some shadow of him. If Spencer or any of the other guys could see him acting like a boy with his first crush, mushy like a greenhorn before his first kill, they’d never let him live it down. Jeremy, who had killed a guy in the boxing ring. Jeremy, who had slit some dealers throat for trying to jack one of their bigger dealers for their stash. Jeremy, who had washed brain matter off the walls and floors like it was crayon.

Growling lowly in his throat, no longer concerned with how she might see him because he knew at this moment, she wouldn’t even remember what he said or did, he put his hand on the back of his head, staring away from her. Insanity won over in his brain, and Jeremy was again in a situation of feeling like he was watching himself while screaming to stop, and his body was doing something else entirely. Jeremy walked around to the side of the bed away from his nest, where things were kept clear for the doctors to check on her, and her morphine stood like menacing beast taunting him. He growled again and shoved the machine – immediately catching it before it had moved so it wouldn’t jerk her arm and instead slowly pushing it away.

Jeremy leaned down over Harper, one hand on the rail across the way and the other caressing her cheek. His eyes now watched her, carefully, full of fear and fire at the same time. It was like a battle for which would win. He leaned down slowly and kiss her very lightly, just enough their lips touched. It was brief, chaste, like a promise of more without a pending threat. “When will you see me?” He didn’t give her much time to respond, standing and heading for the door, grabbing his cigarettes off the table on his way out. A quick cigarette outside and she would likely to have forgotten what even happened. She’d be like that for a little while.

Fuming, shaking like no man or gun in his face had ever made him shake before, Jeremy sat just outside the door on the floor of the hospital internally cursing himself. That wasn’t how he wanted it to happen, it was purely a moment of insanity. Some mix of angry and scared combined into courage he wouldn’t normally feel towards her. Maybe it was that if she hated it, she would forget it so that they could pretend it never happened. He balled his fist up and hit the floor, a pain shooting up his arm. He was still sore sometimes from where he had torn a shoulder muscle trying to lift the beam.

After a short while, maybe ten minutes or so, the nurses shooed him out of the hall and back into the room, asking him to please get out of the way so that everyone would “pay attention to their work instead of him.” He didn’t have a clue what they meant, but he moved none the less. As he stepped back in, his ears pinker than pink, he looked over, trying to see if she was awake. “Hey… Harp?”

Mentions: Bellz - Harper Misty Gray - Spencer Melanin-Gxdess - Alex (kind of generally when mentioning friends/coworkers) Pyroclast - Billy (See note under Alex)

 

[Bellz]

Blake McCarthy
Adam Harper's House
~ Drumcondra, Dublin ~​

Blake was silent after spewing off her questions, wanting Adam to give her complete answers to them. Hearing about the woman he had slept with, Isabella, and the fact that he blew her off when she tried to contact him made her frown deeply. She didn’t have to lecture Adam because the man understood what he had done was wrong so she kept quiet as he continued to explain why Elena chose to stay. "Poor thing." Blake sympathized gently, not having the capacity to understand what it was like for her because she didn’t have any of those experiences growing up.

Hearing that Thomas didn’t know yet was interesting. She was sure the young man was going to be in for quite the shock when he did find out. Adam and he had been working together a lot and no doubt talking about Thomas’ fondness for the girl. When Adam said that the only other people who knew were Conor and Syd and that he’d asked them not to say anything to anyone else so that it didn’t end up coming back to her made her smile. "That would have been quite the gossip coming from someone else. Thank you for making sure to tell me in person." The blonde murmured.

Adam seemed okay with Elena living with Thomas still. He stated that it was a bit late in her life to start bossing her around but if anything were to happen to her living situation, she was more than welcome to stay in the spare rooms. Blake smiled knowingly as he went on to say that it was all new to him and he didn’t know how much was too much. "That doesn’t make you any less of a dad for being that way, Adam. That’s the beauty of being a parent, you get to do it the way you want to do it and the way it feels right." She said reassuringly, placing a hand on his.

"I’ve learned in my many years of being a mother, especially a widowed mother, that there is a balance in your relationship with your kids. Jackson and I determined a long time ago what parents we were gonna be and I stuck to it all these years." Blake thought about her kids for a moment with a fond smile. "When they fell down as tots, I didn’t gasp or freak out which no doubt would have made them cry, I instead insisted that they were okay, told them to stand up and brush themselves off. If they needed me to comfort them I would." She paused, "Kids are pretty amazing, their resilience is something that I think we as adults wish we could have. Nat and Collin realized pretty early on that I was going to hold their hand forever, that just like their father…I wouldn’t be around forever. To me, as a mom, my one goal in life is to make sure that my children can make it without me, can cope with the struggles and the mistakes, and be there for their own partners and own children when they eventually settle down."

Realizing she might have gone a little too deep into what she was saying, Blake blinked and shook her head, a smirk forming on her face. "Elena is a young woman, if she comes to you for guidance, just like Natasha does with me, give it to her…but you can’t control if she takes it or leaves it. It’s the healthiest relationship you can have with her. She’s lucky to have you as a father Adam, newbie or not, you will make a fine father. Just don’t be a helicopter parent." Blake said laughing a little bit before thinking about something.

"Did you tell her about us? I mean, I didn’t expect you to since we were kind of on the fence at the time…but I don’t want her to feel awkward with me." She said in a worried tone, biting her lip softly as she looked at Adam.
with: Adam Misty Gray

 

[Bellz]

Finn Sullivan
Syd Porter's House
~ P. Sherman, 42 Wallaby Way, Sydney (Dublin, Ireland) ~​

Finn smiled sweetly as James said he was looking to some normalcy, "Ahh well you and Lucy have the rest of your lives to look forward to now, I have every reason to believe that you both are going to be hanging out until the ripe old age of 100, at least!" The man let out a laugh as James said he had been scared of Aunt Shannon. "She was a tough old bird wasn't she?" He mused, thinking about Shannon for a long moment.

Finn was interested to hear Georgie's take on Dublin as he had grown up there. When he sent Finn a fond smile, Finn returned it with one of his own, "We always do." He murmured sweetly. "I'm not complaining that he's talkative in the slightest love, I just find it adorable." Finn was immensely proud of his son and the pride showed on his face when he talked about him. "Ah yea, Liam could use a push, I think having Lucas and JJ around to get him chatting will be just the thing he needs." He agreed with his husband.

Finn flashed James another smile as he made a point of only wanting more grandchildren. The doctor knew that James was done raising children and as much as he adored Lucy for taking in Shinoa and as much as Finn was happy to have her around...she should have talked to James about it beforehand. "Thomas has a girlfriend, eh? Got to be his first right?" Finn asked, squinting his eyes as he tried to remember if Thomas had a previous girlfriend before going to Iran. "Just hope that him going into the dating arena can help him out a bit," Finn commented. James mentioned how surprised they had all been when Arlene was pregnant, stating that he didn't expect any children from Olivia anytime soon because of it. "That was definitely a shock," Finn said and smiled as James said Olivia was focused on work and hanging out with friends. "Smart girl, enjoy her youth while she can. Seems to be the trend with a lot of young adults these days, I see less and less having children at the hospital...a lot less than I used to see anyway."

James stated that Thomas and he were still walking on eggshells around each other and he had only seen his son once. Finn's smile faded into a soft frown as he shook his head. James mentioned Syd and the intent to not push Thomas into any reaction where he felt cornered and Finn sighed, "It's sad, Thomas was such an outgoing kid, so happy go lucky. I always wondered what possessed him to suddenly join the army, but if you ask me it was probably the worst decision he could have made for himself. The poor kid doesn't deserve all the trauma that came from that hostage situation...and you and Lucy don't deserve to watch him suffer." Finn murmured, looking to George for a moment before taking his hand.

"Maybe Thomas will find solace in this new girlfriend of his, seems like the common denominator between all of us is that we've found someone to keep us in check. Well...most of us anyway. I haven't talked much with Syd lately, how's he been holding up? You and he are good right?"
with: James + George Misty Gray

 

[Bellz]

Natasha McCarthy
McCarthy Residence
~ Sutton, Dublin ~ ​

Watching as Leo came into the kitchen with his shirt off, Natasha's cheeks warmed and she tried not to stare. She scoffed as he made a comment about only wanting to hear one sound and of course, knowing her all too well, he expertly maneuvered out of her way as she tried to smack his bicep. "Ha ha ha, you are so hilarious, Leo." She said mockingly. It settled her nerves some that they were able to just go back to the way things were before they...ya know. "Mmmm, you can blame your father for that...all Sullivan men are slow, or so I'm told." Nat said, taking another bite of her pizza.

