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

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter
Jane Carriveau-Porter​

Although Syd felt well-informed by now of the history of the Irish Mob, Conor’s own past wasn’t something that came up very often. The two had known each other for 36 years, supplying Syd with plenty of memories of his uncle during his wilder, less stable days - but now he seemed so well-established as the mob boss that he barely thought about him like that anymore. Until Conor brought it up, it hadn’t occurred to him that he had shared a similar situation with Roxie: grieving the loss of not just a family member, but also a leader, and being expected to fill their shoes. While Syd had been closer to Roxie, it sounded to him like Conor understood more about the path she was about to take. Just as he was pondering the possibility of Conor talking to Roxie instead, his uncle suggested getting everyone together for an official meeting. “You’re right... I’ll get her back on the phone, drive home everything she’s risking by doing this,” Syd nodded, pushing aside any feelings of discomfort at the thought of talking at length with his ex. “If she makes the decision to do it then I can’t stop her, but I just want to make sure she’s thought it through fully. So, I’ll get on the phone with her tonight to arrange a proper call to discuss it and I’ll let you know how that goes so we can move onto getting a meeting sorted out.”


When the car door wouldn’t open for Jeanie, Jane rested her back against it. “They’re always slow,” she yawned, before letting out an exhausted sigh. “Oh, I don’t want to have to study when we get home! I just want to get some ice cream, put the TV on and repaint my nails…” She held her hand out in front of her to examine the chipped paint that she had put on for the party a few days before. “What colour do you think -”

A sudden roar of gunfire made Jane jump out of her skin and she grabbed onto her sister in terror. Matthew shouted something and she immediately look over to him, just in time to see him, Roxie and JJ all collapse onto the ground in a heap. Jane screamed, not understanding what she was witnessing, and despite Reina’s firm instructions, she wouldn’t have moved from the spot had Jeanie not pulled her down to the ground beside her. The earsplitting gunfire echoed across the car park and Jane curled into a ball on the concrete, eyes squeezed shut and hands pressed firmly against her ears.

When the firing finally stopped and the cars that it had come from sped off down the street, Jane stayed on the ground, too terrified to open her eyes - but Jeanie was there and brought her to her feet. Before she could register her surroundings, her eyes were covered by her sister’s hands and she was told not to look. Jane didn’t push her hands away, too shaken to move or ask questions. Instead she waited, shaking and breathing heavily, for whatever was next - and when the car door was open she climbed inside, along with Jeanie and JJ. That’s when she realised that Matthew and their mother weren’t with them, and just as she was about to open the car door again to look for them, she heard JJ speaking on the phone, announcing that Matthew had been shot dead. Jane scrambled to look out of the window and saw her mother bending over Matthew, who lay lifeless on the ground. All at once she erupted into loud, terrified sobs, as she took in the horrifying scene.


Just as Syd was glancing down at his watch to see if Roxie and the children would still be at the pizzeria, the telephone rang. He let Conor pick it up since they were in his office, but he could hear the other end well enough from where he sat. There was no response at first, only rustling, which aroused some suspicion. Syd threw a cautious look at Conor, wondering if someone was trying to scare them. But then he heard a child’s frantic voice come through the line and as soon as he recognised it as his JJ’s, Syd launched himself at the phone and snatched it from his uncle’s hands. “JJ, is that you? Are you okay?” He heard the distress in his son’s voice, accompanied by the distinct sound of his daughters’ crying. “We’re on our way, get somewhere safe and wait for us!”

Only a few minutes later, Syd and Conor arrived at the car park. His heart was hammering in his chest at the thought of his children being caught in a shooting. Upon exiting the car, his eyes were instantly drawn to Roxie. The car park was filled with pedestrians, panicked customers being ushered to their cars by the restaurant staff, and a crowd had begun to gather on the street as they craned their necks to see the damage, but he saw her at the heart of it all, kneeling over Matthew’s body, and his heart broke at the sight. Even though they barely knew each other on a personal level these days, it still pained him to imagine what she must have been feeling in that moment. Still, he didn’t reckon he would be who she wanted at her side, so instead he went looking for his children. “Reina?” he called out to alert the woman that he and Conor had arrived. When she pointed him in the direction of the car, Syd looked to his uncle and placed his hands on his shoulders. “I’m taking the kids back to mine,” he announced. “I’ll call you later.”

Turning his back on the scene, Syd ran over to the car and opened the door to the backseat. Jane practically threw herself at him, still crying so hard she couldn’t speak. Syd caught her, and scooped Jeanie and JJ into his arms, too. There was nothing he could say to comfort them, because nothing would bring Matthew back. “I’m gonna take you home now,” he told them, his own voice thick with emotion. “We’ll be safe there. I’m gonna take you home and look after you alright? Reina and Conor will look after mam.” Syd kissed each of them on the head, tears coming to his eyes at the thought that he could have lost his children a few moments ago. “Okay, we’ve got to go now,” he told them, as he settled them into their seats and helped them with their seatbelts.

Syd listened to their cries the whole way home, keeping his own tears silent as he drove home a little too fast. There was no reason, as far as he knew, for Matthew to have been targeted, so he could only imagine that he had been covering Roxie. As much as he hated to admit it, it was far more likely that Roxie had been the intended target in the shooting given her recent change in role. Names and faces started flying through his mind; all the family members of hers back in New York whom he had tracked and spied on while he and Roxie had been together. After Stefano kidnapped and tortured her for weeks while she was pregnant with the twins, he couldn’t trust anyone in her family. Of course, it could have been someone else, anyone who wasn’t happy about Roxie taking over the business - word travelled fast without Roxie even having to sign any official documents. It could have been an act of misogyny, of personal dislike, or even because of her ties to the Sullivans through him and their three children. And of course, so soon after Giovanni’s will reading, he knew that jealousy could be at play, too.

Once they were inside, Syd locked the door and went to fill a jug of water, carrying it with three glasses and a big bar of chocolate into the living room. He placed everything on the coffee table and then grabbed a few blankets from the sofas to drape around his children for comfort. “You’re all going to stay here with me tonight, okay?” he said, as he sat down on the rug with them. “I’m gonna be here, right here beside you, all night.”

“They killed him!” Jane sobbed, the first words she had managed to get out since the shooting occurred. She was kneeling on the rug beside him, bent over her knees, her movements completely dictated by the sobs that poured out of her. Syd reached out and pulled her gently into his lap. “I’m sorry,” he muttered, struggling not to choke up again as he stroked his daughter’s hair. “I’m sorry there are bad people in this world, I’m sorry you had to experience that…” Doing his best to remain composed for their sake, Syd looked to Jeanie and JJ. “You were so brave, getting in the car and phoning for help. That was the best thing to do. I’m proud of you all.” Letting Jane rest her head in his lap, Syd reached up to pour out the glasses of water before opening the chocolate bar and starting to break pieces off. “Drink,” he gently but firmly ordered, wanting to make sure they stayed hydrated after all the crying. “And eat the chocolate, it’s good for you after a shock like that.”

Interactions
Misty Gray Conor, MMM (God rest him)
Bellz Jeanie, JJ, Roxie
Melanin-Gxdess Reina

 

[BloodThunder27]

~Manhattan: Taylor Brothers~​

After pressing the Jalapeno into Dylan's wound, J.T threw it into a nearby trashcan. He proceeded to look down at the blood stains that were now on his shirt and the man he had completely beaten to a pulp. Despite the rather harsh punishment that he had dished out, they still were not admitting to where they had fucked up, or telling him where the stolen pistols were. On the other hand, after hearing Roy's muffled cries and barely making out what he was trying to say, Q proceeded to remove the gag. "Aight, seems like you're tired of watching my brotha' beating the crap out of your homeboy. So...whatchu gotta say?" Because he was very impatient, J.T once more pulled out his pistol and pointed it at Dylan's head before looking at Roy in an angry manner. "Aight, motha'fucka', you get one chance to talk. And, again, if you give us an answer we don't like, he can go meet with God." He said coldly.

Dylan looked at the gun, absolutely terrified. This man had already beaten him to a pulp, and was now ready to kill him, in front of his Brother no less. In a sudden fit of anger, J.T kicked the badly battered man to the ground, but still kept his gun pointed at him. "One Chance. And we ain't playing wit' chu'." Q emphasized, his voice carrying dread as he looked Roy in the eye. "Where are the missing pistols?" Roy started sweating even more as Q took off his glasses. Looking over at his Brother, who was now on the ground and J.T pointing a gun at him, a tear rolled down his cheek, prompting Q to backhand him. "So...You gonna talk or not?"

"Alright! Alright, I'll talk! Just...Please stop hurting him!" Roy pleaded.

Purely out of spite though, J.T kicked Dylan hard enough to turn the chair over to where he was facing the back of Q's feet. "QUIT STALLING AND FUCKING TALK!"

"Bro, chill...I got dis." Q said sternly. "So...where are the missing pistols? Don't make me ask a third time." He said coldly, but remained extremely calm in sharp contrast of his Brother.

It wasn't long until Roy began shaking, terrified. One wrong answer and Dylan was done for. Or were they going to kill him anyway? Because of how angry J.T was, Roy wouldn't put it passed him. The guns were not in the van when it was returned, so where would they be? "Okay, the Beretta is underneath the Pinball Machine at the Bowling Alley and the Hardballer is behind the Pacman Machine. We stashed them there to go pick up later."

Q sighed, not believing Roy for a second. "See...was that so hard?" He asked, before looking at Tatianna and Damien, who were standing near by, and then back at Roy. "Which Bowling Alley?"

"Lucky Strike Manhattan...in Hell's Kitchen..." He cried, hoping that his Brother wouldn't get hurt or killed.

"Aight then. We're gonna go check. If you lyin', your homeboy gets to go meet God. If we retrieve the pistols...Well...Whatever Mrs. Moretti and Mr. Nicolosi decide to do with you is their business." Q grabbed a towel to clean off his hands. "'Cause even I know better then to piss off the Morettis, man." He said to Roy in a mockful manner. "And because you decided to be a little bitch...J.T, you know what to do." He said before grabbing his jacket.

J.T nodded to his Big Brother, before looking at Dylan before pointing the gun at his abdomen and pulling the trigger. "Better hope he ain't lyin'. Because God is eager to meet you." He said before putting his Pistol away and walking to grab his jacket. "So what's next? We go check Lucky Strike to make sure this bitch ain't lyin'?" J.T asked, looking at Q.

"Well, that depends on what Mrs. Moretti wants us to do." He said, looking over at her. "Ma'am?"

Tatiana ( Pyroclast ) Damien ( Misty Gray )

 

[Misty Gray]

Paulie's Pizzeria
~ Downtown Dublin, Dublin ~

Conor Sullivan​

Just as they'd finishing discussing arranging a talk with Roxie, the telephone rang. This prevented Conor from making his suggestion that he and Syd left the office to head to the pub. When he answered the phone, Conor recognised the panicked voice as belonging to JJ and before the boy could say much, Syd grabbed the receiver from Conor's hand so he could talk to his frantic son. Whilst keeping his eyes fixed on Syd, Conor got out of his chair and pulled open the top drawer of his desk, retrieving his pistol before slotting it into his belt at the hip. Even though he couldn't make out what exactly was being said, Syd's responses made it clear something was going down and they would be going there too.

By the time they got to into the city, a crowd of onlookers had appeared at the scene of the crime. Conor parked up across the street from the crowd. The two men got out of their car and Syd made his way across to the car park to where Roxie and the kids were. Conor took a short time to study the area around them, acknowledging which businesses would have had a view of the crime scene, therefore held potential witnesses to the shooting. Once the car of guards he'd asked to follow had parked up behind him, Conor signalled for them to stay in their vehicle for the time-being. He then rushed over to the car park, shuffling past the nosey onlookers whilst trying not to look irritated by their presence.

Syd soon informed Conor that he was taking the kids home, which Conor knew was for the best. As he stood close to Roxie, Reina, and Matthew's corpse, Conor heard the distant sirens approaching. Looking to the murdered teacher, he couldn't help the fact that the only conclusion he could come to was that he wasn't the intended target. Conor had done background checks on Matthew, and Syd had likely done his own too. The teacher came up squeaky clean every time. There wasn't a single thing about the man that Conor found suspicious and he certainly couldn't imagine him having enemies. He didn't doubt that both Roxie and Reina also knew deep down who the bullets were really intended for.

"Roxie, I'm so sorry..." Conor softly began. He had been about to crouch down to her level but his attention was drawn to the approaching cops, led by Detective Inspector Shane Donnelly. Hearing the man shout his surname, Conor took some steps away from Roxie to meet the Detective. "Donnelly," he flatly replied.

"I'm going to have to ask you to join those folk behind the tape," Shane informed Conor, pointing behind as members of the Gardai ushered the onlookers away so they could seal off the crime scene. "Unless, of course, you have some important information?"

"I'm staying on this side, with the two ladies," Conor firmly told the Detective. "I just got here, so I know about as much as you do."

"I figured as much. Mr. Sullivan, you will be questioned in due course. Considering you seem to know everything that goes on in this city and have a hand in most of it, I'll find it more concerning if you don't know who's behind this. You're always in control..." he trailed off. He then focused his attention to Matthew's lifeless body and the two ladies beside it. "I'm sorry ladies, but I'm going to have to ask you both to step away now so my men can do their job." He pointed to an area of the car park free of onlookers so they could have some privacy whilst staying nearby for questioning.

"Prick..." Conor muttered before turning his back on the irritating Detective. He approached Roxie and Reina, offering his hand out to help Roxie to her feet. "I'll stay with you both and you can tell me what happened," he gently told them.

Melanin-Gxdess (Reina)
Bellz (Roxie)
Pyroclast (Syd)

 

[Misty Gray]

The Funky Cat
~ Dublin City Centre, Dublin ~

Benjamin Reznik​

Benjamin was glad Lorelei agreed with his idea of doing the photoshoot during one of the night's the club was busiest. "You just let me know how soon you want me to do this and I'm sure we can work something out. Aidan's told me to keep a week free in my diary, but I'm sure we can work around it." he suggested to her. Given that the anniversary of his mother's death was approaching, it was never a surprise when Aidan arranged for them to have a holiday so the young man wasn't alone at such a sensitive time. Last year they'd spent some time in the Scottish Highlands, which soon became one of his favourite trips.

As Lorelei looked through the photo album, Benjamin couldn't help but steal a few gazes at her. Her pretty smile and beautiful features were certainly drawing him in. When she began to compliment his photographs, he wasn't quite sure if he was blushing because of her kind words or if it was the fact he was in the presence of someone so attractive. "I'm glad you like me-my work," he said, stumbling over his words slightly. Pulling himself together, he made eye-contact with the redhead and focused on the content of her words as she spoke of how she was still working on the club, wanting him to make the place look as good as some of his previous shots. "Honestly, this'll be a breeze. I mean, I love this place - I've already got so many ideas to work with."

Benjamin followed Lorelei to the stage, watching as she switched on the colourful lights. He looked up to her as she stood on the stage and pointed out where she was intending on moving the piano. As she explained how she wanted to position the various musical instruments, Benjamin took a few steps backwards so he could get a full view of the stage to imagine how it would look. "Karaoke night?" he asked with a quick chuckle. "Free entertainment while I work? I'm in," he told her, flashing a bright smile. Still standing a short distance from the stage, he took a little more time to consider the various angles which would give him the best shots. His eyes then fell back on Lorelei and he walked back towards the stage where she was standing. He looked up to see her face and smiled again. He was admiring how the various colours from the stage lights landed on different parts of her hair and facial features; adding a magical kind of glamour to an already attractive woman. "You look fantastic..." he began, before realising he was being unprofessional. "I mean. The way the lights are on you right now would make some pretty cool pictures. Not to mention the fact you look so natural up there." Despite his warm exterior, Benjamin was by now mentally kicking himself and willing himself to shut up before he talked himself out of a job.