Nat watched him closely as Leo told her that she didn't need to be jealous and after swallowing her food, she rolled her eyes. "Me? Jealous? As if!" She said, trying to play it cool and confident. She knew he'd be able to see through it and he did as he walked towards her. Smiling sheepishly, Nat listened as he told her that they were insignificant in his life now before wrapping his arms around her waist. Dusting off her own hands quickly, Natasha leaned against his chest, placing her head on it and letting her hands press against it as well. He kissed her head and rolled her eyes as he chuckled. The first and hopefully only woman I'll ever love.

It was absolutely everything she wanted from him and it sent a tingle running down her spine. "Going back to what you said earlier...about you meaning it." Nat said, pulling away slightly to look at him. "Do you know how long I've been waiting for you to say those words?" She asked, her cheeks warming in embarrassment. "I love you too...and I mean it with all of my heart." Nat hummed before giving him another hug and reaching on her tiptoes to give him a kiss on the lips.

"Only bring up the other girls because I don't think you understand just how painful it was to watch." Natasha said with a soft sigh, breaking the hug to return to her pizza. "The first and only girl you'll ever love, eh? Better not announce that to our mothers, they'll start planning our wedding and insisting on grandchildren the minute they hear that." Nat teased.
with: Leo Melanin-Gxdess

 

[Bellz]

Roxie Carriveau
Syd Porter's House
~ Nunya Business Dr., Dublin ~​

Roxie could see the surprise for the gratitude she had for what he'd done for her. It was warranted, they hadn't exactly been close the last 13 years and it had taken everything in Roxie to fight the feelings of giving in to him when JJ was born. The familiar flood of emotions that had been hitting her like a truck lately caused tears to form and fall down her face. She wanted to look away, to hide her tears, feeling completely embarrassed by them but Syd's hand reached up to caress her cheek, keeping her from looking away.

He asked why she thought she didn't deserve it but before she could answer he went on to say that after everything he'd done, he would have done anything for her. He insisted that it was him that ruined what they had and while Roxie back then would have wholeheartedly agreed, that old version of her didn't know what she knew at this moment. If she would have listened to him, really listened...Roxie could have saved Matthew from death, her children from heartache. It kept her up at night, the thought of what she could have done to prevent all of this. Syd and she could have been together and happy if she would have fucking listened! Roxie shook her head at his words, trying to formulate what she was trying to say but the sobs gripped her throat.

He said if he could take back every lie he told and everything that he did to her, he would but continued to insist that she deserved so much better saying that she found him. Roxie squeezed her eyes shut, the access tears in her eyes dropping to the floor. When she opened them, Syd had turned his face away, preventing her from seeing the tears he was trying so desperately to hide. "You put me on this pedestal, Syd. That I don't deserve to be on. I should have listened. You were right, right about my father, right about Ricky...and I didn't listen! My own family, the one person I had left in my life...turned his back on me the minute he wanted power!" Roxie said through clenched teeth.

"You broke my trust to protect me, but I was so hurt by my own family, so wrapped in the fact that I had been lied to before...that I didn't see that you were just trying to protect me and our babies! I threw you into the same category as that asshole." Roxie couldn't bring herself to say her father's name. "And that's the problem, you have me pegged as this person who is absolutely perfect! But look what I did! Look what happened! Matthew's blood is on my fucking hands! Our children scream in the middle of the night because of me. This baby will never know its father because of me! And you lost 13 years...because of me." Roxie said, taking Syd's chin in her hands and forcing him to look at her now.

"I spent more than a decade trying to convince myself that I didn't love you! I found Matthew and god did I love him but I didn't deserve his love...and I don't fucking believe in God but someone out there knew that I didn't either." The brunette bit down on her trembling lip. "I don't deserve your kindness because Syd I should have trusted you. Just as much as you need to trust me, I needed to trust you. I was wrong, completely fucking wrong. And I'm sorry, I'm sorry for putting you through this...and the kids." She looked at his lips for a long moment, wondering if she dared to do what she so desperately wanted to do. "I might not deserve you and you might not think you deserve me Syd but god damn it...I just..."

Roxie finally got frustrated trying to spit out what she wanted to say and pressed her lips against his. Even if he did or didn't pull away with haste, Roxie stopped herself and forced herself to pull away. "Oh god, I'm sorry...Jesus, I know this isn't what you need. I just couldn't help it." She squeaked out, feeling helpless at that moment as her big blue eyes watered once more. The familiar fire that was normally left after they kissed had ignited a flame that had been put out long ago. Roxie lifted a delicate hand to her lips, her fingers tracing them softly as the sensation started to dissipate. "Maybe...I should..." She couldn't bring herself to say the word, go. She didn't want to leave...she couldn't leave. Her wide eyes searched his, almost willing him to take the step that she wasn't sure she should take.
with: Syd Pyroclast

 

[Bellz]

Harper King
Le Hospital
~ London, England ~ ​

Harper couldn't remember when she fell asleep, but somehow she had passed out. No dreams filled the time that passed in the minutes she had been unconscious, nothing to fill her head with hope or sadness. She felt the slightest tickle against her lips and a voice that sounded as if it were underwater. Her brows furrowed in confusion in her sleep, suddenly demanding herself to wake up. Harper shot up out of her bed, so quickly that the blood rushed to her head, causing her vision to tunnel. Her breathing accelerated and the heart monitor beeped at an annoying speed. Harper glared at the monitor before pulling off the little stickies that kept track of her heart rate, wincing painfully as she did. Hearing someone outside, she quickly laid back in her bed, wanting to pretend that she was completely fine. Closing her eyes, she didn’t look towards the door as it opened.

When Jeremy said her name, Harper opened her eyes and looked at him for a long moment. "Yea?" she asked, her voice trembling from the adrenaline that had just rushed through her system moments ago. "You look like shit." The blonde teased, a smirk forming on her face as she seemed to at least be back to her normal self for the time being. The morphine had hit her for a short amount of time but with the amount she had been using recently, her body was becoming used to it, regulating itself out to the amount she was being given. It was dangerous but it wasn’t the pressing concern in Harper’s mind at the moment.

He seemed to be upset and Harper’s brows furrowed in confusion, "Someone say something to you? Is my family okay?" Harper moved to sit up in her bed, this time not doing it with so much ease as she had before. She hissed in pain, bending her torso in a way that was counteractive to the ribs she had broken. "Nothing happened right? Please tell me they are okay!" She said, her voice rising with panic. "How long was I out for…we were talking right…what happened?"
with: Jeremy BasDorcha

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

McCarthy Residence
~ Sutton, Dublin ~
Leo Sullivan

​

Leo opened his mouth to respond to Natasha's comment about the Sullivan men being slow, but immediately closed it when he realized he didn't have a case. He had been incredibly dense when it came to Natasha's feelings for him and unfortunately it would haunt him for the rest of his days. But he eventually figured it out and that's what mattered. "You know what? Fair enough. But in my defense, you could've just told me right away. 'Leo, I have the biggest crush on you and I just really really really want you.' I mean, I think it would have helped significantly." He shook his head at her, a teasing smile playing at his lips. "Let me go all those years being used by all those women. Horrible, really."

He knew Natasha well enough to know when she was lying about something in order to save face and she was doing it now. In the past, he had noticed the way she turned her nose up whenever he mentioned whoever he was dating at the time, but he had always attributed it to not liking them. Before they started dating he never would have thought it was because she preferred to but the one in that position - not some random girl who wouldn't last the month. Well, now she didn't have to worry about them at all. Natasha was special to him and he wasn't going to hurt her or make her feel less than when it came to other women. As far as he was concerned no one existed but her. But of course, he would save that sentiment for another time. He felt he had opened himself up more than enough for the time being.

Natasha then pulled away to look up at him, Leo glancing down. She told him she had been waiting for him to say those words for a long time, her face turning red. Leo chuckled in response, shrugging his shoulders once more. "That I wanted to say at the right time." He kissed the tip of her nose before she responded to his earlier comment. "I know you do. And hearing it is probably my new favorite thing." He returned her kiss before stepping away and creating some space between them. For a brief moment, he glanced around, remembering they had left their drinks in the living room. "One sec," he said, walking out of the kitchen to retrieve them. When he returned he slid her glass over to her and lifted his own to take a sip. Their conversation resumed with her telling him how painful it was to watch him be with other girls. "Sorry it took me so long," he said, shaking his head.