Bellz (Lorelei)

 

[Bellz]

Blake McCarthy

The Sullivan's Pub
~Dublin City Center, Dublin~
​

Blake actually knew well that Elena was definitely into Thomas, but it would have been awkward to bring up Adam's situation with women without her teasing him about the young barmaid liking him. It was a game between the two of them for a while, constantly teasing, flirting but...it never tended to lead anywhere. Adam said he'd happily wait until someone in his own age group came to her senses and Blake rolled her eyes. Blake was sure to keep herself guarded all these years because of her kids, she never wanted to make it look like she was trying to replace Jackson. But when it was made clear to her that her kids wouldn't think that, Blake felt a little bolder with her words, wondering if it would finally lead to something. Noticing the look Ali was giving her, Blake simply smirked knowingly. Ali said the one thing she hated about getting old was her tolerance for alcohol and Blake let out a chuckle, "I don't know what you're talking about Al, I can still get pretty messed up after a few drinks...well they gotta be strong...but I think that still counts for something." She told her friend. Adam said he would be staying sober which Blake made a face at but she knew he had to in order to do his job. "What a gentleman." Blake murmured lightly, letting out a laugh as he said he supposed he would let Conor in the car too.

It seemed Adam was testing the atmosphere with his comment as he asked if Blake needed any other services from him. This earned a smile from her along with color in her cheeks. He went on to say that if she could handle spice, then he was her man. Raising a brow at Adam, Blake looked to Ali to see what she thought before saying. "You know I'm always up for a challenge." Her eyes turned back to meet his, egging him to continue this dance with words before Elena interrupted the moment. Blake was all smiles still once again noticing how nervous she was and the blush on her cheeks. Ali was definitely right that it was Thomas who was causing that reaction. Watching as the barmaid returned to Thomas rather quickly, she watched the pair of them. "Ahhh young love, I remember it like it was yesterday." She said, sounding purposefully old as she turned to her drink.

Adam pointed out that the girl looked nervous as hell and Blake nodded in agreement. "I would be too given the reputation of this bar." Blake noted as her eyes continued to watch the two youngsters at the bar. "Ah, I'm sure she'll get used to it pretty quick, besides, it seems like Thomas has got a special interest in her now if he's helping watch over this bar...I'm sure he won't let any of the rowdy idiots overwhelm her." Blake's eyes then moved away from the two at the bar to look at Ali and Adam. "I hope Thomas makes a move with her, poor lad has been surrounded by hell for far too long. He needs a girl to keep him in check." She remarked. "Now you," She said pointing to Adam, "Can you cook and clean? Cuz I'll tell you right now, women adore men who can hold their own in a house. I know Ali will agree with me, there is nothing sexier than a man who can do it all. And if you do, what woman are you looking for, blonde, brunette...oooo what about a redhead? I got a few friends up my sleeves." While she did have friends she could set Adam up with, she knew deep down that she actually wanted him to herself. But...as she had done with her late husband, Blake was all about the chase.
with: Adam Misty Gray ; Ali Melanin-Gxdess

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Paulie's Pizzeria
~ Downtown Dublin, Ireland ~
Reina Richards

Once the kids were in the car, Reina focused her attention on Roxie and Matthew. She kneeled to the ground to instinctively check his pulse just to confirm what she already knew. The man was gone and there was no way he would have survived but something told her she should check anyway. She turned back to Roxie and started to examine her for any sign that she had been hit with a stray bullet. Roxie began to blame herself for the shooting which Reina tried to quickly shut down after seeing she was unharmed. "Hey! Look at me, Roxie this is not your fault." She reassured her taking her face in her hands. Reina understood the situation and knew why she was blaming herself but nothing good was going to come of it. Roxie then instructed her to call Syd and to get rid of the crowd, though once they had heard her shout some backed away. "You heard the lady, fuck off!" She shouted as she waved her gun around for good measure.

Giving Roxie one last moment with Matthew, she quickly took off her jacket to cover his face and keep his identity hidden. "I already called Conor, so hopefully he'll bring him along, okay? If not then I'll take care of the kids don't worry." She said while looking towards the car. It seemed the kids had done as she instructed and were inside. No one had come near the car, which was a relief as killing someone in broad daylight with the cops on their way was only going to cause more issues. She focused back on Roxie once more of the loiterers had gone on their way. The tears streaming down her face were enough to make Reina pull her in for a hug and hold her if she allowed her. "It's going to be okay..." She whispered, wishing she had been closer to them to take the hit for him.

It felt like an eternity waiting for Syd and Conor to show up, holding Roxie in her arms for comfort. Reina had done her best to keep the vultures that were the public away but the more people that showed up, the harder it got. With the arrival of the cops most of them dispersed or stayed behind the police tape watching the two women. The moment she heard a familiar voice call out to her she turned her head. The two men had finally arrived, Reina pointing Syd in the direction of the car where his kids were safely tucked away. When Conor approached them and offered his condolences to Roxie she was able to let go of her boss. She listened as Conor spoke with the Detective while keeping her eyes on Roxie. She knew what was going to come next and worried about how she was going to react to it. "Roxie, we gotta move." Reina hoped the woman listened without too much of a fight as she stood up.

Conor stated he was going to stay with them the whole time as he helped Roxie stand to her feet. Reina couldn't help but tug on the bottom of her tank top now that her jacket was a part of a crime scene. Once they were from earshot of the officers, Reina crossed her arms and started to explain and avoid eye contact. "It's my fault; I should've been closer. We were leaving the pizzeria and the girls were further ahead so..." She trailed off, realizing she needed to get to the point. "They snuck up on us. Someone in a black car and they just started shooting. Matthew he-," she cut herself off for a moment before glancing at Roxie. "He protected Roxie and JJ while I took care of the girls... I manage to shoot out their back window and taillight but that's it."

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

​

 

[Bellz]

Julia Avvocata

Moretti Family Home
~ Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn ~​

Julia was more than willing to give her input on how to scare Roxie good enough to but Ricky quickly held up his hands and firmly commanded that enough was enough. He told the group to leave Roxie to him and that it would be his decision to how she was dealt with. Julia watched him closely as he asked Elvian if dinner was ready. She hoped that at least if he wouldn't talk about it with the current company at the table, he'd talk about it with her. He pushed to discuss business as they normally would and it seemed that Gabriel was game for that at the moment. Ricky turned to her briefly and sent her a warm smile, she returned it gently before she felt his hand grab hers. She squeezed it in return before he tore his hand away and placed them back on the table.

Hearing that the situation with the Sullivan's needed to be reevaluated, Julia nodded her head firmly along as Gabriel revealed that he had Colombian contacts from Miami who could offer a similar price for drugs...without the Irish middlemen. Julia looked to Ricky to see if he would agree to handle it before Elvian and he left the table to get dinner ready. Julia watched them go, making sure they were out of earshot before turning back to Gabriel with a smile, "You know I have a lot of respect for you, Gabriel. I know the reason I was sent here and I feel like I should reassure you that I will get Ricky to do what needs to be done." She said. Regardless of what he said, Julia acted natural as the other two appeared with the food. "Oh my, that looks delicious! She said happily as Ricky placed a plate of food in front of her. Before they dug in, they said grace, and afterward, Ricky made it clear that they should enjoy the nice meal before them. He asked how the Moretti's grandkids were, saying that the youngest had a brave little attitude. Julia hadn't met the kids but she could just imagine the personalities the kids had. She had a soft spot for children but she never really imagined having any of her own.

Elvian chuckled at Ricky's comments before saying the boy was a firecracker and that he was still causing trouble. Julia smiled as the words reminded her much of Ricky when he was younger, the poor boy was always in trouble. Julia moved to take a sip of her wine as Elvian asked when Ricky was going to start having little ones. The woman choked on her wine, moving to cover her mouth with the cloth napkin to her left quickly before muttering her apology. Once she had composed herself, Julia looked to Ricky, her cheeks bright red, waiting for his answer with an amused smile on her lips.
with: Ricky + Gabe Misty Gray ; Elvian Melanin-Gxdess

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

The Sullivan's Pub
~Dublin City Center, Dublin~
Aliana Cartwright-Sullivan

"Shy and well-behaved? Since when?" Ali teased with a shake of her head. She feigned offense when he stated that it was herself and Blake that were the troublemakers. With a hand over her chest, she smiled. "For your information, Blake and I are perfect angels..." As hard as she tried to keep a straight face she knew that much was a lie. It was well known Blake and Ali together had been quite an experience. There were times when she missed those days but she was happy Blake was the one she created those reckless memories with. "Or at least, we try to be?"