Leo had been drinking from his cup when she started to mention getting married and having kids. Well, their mothers would start planning it but the thought caught him off-guard nonetheless. The alcohol burned in his throat but he managed to clear it and slowly shake his head. "Do-Do you think they actually would though? I mean, I could see it, but," Leo let out a nervous chuckle before placing his hands on the counter, leaning forward on them. "Soon. It sounds super soon." He scratched the back of his head, suddenly anxious about the future. "I mean I- we should probably figure out our futures, right? For starters, I still have to talk to Conor about him possibly teaching me the ropes but even before that I should finally talk to him, right?" He still hadn't talked to Conor about what happened, but after tonight he was feeling maybe it was time.

​

Natasha ( Bellz )

 

[Bellz]

Natasha McCarthy
McCarthy Residence
~ Sutton, Dublin ~​

A smirk formed on Natasha's lips at seeing Leo so uncomfortable that their mothers would jump the gun like that. "Well isn't this refreshing? Did I make you nervous for a change?" The blonde teased before rolling her eyes. Natasha agreed with him saying it was too soon."Far too soon, mister." She chuckled. The lighthearted conversation came to a staggering halt however as Leo mentioned talking to his dad about showing him the ropes.

Now Natasha wasn't stuck in the clouds pretending that Leo would not be interested in doing what his father did, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt to hear him talk about it. Her eyes trailed from the kitchen to the living room, looking to the small urn that sat on top of the fireplace. They had buried her father's ashes back in the early 70s, but her mother felt that she needed to keep a piece of him with her. Nat found herself talking to the urn often when she was alone in the house.

Her expression grew emotional but before Leo could see it, she cleared her throat and moved to down the rest of her drink. "That's what you want for your future? To go through all of this...forever." Natasha asked, trying not to sound hurt as she met her boyfriend's eyes. It wasn't his fault, she knew that he wasn't saying this to intentionally hurt her but it did nonetheless. The relationship they had now, the blissful moments they shared tonight could all be taken away in an instant. Natasha didn't remember a whole lot of moments with her father...but she did remember her time in New York with him, and the night before he died...when he'd tucked her into bed.

Natasha had grown to resent his involvement in the business and had been very angry as a child about it. Natasha was never an angry person, never negative but this topic made her mood darken a little too quickly. "I'm sorry," She said, knowing that what she had said sounded terrible. "I just...my dad." Her voice was trembling as her throat closed. Shaking her head, she turned away from Leo quickly, wanting to hide her tears. She was beginning to feel foolish about pursuing a relationship that would only hurt her in the end. Not by Leo's hands, because she knew he'd never hurt her...but in the end, the mob life caught up with everyone. Natasha wasn't sure she wanted to wait around to be the victim of another loss.
with: Leo Melanin-Gxdess

 

[BasDorcha]

Sullivan Family Home​

Michelle Romano​

Michelle listened as they spoke about their husbands, and the kids, nodding along. It wasn’t that Michelle didn’t have anything to say, she just really hadn’t been around enough to speak about the situation at hand, so instead she sat building up a book of knowledge in her head about things she knew little of. Maddox – Mad Dox – Mad Doc. Psycho. Psychotherapist. Tried to convince Syd to kill himself. Tried to fuck of Dad’s marriage. Bad guy. Good doc. Michelle made a mental notebook of the stories to try and reference back to later.

When they started talking about the kids, she nodded agreeing that the kids might be good together. “A welcome home party should wait until the kids are here. They’ll be back as soon as I find my own place and a way to self-sustain. I don’t plan on mooching off of Dad and you for long.” Michelle didn’t have it in her to say she was still feeling a bit lost in the world and uncertain of where she was going to be even in a month. Back home she had worked on the town committee and held a mayoral spot for a while, but she had given that all up when things started to fall apart with her husband.

Now she wasn’t sure what to do anymore. She had a specific set of skills and wasn’t sure how she’d implement it here in Dublin. She certainly knew how to multi-task, manage people, and bend others to her words, but Dublin was a different world to her.

“I’d love to see everyone, and as long as its not some big party, we can go and do it any day. Lets save the big party for the kids, they’d love it.” When the conversation shifted to Leo and his girlfriend, Michelle smiled lightly. “Leo and Natasha huh? When did my brother get so big. He better be a gentleman. Hopefully he doesn’t take after Dad too much. Speaking of not being like dad, I doubt grandkids will change him much, but we’ll see how he does with them around. I get the feeling dad will be stubborn until he dies. The only reason the kids aren’t here yet is I just wanted some time to sort things first.”

Michelle shifted downing the rest of her margarita in thought. “I want to be able to give them a place with their space before I bring them home. Divorce is hard, and they’re both trying to be good kids about it. Michael is pretty mad at having to go to his fathers after what his father did. Still, their father loves them dearly, and that I never doubted. He’s just a dog of a man when it comes to women.” She shrugged, realizing she may have been rambling as the alcohol started to sink in.
Mentions: Melanin-Gxdess - Ali, Misty Gray - Sinny

 

[BasDorcha]

Le Hospital​

Jeremy Gray​

Frustrated on a new level, with himself, with the situation, with how life had handed him such a fucked-up hand to try and recover, and with Harper for being so easily swayed by the drug she once touted to hate, he surely did look rough coming back into the room. Chewing on his lip – something he rarely did – he came back to his makeshift bed in the room and sat down quietly, staring away for a moment. He wanted badly to just repeat the same steps again, but his courage seemed to have evaporate. Her trembling voice calmed him and brought a concerned look to his eyes, which in turn did a quick once over. Seeing the hanging cords, he got up, went around the bed, and picked them up in his hand.

“I probably smell like shit, it’s time to torment the nurses into giving me another bath.” He left the playful innuendo drift in the air, before pausing to look at her when she started to sound stressed. His voice took on an unusually monotone yet soothing sound, as he tried to calm her, “Everyone is fine Harper, just me harassing the nurses and them harassing me. You would think they’d be use to me living here by now.” It was hard to tell he was teasing when he kept his voice low and quiet to help calm her, but his eyes had a light crinkling at the edges that gave it away.

He laid her back, gently, on the bed, plumping her pillows behind her, then lightly touched her side, pressing just enough to see if any of the ribs had been reinjured in obvious ways. “Stop it, or you’ll backtrack yourself.” He looked her in they eyes very seriously, then waved the monitors at her. “These are going back, for the record.” His hand lightly moved to the gown, moving it this way and that with his fingers grazing small trails over her chest and shoulders to move the fabric out of the way. If he thought it was sexual, he never let on, except for the rapid increase of his heart, thumping away in a vein in his neck. As one hand held the dress out of the way, the other lightly pressed the sticky tabs back down.

As soon as he was done, he left her go, but for one brief moment as he turned there was a flash of something deep and primal, but it was gone when he resettled in his seat.

“You were only out maybe a half hour, and yes we were talking. You… fell asleep, so I stepped out to smoke. That’s all.” Jeremy shifted his eyes away from her. His heart screamed to tell her, but his mind said it was not the right time, and kindly reminded him it may never be the right time. Feeling nervous, he picked up a piece of paper left by one of the nurses and began folding it like he had done so many years ago.

“Do you ever think about that night years ago?” The question had slipped out of his mouth before he could stop it, there was no taking it back now. Before he could stop, he quietly recited Love’s Philosophy for a second time in his life. No one knew he liked poetry, except for her. By the time he finished, he had formed another flower, handing it over to her without looking, fearing what she might say or reject him all together, or worse, she’d see exactly the truth on his face. It only seemed fitting he’d slip up during a game where they were playing for answers to questions.
Mentions: - Smooshums Bellz

 

[Misty Gray]

Adam Harper's House
~ Drumcondra, Dublin ~

Adam Harper​

Adam smiled at Blake when she thanked him for making sure to tell her about Elena in person. "You would have been one of the first people I told, after Chase, of course. Don't want the big softy to feel left out or anything," he joked. "But I just didn't want to be giving you more to think about when you already had enough on your mind."

Adam listened as Blake spoke about how she'd approached parenting as a widowed mother. She mentioned how she didn't freak out if her kids fell down, which Adam understood. When his godchildren hurt themselves, he didn't make too much fuss over it and tended to just get them to move on if no damage was done. He wasn't about wrapping anyone in cotton wool, so he expected that would be similar with Elena, that he wouldn't be in her face trying to play the overprotective father. Still, he wished he could have been there when she was younger, to give her a better childhood. "That's probably why you've got two tough kids, love. They take after you and know not to go around feelings sorry for themselves. I think you've done a spot on job and they're equipped to fend for themselves when it's time for them to fly the nest." He couldn't help but grin. "It's a good job, really. Ain't Nat dating Leo? If he's anything like Conor, she'll need the patience of a saint... But don't tell the boss I said that!" he joked.