Ali listened as Adam responded to Blake while she sipped from her cup. She would be lying if she said she didn't feel the tension between the two of them. If she wasn't going crazy and Blake truly was interested in Adam, she was going to scream. Her friend hadn't dated nor even looked at another man since Jackson had died. It was understandable seeing as he was the love of her life, but she couldn't help but think he would want her to get back out there. There were times Ali asked her about it and accepted her answer every time as to not upset her. However, hearing her talk about her kids wanting her to get out of the house hopefully meant dating too. "I mean, sure, but nowadays it takes way less to get me drunk. The nights over for me before it even starts." Hearing Adam mention waiting on a woman to come to her senses she couldn't help but grin. Again she had to hide her lips behind her glass while biting her tongue so she didn't say anything to mess it up.

She had been doing a good job at keeping it together, being in the middle of a full on flirting session between Blake and Adam, but she lost it when Blake looked at her. She smirked at her friend before looking away, shaking her head. "Spicy." She stated as she fanned herself with her hand. "Where is my husband and can he save me from being a third wheel?" She joked. Elena soon came up to them again to give Adam his drink. The brief moment he was distracted Ali took upon herself to smile and wink at Blake, giving her the 'I know what you're doing and I approve' look. She quickly straightened her face as he turned around before nodding her head in agreement with Blake. "Aw, that's how it works. Young barmaid meets young ruffian who hates everyone but her. A true love story in the making." Turning her attention back to Blake and Adam, nodding her head to Blake's words. "Oh, my go- Yes! The cleaning more so than the cooking sometimes, but there's nothing sexier than seeing a man with cleaning supplies. Feel free to tell Conor this, too." When Blake asked Adam what his type was, Ali tilted her head to the side, trying to see if she could figure it out before she got an idea. "Blondes have more fun. Look at Blake. Blonde and has had fun her entire life. With a blonde, you’ll never be bored."

Blake ( Bellz )
Adam ( Misty Gray )

​

 

[Bellz]

Roxie Carriveau

Paulie's Pizzeria
~ Downtown Dublin, Dublin ~​

Roxie knew that in Reina's eyes for the most part she couldn't do any wrong, but Roxie felt in her heart that this was all of her fault. Roxie continued to look at Matthew's face until Reina took her jacket and covered his face with it. When it disappeared behind the fabric, she knew it would be the last time she saw him. Her bodyguard reassured her that she had called Conor but if the man didn't bring her ex with him that she would take care of the kids. Roxie nodded her head gently as the tears continued to pour down her face. Her eyes looked towards Matthew's car where the kids sat and she saw Jane looking out the window, the tears falling down her face reflecting her own. She wanted more than anything to go to them, to make sure they knew that everything would be okay...but at that moment, she didn't even know. Reina pulled her in for a hug and Roxie allowed it as she buried her face into the woman's shoulder and sobbed harder. It wasn't until Conor and Syd showed up that she removed her face from Reina's shoulder. Roxie looked up at Conor as he offered his condolences, only causing her to sob harder. Her eyes caught Syd's frame from the corner of her eye and she saw her ex looking at her with sympathy written all over his face. Their eyes met briefly before he turned to take care of the kids. Watching him go, she watched as he got the kids from the car helplessly, knowing there was nothing she could do to comfort them.

Roxie's cries managed to tune out what the Police were saying to Conor but when the officers stepped in front of her, Roxie looked up to them. The way the man spoke infuriated Roxie and honestly at that moment, all she wanted to do was punch the man who spoke to her. Knowing that her anger was misdirected. She huffed out a deep breath before Reina told her that they had to move and Conor offered his hand to her. Roxie took Conor's hand and stood up slowly, her legs wobbling beneath her weakly. With the help of her bodyguard and Conor, she was able to move away from Matthew's body, but not without stealing one last glance at his covered form before she was taken to somewhere where she wouldn't be able to stare at him any longer.

Roxie held herself as Reina explained the situation, saying that it was her fault to which Roxie shook her head harshly but let her continue. Once she finished, Roxie looked at Conor with wide eyes, "I won't say I'm oblivious to the fact that that bullet was meant for me. I understand that my new position of power has many people upset." Her lip trembled as she thought about how her fiancé had just made the ultimate sacrifice to protect her and JJ. "But he...he was innocent in all of this, as are my children! I want whoever did this found and I want them dead., even if I have to do it myself." She hissed as tears poured down her face once more. Looking towards the police, Roxie clenched her teeth, "I don't want them meddling in our business but I don't have the connections that your family has here...how...how do we deal with this? With them?" She asked, looking from the police officers to Conor and Reina. Her mind then went to her children, "The kids need to stay with Syd for now, I can't risk them getting hurt or having them see anything further than this. Thank you for bringing him, Conor." Roxie murmured, the cogs in her head turning as she tried to keep her emotions at bay for the sake of the people around her. "I'll call him when I leave here to tell him what I think needs to happen. My house is protected but..." Roxie didn't want to disclose to Conor that she thought perhaps this shooting could have been the doing of someone close to her...even someone who worked for her family. The only people she could trust were Ricky and Reina, and of course, the Sullivans.

She felt eyes on her from everywhere and while she was used to being in somewhat of the spotlight because of her job, Roxie wanted to be anywhere but in front of a crowd right now. Seeing a few news vans pull up, Roxie's mind began to panic as she thought about Matthew's death getting out before she could tell his parents herself. "I want to do whatever needs to be done to keep my fiancé's death quiet until I can tell his family. I don't want them hearing about it on the news...I can't bear the thought of them finding out that way." His parents already had a distaste for her, as most people did in this city...but she knew what was to come when she told his family. She wasn't sure if she could face the rejection.

Tears once again formed in Roxie's eyes and she shook her head, "This isn't happening..." She tried to talk to herself before looking to Conor and Reina. "Please just tell me this isn't happening." She whimpered begging them to tell her that everything around her wasn't real and that perhaps she was just having some sort of mental lapse. Maybe she was going crazy...she felt crazy. Her hands shook terribly and her vision crossed. It felt like she wasn't getting enough oxygen despite her trying to suck in as much air as possible. The panic in her eyes, the millions of thoughts running through her head that couldn't be properly identified. It was enough to drive her mad and without her kids or her fiancé to be the anchor that kept her together for their sake, she felt like she was about to step off the deep end. A shooting pain went through her chest, one that felt like a heart attack but she knew it couldn't be. Roxie let out a hoarse cry, unable to talk about anything any further. Turning to Reina, she wrapped her arms around the woman for comfort and for balance as she felt as if she was about to pass out.
with: Conor Misty Gray ; Reina Melanin-Gxdess
mentions: Syd Pyroclast

 

[Bellz]

Jeanie Carriveau-Porter
JJ Carriveau-Porter

Syd Porter's Residence
~classified information~​

Jeanie released her sister's face as they got into the car but as soon as Jane turned to the window, she knew her sister had seen what she didn't want her to. "Damn it, Jane! Don't look!" Jeanie hissed out despite her tears, moving to grab her sister forcefully to turn her away from the scene. She caught JJ staring as he listened to his father tell them what to do and she motioned for him to look away as well, which he did. "Okay, we are in the car. We are staying here! Please hurry, dad!" He cried out before hanging up the phone. Jeanie was just as overwhelmed and scared as her younger siblings but she knew that someone needed to be there for them until their father showed up. Grabbing JJ's shoulder, she pulled the boy into her and held him close as they all cried together. She was hoping that their mother would be able to help them calm down but she never came and soon the door opened to reveal their dad to which Jane launched herself at him.