Adam regained his serious expression when Blake reassured him about how to approach things with Elena. "Yeah, I'll be here if and when she needs me," he agreed. "And I could never be one of those parents. Part of why I left mine was because they were too in my face all the time. Then when they weren't in my face, it's because they'd disowned me for being a no-good crook," he said, flashing a roguish smile.

When asked if she'd told Elena about them, Adam lightly shrugged his shoulder. "Not really... I mean, I found out the truth about her while you and me were having our time out to think. I didn't wanted to be presumptuous or tempt fate by suggesting we were together, like, officially. But... She works at the pub and seems like a perceptive kid. She's got to have guessed something was going on, giving how much flirting you and me were doing when out drinking," he teased. "I will tell her though. I want her to know all about you, as well as Nat and Collin. I hope you can both get to know each other too. I don't want either of you to feel awkward," he reassured her.

"Come on," he said, reaching out to gently stroked her cheek after seeing her look worried. "There's nothing to worry about. She'll think you're great and you'll like her too. We've all faced bigger concerns than this, so let's relax, yeah?" He then moved his hand to rest on her shoulder as he leaned in to give her a kiss. As he pulled head back, he flashed her a boyish smile. "On a scale of one to ten - how hungry do you feel right now?"

Bellz (Blake)

Biancardi Residence
~ Queens, New York City ~

Conor Sullivan and Riccardo Biancardi​

Conor took the documents from Ricky when he passed them. Whilst he was listened to those speaking around him, he wasted no time in starting to read the document. He wasn't sure he believed everything Teddy told him about the men who attacked Sinead and Liam, but given all the people in Dublin in need of reassurance, he wanted to wash his hands of the Morettis. If accepting a likely mistruth meant he didn't have to bother with Gabriel again nor watch any of his loved ones suffer, Conor was going to accept it.

Conor listened to the terms as Teddy spoke them, nodding as they basically summarised what was printed on paper. "I can't disagree with that. Besides, I'd win the contest," he remarked, smirking in response to the 'dick measuring contests' comment. Conor then peered over the paper to eye Ricky as it was mentioned he'd continue to handle the stuff in-between. He had to exercise a lot of control not to make a remark in that moment. Really, what was stopping him from making a comment about Ricky's integrity was both not wanting the meeting to turn sour and wanting to honour Roxie's wish to stay quiet. Other than that, he didn't give a damn about exposing Ricky's secret, that he'd tried to have his own cousin killed. Besides, a snake like Moretti might admire such ruthlessness.

Conor placed the paper down on the table as Peter questioned Ricky about how the changes would affect the Biancardis. Ricky shook his head when asked about choosing a side. "Regardless of any personal feelings Roxie and I might have for either of the other families involved, it's not about picking sides. It's especially not going to be about that if you all here agree to this contract. You shouldn't require a mediator if you're all sticking to the terms," he pointed out. "I know New York and its businesses like the back of my hand. Roxie knows much more about Dublin. At the end of the day, this is business. It's money. I will do whatever is most financially beneficial for my family, which I would expect Roxie would do too."

With regards to ensuring Sullivan safety should they step foot in New York, Ricky let out a sigh. "I don't want shit going down on my doorstep, and as the boss, Roxie wouldn't either. She's the one in charge, so if you don't want to trust me, then you sort our your peace of mind through her. Nobody can ever be completely safe, no matter what steps are taken." Ricky had to take a long drink from his glass to wash down his urge to point out the attack in London a couple of weeks earlier. Conor might have dirt on him for trying to kill his own cousin and for his part in involving Cristina, but Ricky was sitting across from two of the men responsible for attacking the Kings. Callum's grandfather and great uncle - both willing to risk killing Callum's own father. Ricky knew he wasn't a good person, but everyone sitting at the table had no right to question each others' morality.

"Ricky, I wouldn't trust you to arrange the safety of a houseplant. If my lot need to be in New York, I will make sure it's safe. Don't you worry yourself over that," Conor commented, barely bothering to look at the man. He then focused on Teddy with a hollow smile. "I agree. No more tit-for-tat. Our terms are the same. No Morettis to step foot in Ireland without clearance. Certainly none of you lot in Dublin. I have people across Ireland loyal to me and they don't want your lot on their territory either. Deal?"

Melanin-Gxdess (Teddy)
Bellz (Peter)

May Thatcher's Place
~ East London ~

Christian Brooks​

Christian lightly shrugged his shoulders when Tom suggested too much mothering was better than too little. When May mentioned how his mother seemed like a lovely woman, he opted not to elaborate on the matter. Of course, his mother was better than what many people had, but there had been a lot of tension when he didn't follow the career path they wanted him to. They were unimpressed when they heard he'd quit being a Detective and would be extremely disappointed to learn he was working for a crime family now. As such, he kept his visits to a minimum, only seeing his parents and brother when he really had to - and to stop them from feeling the need to come to see him! "I will take you up on that offer, May," he said, when she said she'd been glad to cook for himself whenever he wanted. "As long as it comes without the subtle disappointment and cutting remarks about wasted potential," he joked.

When May said she couldn't see him as a lawyer, he smiled back at her. "In my experience, lawyers have about as much integrity as the criminals they're defending. Rather than be paid to protect a lie, I'd rather be employed to find the truth, even if it doesn't pay so well." He nodded his head when May explained to Tom that he was going to track down her real father. "It's in the early stages of the case. As in, May only showed me the photograph less than one hour ago!"

When Tom questioned what he did that made him able to track down May's father, Christian didn't hesitate to answer, even though the younger man was glaring at him. "I'm a private investigator. If--" he was cut short as felt May kick his shin. He tried to stifle the initial reaction, but still shot May a curious look. Clearing his throat he decided to continue answering the question, figuring Tom needed some kind of an answer, especially if he was going to stop looking at him so intensely. "I used to be a detective for the Met Police, until I found out just how much corruption there was within the force. It reached a point where I couldn't be associated with them. Now, I help those who come to me and I don't hide behind a dodgy uniform to do it."

BasDorcha (May)

Syd Porter's House
~ £100 and I'll snitch with the location, Dublin ~

James Porter and George Sanderson-Sullivan
​

James couldn't help but laugh when Finn said he had the rest of his life, until at least 100, to look forward to. "I never used to do much looking forward, y'know. I thought I was going to die well before my mid-twenties, so every birthday since is a bloody surprise to me," he half-joked. "And if I've still got at least a couple more decades left in me, then fuck knows how I've managed it!"

James nodded when Finn questioned if Elena was Thomas' first girlfriend. "Well, she's the first I know about," he said, shrugging his shoulders. "Hopefully she sticks around. Not that I'm doubting my son, but I think she came here from Cuba. She might not want to stick around Dublin when she realises how shit the weather is." James grinned at the mention of young adults not rushing into getting pregnant anymore. "I think for many of us that's a good thing. There's enough kids in the family for now. Quota filled," he remarked.

Nodding along, James thought about Thomas joining the army. Had he not been in prison, he would have done his best to talk him out of it. Granted, James often wondered if him going to jail was the reason Thomas enlisted at all. James hadn't been in the army himself, but he had a lot of experience as a mob soldier, of torture, and of hostage situations. He wouldn't wish it on his son and he had hoped to keep him well away from such things. "And now he's working for Conor. For all my best efforts," he sadly added. "Syd, Thomas, and if she had her way, Olivia too. I was hoping to break the cycle of us inheriting that lifestyle."

When asked about Syd, James faintly smiled. "You know what? Syd seems to be doing alright. For once, he's the one of my lot I'm least worried about. Of course, he has his moments, but he seems well. Maybe having three kids around keeps him too busy to overthink."

Bellz (Finn)

 

[Pyroclast]

Sicilian Avenue
~ Bloomsbury, London ~

Tatiana Moretti​

Without giving much at all away with her words, Tatiana was largely left to figure out Jocelyn based on her expressions and body language. The look of wonder in her eyes as gazed through the window down at the street below, the awe as she took in the beautiful paintings that surrounded them. From that alone she could tell that the woman was enjoying herself, and Tatiana felt unexpectedly proud of herself for being able to impress her.

Still, she was a little taken aback when Jocelyn leaned over the table and kissed her on the cheek. “Oh,” she gasped softly, a broad, bright smile spreading across her face as she caught the blush on Jocelyn’s cheeks. She wasn’t used to this type of flirting. Non-verbal flirting only for places where the music was too loud, or they had other company - yet, even when she and Jocelyn were alone, she found it challenging to flirt verbally with a woman who was practically mute. She just couldn’t ignore the chemistry the two seemed to share, and had to be reminded by little things like a kiss on the cheek that it wasn’t all just in her head.

The woman placed her notebook in front of Tatiana, which she had been using to help her communicate when she couldn’t get her words out. Except, it wasn’t words this time she was trying to communicate, but rather art. The first was a sketch in watercolour and ink of Tatiana on the sofa with Eightball asleep beside her. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Jocelyn smiling warmly at the picture, something that clearly brought her comfort. She remembered certain nights where Jocelyn would sit at the table with her sketchbook, and Tatiana would leave her to it, but she hadn’t seen much of what she actually painted.

The next sketch was of the leftover Chinese food. “I remember that,” she said with a soft chuckle. “We ordered way too much and ended up eating leftovers for days. Is it still your favourite food when it’s three days old?”

Jocelyn showed her another, a couple standing in front of some old building, and she informed her that they were her parents. Tatiana gazed at the image, trying to make out details, perhaps some resemblance to Jocelyn. It was a flattering image, so she imagined that Jocelyn had a good relationship with them. “Do you miss them, then?” she asked. “Are they back in the states still?”

Finally, she showed her an image that could have been of any number of moments. Something that by now had become so natural it made sense to her that she had been able to draw it from memory. Still, it was impressive - Tatiana had no such artistic skill herself. An irrepressible smile tugged at the corners of her lips and she looked up to see Jocelyn blushing only a little more than she herself was.

“Wow, we have a rival artist in the house?”

Tatiana looked up to see the waiter standing a few feet away from their table. She sent the young man a smile, hoping he hadn’t embarrassed Jocelyn. Catching her date’s eye, she sent her a reassuring, somewhat flirtatious smile. “You want a drink?” After a moment’s thought, she looked up at the waiter and ordered herself a Paloma cocktail, along with whatever Jocelyn had chosen.

Once he was gone, Tatiana glanced at the sketchbook again. Bringing an elbow to rest upon the table, she leaned towards Jocelyn and propped her head up on her hand. “I really liked those pictures,” she softly spoke, gently biting down on her lip. “Is that how you see us, then? What are we, exactly? What do you want to be?”

Interactions
BasDorcha Jocelyn

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

McCarthy Residence
~ Sutton, Dublin ~
Leo Sullivan

​

As Leo scratched the back of his head nervously, Natasha called him out on her making him feel nervous. He let out a light chuckle and shook his head. "I'm not- Pfft, nervous. Cool as a cucumber," he said almost as if trying to convince himself. Luckily she thought it was too soon for the two of them to be taking any of those steps in their relationship. Honestly speaking he knew this and he knew she would feel the same but something about actually hearing it out loud and having to think about that freaked him out. He'd pictured himself getting married and having kids - Natasha now filling in the blanks - but it was always after he and whoever he ended up dating had enjoyed their youth first, much like his parents had.

Leo wasn't as dense as he was sometimes perceived to be. He knew how to read a room and it seemed as if he'd mentioned something he shouldn't have. The last time the two of them spoke about him possibly taking over one day she had gotten upset with him. He understood that this mob life is what took her father from her and that she had to grow up without him. It made sense for her to want nothing to do with their business and even wanted to get as far away from it as possible. But, to Leo, it was his responsibility. Conor and Aliana had never told Leo he was going to or even had to take over when Conor eventually stepped down. The choice was his and he felt like it was the right choice to make. When she asked if he wanted the violence that followed the mob to be his entire life, he opened his mouth to respond only to close it when he saw that look in her eyes.

She was hurt - understandably so. He was standing there telling her that he would rather risk his life every day than be in their blissful bubble. But that wasn't what he was saying at all. Leo just knew if he were in charge he'd be able to keep things under control and that they wouldn't go to shit every other week. He had high hopes, sure, but he knew he'd be determined enough to make sure he came home to her every day and that she was safe. "Nat, it won't be like this forever," he said softly, looking down at the counter. "Conor's in New York signing a peace treaty. That shit with the Morettis - it's over. They're not going to hurt us anymore." He knew it was naive to believe that they were safe from enemies, but he really wanted that to be the case. Leo wasn't sure he'd be able to keep it together if another one of his family members were attacked again.

Watching as she turned from him, he muttered to himself. Pushing off the counter he walked in her direction to try and comfort her. Of course, this was about Jackson - how could it not be? Even if she was young when he died she still felt his absence. Jackson died because of meaningless mob violence, so Natasha's apprehension about Leo stepping in made sense. "Look, I'm sorry," he said, reaching for her elbow to try and get her to face him. "I didn't mean to upset you. I mean, I don't even know if it's what I really want, you know? Just... An option." Even though he was saying it to try and make her feel better, he was being honest. Just because it felt like his responsibility didn't mean it was absolute that Conor would even be up for it. There were still a lot of moving pieces that needed to be placed before he made it final. "What I do know, is that you're important to me and I never want to hurt you," he paused, letting out a chuckle. "Considering Conor and Syd will kill me if I do," he joked, hoping to at least get her to smile. "I know you didn't have your dad growing up but I promise that if I do this things will be different."

​

Natasha ( Bellz )

 

[Bellz]

Harper King
Le Hospital
~London, England~ ​

Harper let out an exasperated groan as Jeremy said that she’d have to have the heart monitor stickers back on. "The glue was making me itch." She grumbled, even though that wasn’t the reason she took them off. Harper normally would have been quick to swipe his hands away, but she wasn’t going to be the one to put the stickers back on. When the beeping continued, Harper looked to the monitor and glared at it once more.

"Really, only half an hour? It felt like forever." Harper commented in a less irritated tone as the time she had been asleep caught her by surprise. "Sorry I fell asleep in the middle of our conversation…this shit they have me on is a lot to handle." The blonde said as she looked at the near-empty bag. It looked like he was going to say something more and Harper raised her brow in an expectant manner, waiting for him to speak.

Instead, he grabbed a piece of paper that had been left by one of the nurses and started folding it. Despite her current state and things that had happened recently being hazy in her memory, she did have a lot of her long-term memory intact. Seeing him fold that paper had reminded her of all those years ago when they had been sitting on the back porch of his house. Harper had escaped the rowdy party that her brothers had gotten too drunk at. Jeremy had stepped outside to escape from Billy’s cat-screeching voices as he sang Elton John songs.

It was so long ago but the memory was fresh in Harper’s mind. Jeremy asked if she remembered and Harper’s lips curved into a weak smile. Before she could answer he had started reciting the same poem he had all those years ago. He folded the paper into a flower as he had years ago and for a moment, everything to Harper had seemed perfectly normal. Then the beeping of the heart monitor reminded her that everything was falling apart.

"Jeremy." Harper said, looking at him intently as she took the flower from him. She knew what he was doing, she knew what he felt. Harper wasn’t an idiot. She was far more emotionally intact than anyone in her life and that included the man sitting before her. He had been pining over her for years and Harper kept him at an arm's length for fear of hurting him. Her family didn’t exactly have the best track record for relationships. Sure, Spencer and Shona were together now but Harper didn’t want Jeremy to become the first husband or first partner that she loathed with everything she had. She didn’t want to put him in that position or her brother’s in that position.

Now, with her surrounded by wires, having nearly died…Harper didn’t feel she was in a position to be selfish and allow herself to be wrapped in a relationship that could end all too soon. Harper knew she wasn’t herself, she’d become dependent on the pain meds. Despite her healing physically, she knew that she would be fighting for her life once she left the hospital. It wasn’t fair to drag him into that.

"I know what you’re doing." Harper said, her voice raspy as it became dry. "You don’t want to get caught up in my shit. Trust me."
with: Jeremy BasDorcha

 

[BasDorcha]

Le Hell​

Jeremy Gray​

Jeremy froze for a fraction of a second, suddenly very, very in control. The flower fell from his hand before he touched her, dropping into her palm. In an attempt to fight the sudden stabbing pain in his chest, the feeling like someone had put him in a vice grip and started tightening it until he couldn’t move, he stood. When standing did nothing, he walked away, slowly, his hands shoved into his pocket as if he wished to rip the inner seams out. Everything he had feared came boiling through in a vicious way. Would she remember this in a few days? Did she really know? How could she, he wasn’t sure she had ever loved another the way he felt about her. If she thought turning him down would end it, she knew nothing of the depth of his feelings.

He lifted his thumb to his teeth, and in a rarely seen move, began chewing on his thumb, collecting his thought like he was completing a puzzle. In his mind, faster then it felt, he was weighing and measuring the pieces and seeing the best arrangement. Since they had been back around each other, Jeremy had been so attached that she had yet to feel anything other then annoyance at him being there. She had no moment that made her realize what it might be if he wasn’t around anymore. If he could help it, she never would in that sense.