Once Jeanie was sure that her siblings were taken care of, Jeanie allowed herself to fall into her father's arms and sob as hard as she could. Hearing that their dad was going to take them home, JJ looked up and asked, "What about mom? We can't just leave her alone at the house! What if something happens to her?" Syd was quick to reassure him and his siblings that Uncle Conor and Reina would look after Roxie but JJ still didn't feel right about leaving his mother. Regardless of how he felt, he knew that his parents wouldn't allow him to stay at the scene so he was quiet as he was transferred from Matthew's car to Conor's car with his sisters.

The ride home was full of tears all the way around and by the time they got to their father's, Jeanie and JJ felt tired enough to fall asleep. Once they were inside, the three siblings made their way to the living room. Jeanie sat on the couch and JJ moved to cuddle beside her as Jane sobbed on the floor. JJ was sobbing just as much as Jane but Jeanie had quieted down into a silent cry, watching her siblings as their father grabbed what he thought they needed. Jeanie took the blanket that was given to her and draped it over herself and JJ who was still glued to her. Wrapping her arms around the boy, she nodded her head once as Syd said that they were going to stay with him and that he would be right beside them all night. Jane spoke for the first time since the shooting, saying that the men killed Matthew. JJ's cries that had quieted down as well started back up again as he wailed hopelessly and Jeanie found herself crying harder as well. As much as she didn't like the idea of their mother replacing Syd, Jeanie found herself incredibly sad that Matthew was gone and just as sad that her mother had lost someone she loved. Syd expressed his apologies before looking at her and JJ, expressing how brave they were and that he was proud of all of them. "We just did..." JJ choked on his own breath, coughing a bit before continuing, "We just did what we were told. Reina told us to get in the car and she called Uncle Conor." He breathed out shakily, his teeth chattering despite not being cold.

When told to drink water, Jeanie and JJ rearranged themself so they could get to the water, each grabbing a piece of chocolate as well. Once JJ gulped down all of his water, he looked to his sisters for a moment before looking at his dad, "Matthew saved Mom and me..." The boy croaked, "Why would anyone want to shoot mom? She didn't do anything!" He said, his voice full of confusion and concern. "If he didn't jump in front of her..." JJ's lips trembled as he couldn't bring himself to say what he knew would have happened if Matthew hadn't saved his mom. He let out another cry and Jeanie moved to pull him into her again. Jeanie hadn't really realized that the bullets were meant for her mother...only really thinking about the fact that Matthew had been shot. "Is she going to be okay, dad?" she asked softly, hoping he would be able to reassure them all that their mother was going to be alright...he always knew what to say.
with: Syd + Jane Pyroclast

 

[Misty Gray]

The Sullivans Pub
~ Dublin City Centre, Dublin ~

Adam Harper​

Adam grinned when Blake called him a gentleman after he'd offered to give them a lift home. "That's me," he replied, lifting his pint glass to his mouth and drinking some of the beer from it. Following his comment about spicy food, Blake had said she was always up for a challenge. He didn't doubt that as she always seemed like a woman who had guts and was willing to try anything. Sitting back, he listened as Blake and Aliana spoke about the possible young romance between Thomas and Elena. Having only just met the new barmaid, he didn't know much about her, but he was sure the young pair were getting along as they continued to interact at the bar. Other than likely doing his bit to encourage Thomas to try his luck with the young woman, anything more wasn't really any of his business. Adam was there to oversee Thomas' integration into his new job working for the mob and make sure he could handle what was thrown at him on that front. As far as the lad's love-life was concerned, Adam knew he was best staying out of it. Thomas had plenty of uncles as well as his older brother to give him relationship advice.

Truthfully, Adam was more interested in his own love-life - or lack of. Of course, he and Blake had been flirting for some time. It was rare for Adam not to have made a move on a woman by now. In fact, with any other woman he would have made a move very soon after realising he was attracted to them. Things with Blake were different. As she had been his friend for some time, he respected her too much to have made a sudden move. However, more than that, he had chosen to hold back out of respect for Jackson and the fact Blake had lost her husband. Adam hadn't known Jackson for long, but in the short time they had, they'd work on jobs together and Adam liked the man from the offset. He was on the same job the night Jackson was killed and even helped carry the man's lifeless body away from the scene of the ambush. For some time, Adam had felt like it should have been a man like himself who had died, rather than someone who had a wife and kid. Back then, Adam's mindset had been that he was a soldier and one with nothing to lose, so had always been prepared to die fighting for the Irish Mob. Although it was 13 years since Jackson died, Adam had still opted to hold back from making a move on Blake until he was sure her flirting wasn't just for the sake of a bit of fun. Whilst he was now sure it was nothing of the sort, he didn't want anyone to think he was pouncing on the widowed woman - especially when Jackson had been Conor's best friend! But something about the way both Blake and Aliana were being now made him feel more comfortable that it was okay to consider taking things beyond flirting. He'd caught the women making eyes and gestures to each other, so he was sure Aliana approved of him.

Eventually, the ladies moved on from discussing Thomas' love-life and Blake suddenly brought the attention back onto Adam. He let out a chuckle as she spoke about women adoring men who were good around the house. Aliana echoed the sentiment, confirming a man who could clean was sexy. "Ladies, I assure you, I can cook and clean. If you don't believe me," he began, pointing to Blake as he spoke, "I'll let you come over to my place and see for yourself. You can watch me mop the floor, if that's what floats your boat," he teased her. He then shared his attention back on both women again. "Sorry, Ali. I would invite you, but I can't risk you falling for me in my Marigolds. I ain't pissing off your husband," he said with a dry laugh.

The two women continued their relentless focus on Adam's lack of girlfriend. Blake asked what type of woman he was looking for and suggested she had friends she could set him up with. Before he could come back with a witty response, Aliana spoke about blondes having more fun. If all of the blondes were like Blake, then he was sure Aliana was right about never being bored in their presence. Adam suspected the ladies were throwing him bait and he wasn't even going to fight it. He prided himself on being brave and even the risk of embarrassing himself with Aliana as a witness didn't deter him from saying what was on his mind. "I guess I didn't have a preference of hair colour until more recently, but these days I'm really into blondes. As Ali says, we've got a prime example, right here, of a gorgeous blonde who's never boring," he said, sending Blake a smile which lingered longer than intended. He quickly shook his head as he processed what the women had been saying to him. "I'd rather you kept your friends up your sleeves. None of them will be a patch on you," he assured Blake. He hoped he'd made his attraction clear to her by that point, but decided to make it easier for her to respond either way. "So, come on. Fair's fair. What's your type of man? he asked, glancing to Aliana to see how she was reacting to the back and forth.

Bellz (Blake)
Melanin-Gxdess (Aliana)

 

[Pyroclast]

Elena Velazco​

While listening to Thomas’ answer, Elena realised that she might have bitten off more than she could chew by asking him so many questions. She was having a hard time following exactly what he was saying, but she picked up the odd familiar word and that was just about enough to get the gist. The word ‘trouble’ came up a lot, and given his involvement in the Irish Mob Elena could only imagine that the trouble he spoke of was gang-related, whatever it was. During her time spent in the US tracking down her father, Elena had gathered a vague impression of the reputation and power that the Sullivan family had held in New York and Dublin and although she hadn’t been told about their criminal operations or the trauma that they had faced, she knew better than to pry into the troubles that Thomas spoke of. Instead, she continued to listen to his brief life story, hanging onto every word that she could understand.

“Marino?” she uttered to herself, wondering if she had heard him right. Elena looked at Thomas in a new light when he mentioned joining the Marines and being sent off to Iran, understanding that he must have gone through some unimaginable horrors. She wondered how the memory of it affected him now, if he had any injuries or had lost friends in battle. From the way he glossed over it, it didn’t seem like an appropriate time to ask - the last thing she wanted was to put him off talking to her by making him talk about something traumatic. So she just listened, all the while piecing together his story word by word. He finished by telling her that he had made the right decision by coming to Dublin, and gave her a look that made her blush deeply before she could even understand why.