His heart told him she spoke from some sense of fear or misunderstood need to protecting him, but young as she was, she did not understand that he had enough sense and experience to know the difference – and enough wisdom to know he still did not know enough. It was easy, with the people in her life, to see why she might think love was so easily disposable. Jeremy knew nothing of that world.

Turning back around, he went back to her side, a single decision made. At the very least, if she was going to tell him it would never happen, he was going to make it worth his while. Sitting on the edge of the bed, careful not to hurt her as he did so, he leaned in like he did many years ago and brought their eyes close together.

“Lips like petals, soft and sweet, A gaze like honey, still’s the feet. The scent that lingers, drives you insane, Like its own strong drug, straight to the brain. Your breath will catch, as the air blows near, Your hand retracts, as you fight your fears.” He paused, all guards down, a new, intense look adding a rose glow to his skin. His voice stayed soft, just loud enough for her to hear, and his breath warmed the space between them.

“The heart it beats, if not for you, The soul it clings, to a full surrender. Push, pull, divide or thrive, My place in this life…” He struggled with the last sentence, as he tried to hold on to his resolve. After this, he was leaving, not forever, but for the night. He needed space to clear his head. After tonight, he would never mention this again, never allow himself to act so… uncontrolled again. Everything he had practiced for years would become essential to performing his job and only his job. He took a deep, steadying breath and finished, “Is at your side.”

Not allowing himself a moment to back out, he touched his lips to hers. Maybe she felt nothing, but he felt everything. It was a gentle but strong kiss, his blood pressure and heart beat so high and so fast his ears buzzed. If she pushed, shoved, he’d give instantly. If she didn’t, he’d add just a touch more intensity before sitting back. “If you’re going to tell me no, Harper Elizabeth King, you better mean it.”
Mentions: Bellz - Evil mistress

 

[Bellz]

Finn Sullivan
Lucy Porter
Syd's House
~ At this point I have no idea where he actually lives ~​

Finn sighed, knowing that Thomas was now working for Conor but was wanting to avoid the topic if possible. "From what I've heard, it's hard o pull servicemen out of the need to be in combat. I think, while I know you wish things were different, I think it's most likely going to be a positive thing for him...at least for now." Finn tried to reassure. "Maybe he just needs a distraction right now."

Finn was glad to hear that Syd was someone that James worried about the least. He knew well that Syd had been the one who everyone worried about for a long time. "Ah kids can certainly be a good distraction. Though I've got to say, I think he has someone distracting him as well." The doctor looked to his husband with a smile, "He was giving Roxie the same eyes that I give my loving husband here."

Lucy had just finished doing what needed to be done, for now, she worked her magic on making snacks and drinks and now she could take a moment to just soak in the party. The blonde walked out of the kitchen and noticed that the dining room doors had been closed. She paused in the hallway and stared at the closed door in confusion. Lucy walked towards the doors slowly but stopped just shy of them. Reaching her hand up to open them, something stopped her from doing so.

A small smirk formed on her face, before she turned and headed towards the living room. While Lucy wasn't someone who wished for anyone to rush into anything, she too had seen the look on her son's face and Roxie's face before they acknowledged her. She was a big believer in fate and letting the universe work itself out but Lucy was just doing the universe's work by pushing some things along. If it wasn't meant to be then it wouldn't be. But they'd never know until they tried.

Walking into the living room, she heard the tail end of what Finn was saying and Lucy smiled. "Are we gossiping in here without me?" Lucy faked offense, placing a hand to her heart. "I'm extremely hurt. You know I love to gossip." She said, looking to her husband and Finn and George with a knowing smile before moving to take a seat next to James.

"Everything's just about done, figured I'd let the kids get out any excess energy now. I don't think Syd and Roxie are quite done with the decorating so I'll give them time to set everything straight." There was a hidden meaning behind those words but Lucy wouldn't elaborate any further.

"So," She said, clapping her hands together. "Finn, George, how are Robert and Melissa? I feel like we haven't seen them in forever! When are they planning on paying us all a visit?" Lucy asked, changing the subject as she looked to the couple across from her.
with: James + George Misty Gray
mentions: The two crybabies about to break a piano Pyroclast

 

[Bellz]

Harper King
Le Hospital
~ London, England ~
​

Harper watched Jeremy closely as he got up from his chair. He was clearly upset about what she said but he wasn't yelling at her or telling her off, which perplexed her. The blonde had experienced her fair share of heartbreak and she acted wildly compared to the man sitting before her. Her eyes didn't water this time around...her heart was steady. Harper continued to watch as he nervously chewed on his thumb, looking confused.

When she thought he was about to walk out that door she held her breath. But he surprised her by turning back around and sitting back down beside her bed. He leaned in close and Harper met his eyes, wondering what he was going to say, if anything at all. She listened to him speak. His words were elegant, lyrical and sweet which made Harper feel like it was going to be even more painful to let him down.

Her jaw set with emotion as she forced herself to remain in control. The words were so beautiful and if Harper hadn't been fighting to protect him she would have admitted it. Every memory she had with him, be it annoying, sweet or otherwise had been ones she wanted to keep, ones that she didn't want to fall to the wayside as new traumatic ones took their place. Preserving the memories she did have were extremely important to her and making sure to let him down slowly was also important.

He finished his words and Harper was about to seize the opportunity to say something but his lips pressed against hers. In the slight haze of everything she had been on while in the hospital, Harper allowed the kiss to go on for a second longer than she wanted before her weak arms shoved at his chest gently, forcing him to sit back in his chair. He was making this so incredibly difficult and she was beginning to get frustrated not only with herself but him as well. "Jeremy, I said I can't. Please, please, just understand that, okay?" Harper said through clenched teeth as she looked him in the eyes. The expression on her face was dead serious and she was doing everything in her power to keep it that way.

She couldn't, no wouldn't let this man string himself along and she wouldn't continue to allow himself to any further. "This isn't the time, nor the place. I don't know how to make it any clearer to you." Harper said, her voice taking on a harsh tone as she began to get more and more frustrated. "I just...you need to..." Harper couldn't spit it out. "Please." Was all she said, begging him to just stop before she turned her face away from looking at him saving herself from any further pain the situation could cause.
with: Jeremy BasDorcha

 

[Bellz]

Natasha McCarthy
McCarthy Residence
~ Sutton, Dublin ~​

Leo stated that the situation their family was in with Moretti wouldn’t last forever and that rendered a bitter laugh from her. "I believe the same thing was said about 13 years ago, Leo." The blonde shook her head but looked to him as he said Conor was in New York signing a peace treaty. It all sounded too familiar, a treaty had been signed years and years ago! Did that stop this war from happening? No, it didn’t. "Peace treaties, in theory, are supposed to work the way we want them to but in practice, it’s always chaos that ensues from them. Treaties down mean shit to Moretti, you know that. If they did, you and your mom wouldn’t have been attacked!" Nat wasn’t one to snap at people usually but this conversation brought about such terrible feeling that she just couldn’t control what she was saying.

She was still facing away from him when she forced her eyes to close, taking a deep breath to control her emotions. This was not how she was expecting the rest of the night to go. Leo grabbed her elbow gently and she didn’t fight him as he turned her around. Her eyes opened and she looked into him as he apologized. He said he wasn’t even sure if that was what he really wanted and that didn’t exactly make Nat feel any better. It sounded like he was considering this more out of duty rather than a desire to actually do it.

The smallest of smiles formed on her lips as he stated what he did know. She was important to him and he never wanted to hurt her. Of course, she knew that what he was saying wasn’t meant to intentionally hurt her but it was difficult. Natasha rolled her eyes as he mentioned Conor and Syd killing him if he hurt her. "I can take care of myself, you know. You’d be dead by my hands before they had the chance." She was 100% teasing of course, but she gave him a wicked grin to show that she forgave him for before. When he said that if he went ahead and did this, things would be different and Natasha’s smile faded softly. "I love you, but let’s not make promises that you might not be able to keep, hmm?" Nat said, "I’ve been a part of your family for far too long so I know just how many times that’s been said to every single woman in your family." She murmured before smirking at him again.

"Sorry you had to see me like that, all of this has just been overwhelming…and I’m sure even more so for you."
with: Leo Melanin-Gxdess

 

[BasDorcha]

May's Place
Maeve and Tom Thatcher

​

When May realized Christian was who she hit, she thought surely he was going to be angry – she had only been trying to get her brother to stop, well, acting like her brother. She stared at her soup as if it would whisk her away from the embarrassment and endured the look from Christian that she could feel. Glad though, to realize that Christian could tell him without it being an issue, she didn’t want to get him in trouble or herself.