From the moment Elena had decided to track down her father, she had felt an adrenaline pump through her veins, the spirit of adventure driving her forward and fuelling her excitement. Her eyes latched onto his as she leaned onto the bar and she felt that same spirit flow through her. She had been so focused on finding Adam that she hadn’t stopped to think about the other people she might meet along the way. Specifically, someone who would smile at her the way that Thomas was smiling at her now. It wasn’t like the predatory looks that most men gave her - his smile was sweet, warm, and made her cheeks tingle in a way that no one else ever made them.

“Bueno…” she softly uttered, failing to control her smile. “Me too.” Their eyes lingered on each other for a few seconds longer, until Elena couldn’t handle it anymore and laughed. “What are you doing? Stop, you make me laugh!”

Although she didn’t want to leave him, she was almost grateful when someone asked her to top up his pint, for it gave her an opportunity to compose herself. It didn’t take long though, and as soon as she looked back over to Thomas her smile returned and she drew towards him once again. “You are a very interesting man, Tomás,” she told him, perhaps thinking aloud. “You travel to many places, you are marine in Iran and now you come to your home in Dublin with a lot of histories to tell.” Looking down to the bar, her smile softened and she started idly wiping the counter down. “All my histories are not interesting like yours. I live in Havana during all my life, I go to a school of medicine because my mama wants that I go, but I stop because I don’t like the...the...sangre. ¿Entiendes lo que te digo?” She gestured vaguely to her forearms before pulling a face. “But now...now I am here in Dublin, to look for my -” Her breath caught in her throat as she realised her near slip-up and her cheeks tingled again, but this time with embarrassment. “To look for a new life.” Once she had managed to overcome her blunder, Elena smiled at Thomas again. “You like your work with Adam?” she asked, her eyes settling on his as she continued to idly wipe down the counter. “But you don’t want to go to talk to him? Maybe he wants that you sit at the table over there. Maybe he will not be happy with me because I take you from him!”

Interactions
Bellz Thomas

Blake
Misty Gray Adam
Melanin-Gxdess Aliana

 

[Misty Gray]

Gabriel Moretti's Mansion
~ Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn ~

Gabriel Moretti and Riccardo Biancardi​

Ricky had been glad when Elvian confirmed dinner was ready as it gave him chance to escape the dinner table for a short time. Or, more accurately, escape Gabriel's relentless pushing. "It would be a pleasure to help you," Ricky answered Elvian. He got out of his seat and followed the woman to the kitchen. When she pointed out where the plates were, he retrieved them and placed each one down on the counter so the woman could serve the food onto them. "Take your time," he remarked, folding his arms as he took a moment to to clear his mind without Gabriel going on at him. It didn't last long as Elvian soon asked him to take two of the plates to the table. He picked them up and was about to leave the kitchen when Elvian made her comment about Julia seeming nice. "Mrs. Moretti!" Ricky said in an exasperated tone, playfully berating her for the comment seemingly alluding to him being involved with Julia as more than friends. He then flashed a knowing smile, knowing better than to tell the woman her instincts were wrong. "I wouldn't dream of being anything but nice to her," he assured the older woman before turning away to carry the plates into the dining room.


Gabriel hadn't been oblivious to the fact Elvian had taken Ricky with her to give the young man a breather, even if he did act like he hadn't noticed. Of course he was grilling the younger man, but it was important that Ricky acted fast and if he wasn't willing to do anything, then he needed to admit it. If Ricky wasn't willing to fight for what was his, then Gabriel needed to start making arrangements to speak with Roxie directly so they could discuss business. He looked to Julia when she addressed him, starting by saying she had a lot of respect for him. When she went on to reassure him she would get Ricky to do what had to be done, Gabriel sent her an approving nod. "I like you, Julia. I can see why Damian wanted you to come along this evening. Whatever you can do to make Riccardo see sense will benefit all of us." Gabriel looked up when Ricky and Elvian brought the food out, flashing a smile to his wife. "Thank you, my love," he told her.

Gabriel kept his vision mostly on his food as he listened to Ricky and Elvian talking about the Moretti grandchildren. He listened to Ricky mentioning Paolo's temperament, a smirk appearing on his face as he thought of the comparison. Gabriel was about to make a remark about Giovanni clearly failing to discipline his son, even knowing it might cause some controversy. Luckily, Elvian came out with her own outrageous question, that set Gabriel's imminent teasing aside. Hearing the woman ask Ricky about when he'd be having children, Gabriel let out a groan. "Oh, Elvian, please. You have a one-track mind, dear!" he lightly grumbled. Usually it was Marcus and Ava on the receiving end of such questioning. "Do you not think Riccardo needs to find a very patient woman first?" he remarked, somehow oblivious to any potential romance between Ricky and Julia.

Like Julia, Ricky was caught off-guard by Elvian's question. "Woah-holy shi..." Ricky blurted out bringing his hand to his mouth as he cleared his throat. He listened to Gabriel's comment, buying himself a little time to compose his thoughts or at least mask his surprise with some witty comment. "Would anyone really want little versions of me running around the place? Have mercy on this city, Elvian," he told her. He then glanced to Julia before looking back down to his pasta.

"Although, you really should be considering extending the Biancardi bloodline. Heaven forbid you've leave it all up to Roxanne and her Irish offspring to carry the Biancardi business, if you die," Gabriel pointed out.

"That's a very romantic slant on it, Gabriel," Ricky drily commented. "Of course, I'm not ruling out the idea of having children, with the right lady. Though it would be for the right reasons, rather than creating heirs to the Biancardi throne."

Melanin-Gxdess (Elvian)
Bellz (Julia)

 

[Bellz]

Lorelei Costello

The Funky Cat
~ Dublin City Centre, Dublin ~​

Lorelei nodded her head as Benjamin clarified that there would be Karaoke night, laughing along with him. "Oh yea, the busiest night of the week. There really isn't another place in Dublin that offers it, as I'm sure you know." She said lightly. She noticed he was watching her, staring a little bit longer than he probably should. Raising a quizzical eyebrow at him, he went on to say that she looked fantastic. A shy smile lined her lips and her cheeks warmed, which thankfully, he wouldn't be able to see in the colored lights. He then caught himself, saying that the lights would make some pretty cool pictures to which she just nodded her head in agreement. He then said she looked natural on the stage and she smiled wider at him, "Ah when you got two parents in showbiz, you grow up on the stage. It's like my second home up here, well, with less privacy." She said chuckling to herself. She moved to turn off the lights before stepping off the stage, nodding her head back towards the table where their drinks were so they could sit down again.

Once they were seated, Lorelei moved to take another drink from her glass before moving to fill it up again. "I would want these to be done a lot sooner rather than later. It's packed during most nights of the week but the weekends are really busy, so depending on what you think is best either a weekday or weekend day works for me. And of course, just let me know your schedule and I can definitely work around it." She took another drink from her glass before looking down at his albums once again.

"I'm glad that we were able to finally meet. I like you, Benjamin...and I'm honestly surprised that our paths hadn't crossed on their own but better late than never, eh?" She said teasingly. "It's really nice to meet someone who has the same drive for their passion. You work at The Oak tree but I assume you don't want to work there for the rest of your life? Do you plan on becoming a full-time photographer someday? With pictures like these, you could be really big!"
with: Benjie Misty Gray

 

[Misty Gray]

Spencer and Shona King's Home
~ Bethnal Green, East London ~

Spencer King​

When he got home, Spencer opened the front door and stepped aside so Callum could excitedly sprint into the house to greet Shona. Following the boy inside, he placed the sports bag and child's backpack down on the living room sofa to deal with in a little while. "We've got two hours before kick-off," Spencer began, thinking of the football game he and Callum were both looking forward to watching. "So, you get to pick what you want to play until then--" he began, but was interrupted when the telephone began ringing. He rushed over to the wall-mounted device and lifted the receiver. He listened to the voice and smirked when he recognised it. "Billy. Of course it's me, soft lad," he remarked to his brother. When his brother went on to mention there had been an accident, he began to rub his forehead in frustration. "What kind of accident, then?" he asked upon hearing both Billy and Erik were okay. His brother sounded anxious and Spencer knew he couldn't brush him off. "Alright. I'll be there soon. I'm coming straight from home so I'll be fast," he reassured him.

After apologetically excusing himself and asking Shona to look after Callum, Spencer grabbed his coat and concealed a handgun inside it before leaving the house. Before heading to Billy's, he drove to Alex's place to have him come along. Whilst he was sure he could handle the situation, it never hurt to have backup with him. Plus, it would give him chance to make sure Alex spent some time with Callum later.

Getting out of the car, Spencer walked up to Alex's front door and knocked loudly. He checked the handle to see if he could let himself into the house. "Alex, come on. Billy needs us both over at his place. It sounds urgent." Once he'd managed to get Alex in the car with him, it was only a few minutes' drive to Billy's place, but he wasn't about to spend it in silence. "What have you been up to since I last saw you?" he questioned his brother. "I've just picked Callum up from Sav, so we've all got him for a few days. He's looking forward to seeing you..." he said, briefly turning to catch his brother's reaction.

Once the two of them arrived at Billy's place, Spencer got out of the car and closed the door. He locked the car before taking a moment to scan the street around them, not noticing anything suspicious. Having been told to come over by Billy, Spencer didn't bother knocking on the door, instead letting himself and Alex in. Approaching the kitchen, he could see Billy and Erik were both there. His brother looked to have been crying or at least on the verge of doing so, which resulted in a raised eyebrow from Spencer. "Have you two had a tiff?" he remarked, knowing the two men were good friends. He let out a deep sigh as he noticed the steam coming from the kettle. "Alright, what's the big emergency?" he asked. "You know England are playing tonight, right? Kick-off isn't far off..."

Pyroclast (Billy) Melanin-Gxdess (Erik) Enzyme (Alex)

 

[Misty Gray]

Savannah Callahan's House
~ Islington, London ~

Savannah Callahan and Kerry Patrick​

When she heard the knock at the door, Kerry couldn't help the feeling of apprehension that overcame here. Sure, Spencer was her boss at the club and there was always the possibility he was going to pester her to work an extra shift, but that really wasn't what made her concerned. Given the way he'd spoken to her a few days earlier had given off the impression that he thought she was lying about not knowing Savannah's plans, in order to cover for her friend. She hoped his presence at the house wasn't going to be so he could start interrogating Savannah about her time in Dublin. "I like to think it wasn't me who summoned the devil here," she joked back to Braden, with a mischievous giggle. She straightened her face in time to be greeted by Spencer and in response was pleasant back to the businessman. She then spent the next couple of minutes gazing to the various pictures on the living room wall and sending glances to Braden; doing anything not to look at Spencer as he conversed with Savannah. Of course, Kerry could hear what was being said, but she didn't want to make it look like she was actually listening. For the most part, Spencer was pleasant, but he still managed to be short with Savannah when he perceived her to be telling him what to do. Eventually, Callum said bye to everyone and Spencer left with the boy. Kerry let out an exaggerated sigh of relief before relaxing on the sofa once again.

Savannah laughed when her brother made his comment about Spencer always having a stick up his arse whenever he saw him. "Yeah... I think it would have to be surgically removed by this point," she said with a smirk. "He has his moments. Sometimes he can be quite relaxed and funny. Plus, he's really good with Callum. But mostly, he's just pissing me off at the moment, thinking he can dictate to me how long I spend in Dublin. Why should I have to be the one making sacrifices when it's Alex who screwed up?" she complained.

Savannah had soon shifted the conversation to to a pleasant one, so Kerry was able to avoid speaking badly of Spencer. "Smashingly?" Kerry repeated Braden's word before letting out an amused laugh. "There's so many ridiculous words here. And so many accents and dialects, even just in London. Once I thought I was settled, but I went on a trip in Yorkshire and then I was even more confused by their words and accents. I've lived in Belfast, Boston and New York, but I think I got a handle on things in those places much easier," she explained.

"Fish and chips is good with me," Savannah confirmed to Braden. "It always reminds me of the coast, because the first time I had British fish and chips was at Brighton Pier," she fondly recalled. That had been in her first couple of months living in England. It had still been difficult adjusting to life without her immediate family and her then boyfriend, Danny. She'd take a few days away with her Grandma Shannon to visit the seaside and try distract herself from missing her loved ones. She remembered then sending Danny some photographs of her trip to the beach in the envelope with one of her first letters. The smile that remained on Savannah's face would likely seem to Braden and Kerry that she was happy thinking of her time at the beach. In reality, her thoughts had now switched to how good it had been to see Danny again in Dublin a few days ago. In all honesty, she'd thought about him a lot since then and was looking forward to when she would next visit her family so she could hopefully bump into him. Or even better, she might be offered a role in one of the Dublin-based shows she'd auditioned for, then she would have even more reason to move to Ireland.

"What are you smiling at?" Kerry lightly teased her friend.

"Me?" Savannah asked, breaking out of her thoughts. She took a moment to compose herself before deciding to redirect the focus. "Nothing. I was just thinking about how glad I am you and Brady are getting along. Isn't Kerry the sweetest, Brady?" she asked her brother, watching to see if she could embarrass him.

Bellz (Braden)

 

[BloodThunder27]

~Dublin: Shinoa Bradford~​

Pregnancy Tracker​

Progression: 34.5/40 Weeks

Countdown to Labor & Delivery: 242/280 Days

Weight Gain: 65/68 Kg

"Do you think it's possible that your mother reacted in the heat of the moment? You are very young to be pregnant, so I imagine that would be a shock. Could there be a chance she might listen to reason now the air has cooled?"

Shinoa wanted to think that her Mother had an overreaction at first, but in the end, heavily doubted it "At first that was what I thought it would be...At least until we found ourselves arguing almost every single night. She adamantly refused to take me to my Doctor's Appointments, continually tried to convince me to get an abortion and told me that she didn't even want to be a Grandmother. Worst of all, she said that she doesn't even want to look at my child. And her last words to me were 'You and that baby can get the hell out of my house! And don't come back until they're gone!'." Shinoa frowned at the memory, as it was the worst one to date, even more so then the initial reaction when her Mother first found the positive pregnancy tests in her trash can.

"When I was pregnant with my first child, there was a lot of anger from my mother and other members of my family. I won't begin to explain the complicated backstory behind it, but there was a very serious reason for the way they reacted. I wasn't sure my mother would ever forgive me nor accept my baby into her world. But when my daughter was born, my mother changed her mind and softened to the whole situation. She loved her granddaughter from then on... All I'm saying is, there were some very harsh words shared when I revealed my pregnancy, but in time, we patched things up."

Although she thought that she was in a rather hopeless and impossible situation, she did have a slight glimmer of hope when the older woman told her about how her situation was when she first got pregnant. That would explain why she showed sympathy, compassion and understanding to Shinoa's own situation, granted it would seem that hers got better over time in sharp contrast. For Shinoa, it just got worse and worse, from nightly arguments, having zero support from her extended family to continual attempts to convince her to terminate the pregnancy. Almost no one supported or agreed with her choice to keep the baby, and it was rather hurtful. "I think my relationship with my Mother is very much beyond repair to be honest." She frowned, having zero confidence and no hope of repairing her relationship with her estranged mother.

Her best hope, if any at all was getting into contact with her Father. She hadn't spoken to him since the day she told him that he was going to be a Grandfather. His reaction was much better, and he seemed to be okay with her carrying the pregnancy to term. Still, what did he actually think? Shinoa could only wonder. However, this train of thought was disrupted when Sinead said that she was born and raised in Chicago, while she stayed in New York for over a decade. What was she doing all the way here in Dublin?

"I know, honey. I was born and raised in Chicago, and I lived in New York for over a decade. They should do international calls and if they don't, you can leave a message for me here in the shop so I can arrange for you to use the phone here when you have the numbers you need to call. And if you can't get through to anyone, then social services will have to step in, even if it means them dealing with the authorities in America."

As much as she didn't want to, Social Services was probably the only way she was going to be getting ahold of her Father. That is assuming that he still had the same phone number, and was living in the same house in Seattle. There was no way she was going back to Portland and being at the mercy of her Mother. "Then I hope I can get through to my Dad. Because I really don't want to go back to my Mom." She said, feeling anxious and terrified, not to mention she still felt bad about wasting the woman's time.