Tom looked at the man carefully as he finished his sandwich. Nodding, some of the threat look in his eyes easing, he finally looked away and tipped back the rest of his soup. He stood with a stretch and kissed his sister on the head as he took his dishes to the sink. With her crimson face, she looked up at Christian with big doe eyes and apologized. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to kick you. He’s just… over protective sometimes. It’s gotten worse since he was in the military. By the way, if I haven’t said it already, thank you for helping me. Do I owe you anything?”

Tom came back through and grabbed his bag, headed to the back of the apartment, only to realize there was only one bed. “May, I’m gonna go grab a hotel, I don’t want to steal your bed. I’ll come over first thing tomorrow though, yeah?”

May’s short and quick response had Tom out the door a moment later. Now looking very shy but smiling none the less, she checked to see how Christian was doing on his food. She returned to the table, leaving about half her food sitting. “I’m sorry if he said anything weird… Do… do you still want to go out to twenties night with me? I have a dress I think would be perfect for it.” The flush on her face was pretty, and a finger twirled a strand of hair around it. Mentally she tried to prepare herself for a no, but a big part of her hoped it wasn’t.

Mentions: Misty Gray - Christian​

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


Sicilian Avenue
Jocelyn Jones

​

Jocelyn couldn’t help the gentle sway of grins and blushes that occurred as she responded to the pictures. When asked if Chinese food was her favorite on day three of leftovers, the gave a simple, “Yuck,” in response. The next question about her family being missed and in the states were answered with quick nods, before she pulled up her chair next to Tatiana and sat down, knee to knee. The waiter interrupted momentarily, and Josie quickly waved two fingers when Tati ordered her drink, requesting to make it two of the same.

Jocelyn wasn’t bothered at all about anyone seeing her sketched paintings, she almost seemed proud to show off the last one, as if she wanted everyone to know that it was important to her. She waited for the server to leave, she turned back to Tati noticing how much closer she was and nearly leant in to kiss properly, but Tati had made it clear she wasn’t ready for that.

Deciding she wanted Tati to hear her response, she swallowed, and her voice came soft, and low, if not a bit slow. “You’re my… angel. I… want to… be yours.” It was hard to speak to much, so she chose the words that gave the most direct answer in the shortest route. It was definitely worth saying, in her opinion. She had made a lot of progress just being around Tati. Why did her mouth not form words at first? She didn’t know, maybe she was just scared of what she’d say, or that she’d break. Then, when she felt ready to talk, it was like her voice had gotten unused to it, and it hurt to speak to much.

For Tati though? She was pushing herself more and more every day to get back to a point where they could speak freely. There were so many things she wanted to say and ask, but she knew it would come in time. All she wanted right now was to keep spending time with the woman she had this inexplicable attraction too. Part of her worried she’d want to eventually kick her out, but she tried not to think about it to much. Jocelyn followed her heart, always.


Mentions: Pyroclast - Tatiana

**************************​

Exiting the Hospital
Jeremy 'Fuck You' Gray​

That was all that needed to be said. The look on Jeremy’s face instantly changed to stone, emotionless and unflinching. Her hands dropped from his chest as he sat back with a flash of unpredicted speed, and instantly removed himself from the bed. “As you wish.” Jeremy picked up his now crumpled flower from her bed, crumpling it and tossing it in the waste basket beside the bed. Without a sound, he calmly cleaned up his things, put them into his bag, and prepared to leave.

If he looked at her, it would kill him, so he didn’t. She said it wasn’t the time or the place, but he had nearly lost her two weeks ago without ever telling her, and it made him realize without a doubt there was never a right time or place. The strain of staying calm in front of her was visible in the tenseness of his body, the way he moved somewhat robotically, until all of his things were on his back. He still couldn’t look at her, carefully keeping his face out of her view.

One last sweep around the room told him he had everything, his eyes quickly glanced at everything hooked up to make sure the slightest alarm would trigger if she started trying to remove things again, and without another word, he left.

Outside her room, past her view, he staggered to a stop, catching himself on the nurse’s station. He wasn’t sure how long had passed, but he finally asked for a phone. He called Spencer’s pager, knowing it would reach him wherever he was. Then he called Alex’s. No answer from either. Jeremy made one last call to another one of the guys employed in the firm, bit lower level, kind of a greenhorn, but he was a good kid, asking him if he could come babysit his assignment for him to take a break.

The kid agreed, and he finally sat down the receiver. Stepping out into the stairwell, the tears finally started to seep out of his eyes as his whole body sagged. A flashing second later, he slammed his hand into the hard bricks, a resounding crack piercing the air. He growled, but felt it a lot less then he should have. He wasn’t going back in there, except to leave. In fact, he wasn’t going back in there. He opened the door, called a nurse and explain he was leaving and someone else would be coming to sit with Harper, then left by the stairwell door.

When the fresh outside air hit him, the light hurt his eyes, he’d been in there for so long. He called up a cab, asking them to take him to his house, where he threw down everything but his wallet and pager, before leaving again, headed for the closest bar. For now, no ones wrath scared him enough to effect his decisions, and with that in mind, he already knew he was in for bad choices.

Mentions: Bellz – That bitch[/imagefloat]

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

McCarthy Residence
~ Sutton, Dublin ~
Leo Sullivan

​

Hearing Natasha snap at him made him take a beat to think about her words. It was naive of him to even think that the peace meeting would even work for long - it hadn't when they left New York, so why would it now? Leo's hope was that this time around, after the attacks from both sides, they were done for good. They'd both committed atrocities against one another and surely they had to be tired of the back and forth by now. If they kept it up the only people alive would be Conor and Gabriel and even then the two of them wouldn't cease to end the violence. Hopefully, things wouldn't get to that point and they would be able to leave one another alone. "You're right, of course, but I can't help but be hopeful."

The conversation they were currently having was not one he thought they'd be having after the moment they shared not even a whole ten minutes ago. He figured they'd eat some pizza, drink some more, and maybe even go back upstairs for another round or two. But instead, they were having an intense conversation - borderline argument - about what Leo wanted to do in the future. He knew how much the decision would affect his relationship with Nat which is why he was approaching it so delicately. If he'd learned anything from his parents - and boy did he learn a lot - it was that he needed to communicate things clearly and take her feelings into account. This is why he hadn't straight up shut her down and told her to get off his back - like he may have done in the past.

She'd finally turned to face him and let him bring her into an embrace with a smile on her face. After she told him she'd kill him before the others had a chance he chuckled. "But you're so small. I can toss you with no problems, you know." He joked, trying to keep up with the more positive change. It was a good night for a change, an amazing night, and he didn't want to end it on a note where they were bickering like an old married couple. He knew she was only saying all of this because she cared - because of what happened to Jackson and even the majority of his family members. She asked him not to make promises he couldn't keep and he couldn't help but think of his mother. Conor had made promises to Aliana all the time and had even broken a few. Though he knew his father did his best to uphold those promises, certain things were out of his control.

Leo nodded his head in agreement. "Alright, I won't." He paused for a moment before playfully narrowing his eyes at her. "You love me, huh? Can't get tired of saying it can you? It's okay, I know how irresistible I am." He smiled down at her, kissing the top of her head before letting her go again. She apologized for snapping at him, but before he could reassure her that it was fine she mentioned how rough and overwhelming things had been. He hadn't talked in explicit detail about how he felt about things, but he figured maybe he should. "Yeah, it's a lot. Especially when you don't know how to bring it up," he said, moving to refill his drink. "How do you tell the man you've looked up to your whole life that you're disappointed in him and angry without making him feel like he's alone? My mom does that plenty - and while it pisses me off that she's never been as supportive as she thinks, she has a point this time." After taking a long sip from his cup, he looked up at her and shrugged. "He's a different person and it's not even his fault. You understand why I'm so conflicted?"

​

Natasha ( Bellz )

Sullivan Family Home
~Dublin, Ireland~

Aliana Sullivan

​

Though Michelle had been all for a party, she wanted to wait until the kids were in Dublin as well. Aliana nodded her head in understanding. "Then we'll wait!" She said, turning to Sinead. "You think I can trick Lucy into throwing it or do you think she'll make me do it on my own?" She joked, knowing full well if she asked the woman for help she would. Ali was all for parties - it was the setting them up part that she always struggled with. You'd think someone that's owned several restaurants would be fine organizing small family events, but alas. "Stay as long as you need to. Don't feel like you have to rush out of here. And I'm sure we can find you some work somewhere. As many businesses as we own there's always something for the family." She reassured her with a friendly smile. "If you need help looking for a place to stay, I bet Roxie would be of help?" She turned to Sinead once more for confirmation before returning to Michelle.

"Pfft, your guess is as good as mine," she stated with a slight laugh. "I used to have to lean down to hug him and now it's the other way around." Ali let out a reminiscent sigh, remembering the days when he would be under her all day. The two of them would stay in bed late watching movies and eating junk food together. The majority of her time had been spent with her son and she couldn't help but miss those days a little. Now he was out of the house enjoying time with his friends and his new girlfriend - living his life the way he should. However, she wished the two of them could at least spend a bit more time together. Her whole family, really. Ali had been staring down at the top of Sydney's head, lost in thought as Michelle continued speaking.

She finally looked back up and over at her when she heard she had left the kids behind to get things together for them. "Fair enough. We did the same when we moved to New York and then back here. It makes the whole process so much easier - especially when you have kids." She listened intently as Michelle explained her ex was a good father, but a horrible husband. "That's usually how it goes," she said, rubbing her hand through Sydney's hair. After a brief moment, Ali snapped her fingers together. "Oh I've been meaning to ask you by the way," she said to Michelle. "How's your mother?"
Sinead ( Misty Gray )
Michelle ( BasDorcha )

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Local Pub
~Bethnal Green - London~

Nikita Blake

​

The worst thing about not being in the military was that you were always bored. At least in her former unit, she had something to do every single day. Now? Now she was lucky if she were able to rough someone up in an alleyway. Her days of killing or even torturing someone had quickly dwindled until she wasn't even doing so once a month. People in the King's territory weren't as dumb as she had hoped, meaning she would continue to have an itchy finger until that dumb soul finally rolled around. In the meantime, she was stuck in her apartment looking at the four walls that surrounded her. That is until she got tired of seeing them all the time. In a fit of frustration, she snatched her jacket off the back of the couch and left her apartment building. She wasn't sure where she was going or what she was about to do tonight, but she figured when she found something she'd be set. The last place she'd have thought her feet would take her was the pub not too far from her apartment. Being around people wasn't exactly the best idea because of her PTSD and her overall dislike of people period, but maybe she would be able to find some sort of plaything to keep her entertained for the night.

She was sitting at the bar for no more than five minutes when she was approached by a man shorter than she was. Her drink hadn't even touched the coaster in front of her and for some reason, it pissed her off. Most people would usually wait for someone to get settled at the bar - let them get their drink order back before walking up and pestering them. But not this one. No, he seemed to be very ambitious and in the mood to press his luck. Unfortunately, because she hadn't gotten her drink yet, Kit wasn't in the mood to be bothered with. His failed flirting attempt resulted in him quickly walking away in fear. Kit had said something along the lines of, "Pull his intestines out from down his throat," and how easy it would be - that she had done it in the past. She hadn't, but the look on her face guaranteed no one would call her bluff on it.

After a few shots and a few more drinks, Kit thought she would at least feel a buzz or something - she had not. She scowled at herself and her inability to even get drunk. It'd been over an hour now and she was still bored. After seeing how many guys had failed to get her attention it seemed to have deterred any other men to walk up to her. While she was glad her abrasive attitude still held its effects, she was still annoyed that now she had even run out of people to scare. Maybe she should find someone to go home with? Scare them that way? A small smirk appeared on her face at the thought of it. She turned in her seat, back pressed against the bar as she scanned the room for her next victim when she saw Jeremy walk in. As one of King's main bodyguards and garbage woman she had to know everyone in the employ of the Kings. Jeremy was another bodyguard who took orders from Bruce. The last time she checked he was supposed to be at the hospital.

Watching as he sat next to her, she did a once over of him. "Aren't you supposed to be at the hospital?" She asked, thinking of all the possibilities for him to be at the bar with such a solemn look on his face. "Fuck, did she die?!" She said in reference to Harper. Apparently, the girl had been in bad shape and woken up a while ago, but Nikita knew that unless you actually let the hospital the chances of dying were still high. She let out a gasp and slammed her hand on the counter. "Oh my god, please tell me we get to go kill someone! I've been so goddamn bored since that thing with the girl and my hands are all itchy and clean," she said, disgusted by the thought.

Jeremy ( BasDorcha )

​

 

[BasDorcha]

Sullivan Family Home
Michelle Romano
​

When Ali mentioned her mother, Michelle’s eyes narrowed perceptibly. She had enough alcohol in her system to loosen her tongue, and lower her inhibitions. For a long time, she had felt like Aliana was the reason her mother, Alex, had never been able to make a life with her father. If not for Ali, when they came to Dublin when she was ten, she could have been in the same house as her father and grown up with both of her parents, instead of only being able to see one at a time, and her father only once or twice a year.

“Oh you know, she’s well. Her and my dad are off traveling the world, you know, instead of her having a life here in Dublin like she should.” The snarky response intoned a little heat behind it. For a moment she fell silent, sipping down more of the alcohol. When she sat the drink back down, she looked at the women surrounding her and decided it was time to get what she really thought off her chest. Worst comes to worst, she could always blame the alcohol later.

“Honestly, I’d rather you not talk about my mom, since you’re the reason her and my father never worked out. I know you think you’re being polite but I could have had a family with both of my parents, instead of divided holidays, my mom struggling alone, and a man whose not my father raising me.” The words had a curt edge to them as she attempted to keep her cool while saying it. The more she thought about it, the more aggravated she became. Looking at Sydney in her moms lap, and her other siblings who had just left the house a bit ago, her cheeks began to pink in anger.

That could have been her, this could have been her house, but no, she ended up halfway around the world, a lifetime away from her father. She loved her mom dearly, and she liked to think she had accepted the choices that others made affecting her childhood, but bringing it up while Michelle was just starting to get good and buzzed was probably a bad idea.
Mentions: Ali - Melanin-Gxdess Conor/Sinny - Misty Gray

 

[BasDorcha]

Local Pub
Jeremy Gray​

The sickening sensation in his stomach was too much. He already wanted to run back to her. He didn’t know what to do. His hand was swollen, turning purple and black across the back of it where the bone had cracked. He just wanted to stop feeling like he was feeling. Love her, hate her, he needed to be done with the feelings. He went to the bar to find someone to get over her with, but the moment he stepped into the door, he had to physically fight leaving again and running back to her. He stepped over to the bartender, asking for the phone. He called the nurses station, checking on her. When the nurses informed him Greg had shown up to watch Harper, he felt a bit relieved. Greg was young, but he was a hell of boxer as Jeremy had trained him, and a good shot.

Plus, he was gay. Gay as they came. Jeremy had figured it out when the younger man had tried to kiss him one night. Hanging up, not feeling better enough to look different. He went to step out the door, and looked up, seeing Nikita, a fellow bodyguard and clean up crew for the firm. She was a bit of a psycho, but he related. Right now, he wished he could take out all his frustration on someone and not in a way that any woman would want to help – except maybe Nikita. He sat down next to her, silent at first.

“Yep. I’m suppose to. I sent Greg. I was working with him in my free time, I think he’s ready to handle a baby sitting job, at least long enough for me to take a break. I’ve been with her day in and day out for… far to long now.” He ordered a bottle of whiskey, highest shelf, and threw down more than enough to cover the cost of it. The bartender brought over two glasses and he filled his like it was water, before sliding the other cup and bottle to Nikita.

“No she didn’t die…” Jeremy took a very large swig, emptying about half the glass. The wince on his face as it burned down his throat that had gone raw from swallowing down his feelings, he looked at her with a perked eye brown when she started talking about killing someone. “Want to take a trip to Dublin tonight? We’ll go take care of the one responsible for all the bullshit right now.” Jeremy didn’t sound like he was joking. He wanted to strangle Conor with his bare hands. If he had not blown the bar to hell, Harper would still be her normal self, and they would be fine.

Looking up across the bar, his eyes landed on a pretty brunette with fuck me eyes. For probably the first time since college, he picked up on it without trying. He picked up his cup and drained another quarter of it, keeping himself turned out, watching the girl who giggled like an idiot while watching him back.

“Take your pick Kit, a trip to Dublin or we try to pick up entertainment for the night.” The look on his face when he looked back at Kit was deadpan. His eyes had started to glaze over and turn red. There was a darkness in it, and sadness, that emanated from the eyes, that the man who had always remained stoic in front of others now showed. He wasn’t about to tell her blatantly that Harper had just crushed him. He understood it, it was her choice, he had promised Alex he wouldn’t force her and he had already stepped further over that line then he should have.

He should have known, Harper would never love him the way he loved her, she could not understand. He had wasted so much time. He blinked rapidly and turned his eyes back to easy to read woman across the bar, sipping on the remaining alcohol in his glass.

Mentions: Kit - Melanin-Gxdess Harper - Bellz