"Don't you worry about that. So, do I get my driver to take you to the place in town or back to the hotel?"

Shinoa started feeling even more anxious when she saw Sinead's finger reaching towards the telephone, accompanied by the sound of her fingernail tapping against the phone itself. Before she could respond, she was hit by a contraction in her lower stomach. After taking a deep breath, she looked back up at Sinead.

"Or do you need to be taken to the hospital?"

"I think I'll be okay. I'll just stop at Social Services later this week. For now, I think I should just head back to my Hotel and...rest." She said before slowly standing up, wiping her eyes with her sleeve and hoping that Sinead didn't see the tears that fell from her eyes.

Misty Gray (Sinead)

 

[Pyroclast]

Billy King​

Along with his family, Billy understood that the business they were in was inherently violent. From an early age he had been taught the importance of loyalty, protecting one’s own, consistency, conviction, and how violence was sometimes necessary to preserve such values. Of course, most of the decisions were made by his older brothers so Billy didn’t often have a hand in the serving of punishments - especially not when it came to taking a life - but he could fight and wasn’t opposed to getting his hands dirty if the job required it. He acknowledged that someday he may be in a situation where the only way out was to kill someone, but until that point, he knew he would never be able to imagine what it would feel like to cross that line.

So, as soon as Erik confessed that he had been a hitman for Moretti, Billy couldn’t help but look at him in a different way. The man was being so gentle, with one hand supporting the back of Billy’s neck and the other holding the makeshift ice pack against the bruised area. Yet those gentle hands of his had blood on them. Billy didn’t know how many people Erik had killed and he didn’t want to. He wanted to trust him. So far since they had met, Erik had only given him reasons to like him - he was diligent, smart, fun and now, surprisingly caring. Besides, there was a difference between being a hitman and being a murderer. From all the time he had spent with Erik, Billy had never got the impression that he would go out killing people were it not in his job description. As for Trevor...Billy could only assume that the shooting had been done on instinct. And as messy as it was, he had to be grateful for that. Perhaps if Erik hadn’t had the experience and the confidence from having murdered people before, he wouldn’t have found it in him to commit the act, and the outcome would have been entirely different.

Billy took over the ice pack while Erik tended to the kettle, but his friend didn’t get far before turning back to him. He was all too aware of the emotional reaction he was failing to repress so when Erik returned to a crouching position in front of him his cheeks burned with embarrassment and he refused to make eye contact. He flinched when Erik reached up to wipe his tears away, not used to such affection, but didn’t put up a fight. A small laugh escaped him when the man told him that tears made him uncomfortable; they made Billy uncomfortable, too, especially given that they were his own. He glanced up just enough to see Erik’s comforting smile, but not far enough to make eye contact. Another silence fell between them as Erik rested a soothing hand on Billy’s head, drawing his attention to his pounding heart. He mumbled something about not knowing how to make tea and just when he looked like he was about to move away, Billy reached out to stop him. He caught the back of Erik’s jacket and pulled him into a close hug, allowing himself a moment to just appreciate what the man had done for him before his brothers arrived. It would have felt more awkward for him had he given himself even a second longer to think about what he was doing, but once his arms were wrapped firmly around him and his face was buried against his shoulder, he stopped caring so much. At first he said nothing at all, instead just focusing on calming down. Feeling Erik’s chest expand against his with each breath grounded him and he closed his eyes. “Don’t tell anyone about this,” he warned, voice muffled by Erik’s jacket. “Especially not my brothers.”

Without making eye contact, Billy eventually let go of Erik and pushed his chair back to stand up. The kettle had now quietened and he was gasping for a cup of tea. “Blimey, Erik, you’ve lived in England how long? And you still don’t know how to make a cup of tea?” Billy threw back a smirk in Erik’s direction before beginning to assemble the teapot and mugs. “A hitman I can live with, but seriously, mate. If you don’t learn to make tea I’ll have to send you back to the states!”

Not long after he had set the tea brewing in the teapot, the front door opened, alerting the pair to Alex and Spencer’s arrival. With a nervous glance to Erik, Billy turned around to face his brothers, folding his arms and leaning against the kitchen counter in an attempt to appear more relaxed. Spencer quirked an eyebrow at him and asked if he and Erik had got into a fight. He seemed impatient, reminding them that there was a football game that would be starting soon. Billy’s gaze drifted over to Erik again, finding it hard to look his brothers in the eye. “Nah, we’re good,” he sniffed, still looking at Erik for support. “But we um...Well, we went to the guy’s flat, right? And he was all weird, all on edge and that. So we had to, you know, knock him out before we put him in the car…and he, uh...” All things considered, Billy thought he was doing pretty well so far, but when he thought about the mess they had made of the man, his hand drew towards his mouth and he started chewing on his nails. It was a difficult thing to admit to, even to his two brothers whom he would trust with his own life. They had been a team their whole lives, been through everything together, so he should be able to tell them anything without hesitation. This time, however, he couldn’t get the words out. He just continued to stare at Erik, feeling a heat begin to prick at his eyes again. Without thinking, he reached up to rub away something wet behind his ear and when it turned out to be Trevor’s blood, Billy turned his back on everyone. “Does anyone want a cup of tea, by the way? I just made a pot...”

Interactions
Melanin-Gxdess Erik
Misty Gray Spencer
Enzyme Alex

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Moretti Family Home
~ Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn ~
Elvian Moretti

Though Elvian had only suspected Ricky and Julia had been something of an item, his reaction and reassurance had confirmed it. Julia seemed like a headstrong girl who could keep Ricky on the right path. She knew for sure her husband would appreciate that from the younger woman if he hadn't picked up on it already. Her only hope was that the young man wasn't pushed too far. With both Gabriel and Julia pushing for him to take his rightful place, she could see a problem possibly arising. For now, she would do her best as hostess to make sure the rest of the evening went smoothly.

She would be lying if she said watching Julia choke on her wine wasn't amusing. She looked from Julia to Ricky with an innocent smile on her face as the former seemed to be leaving the answering to her partner. Of course she would considering those types of things were left up to the men of the relationship. Hearing her husband groan, she turned to him with a look of fake shock on her face. "A one-track min- listen, you and I both know how much I love to see people married and having children and he isn't getting any younger." She faced Ricky and shook her head. "You really aren't." She took a brief pause to let Gabriel speak before narrowing her eyes at him. Though she loved her dear husband very much he really did have a tendency to have things go right over his head. She then looked between Julia and Ricky before shaking her head. "Oh, darling, how I love you so." She stated sincerely, patting his knee under the table.

"Wha- I'm sure they wouldn't be as bad you think they would be. In fact, I'm sure with the woman you choose they'll grow up properly and not be some sort of... Ruffian." She glanced over to Julia with a slight smile on her lips before looking back to Ricky. At the mention of Ricky continuing the Biancardi bloodline, Elvian couldn't help but wonder it Gabriel thought about who would take over when he passed. Though it was such a bleak topic to think about, she realized that they had yet to create a will of their own. It definitely wasn't something to speak about over dinner so she would wait for another opportunity. "As it should be. Children are truly a blessing." She playfully hit Gabriel's arm for even mentioning having children for the sake of having heirs. She knew he loved his children and didn't see them as just that, but was still going to chastise him for even mentioning it.


Gabriel, Ricky ( Misty Gray )
Julia ( Bellz )
​

 

[Melanin-Gxdess]

Erik Snowden
~ Bethnal Green, London~

Erik suddenly felt a weight pulling him back down as he tried to get up. Once he realized what was happening he couldn't help but stutter over his words. "Wha- Billy-," he started before cutting himself off. Feeling the man so close had nearly done his head in, the scent of his cologne going up to his nose. The man was hugging him closer than he had before. The two men had hugged each other before so it wasn't anything as intimate as this one had been. He could just barely make out his words, but he did understand what he said. It was the way he said it, about him not telling anyone about their intimate moments, that threw him off for a minute. What did he mean, he wondered, not to tell anyone? Did he mean him hugging on another man the way he had or something else? Really he hoped it was both scenarios seeing as Billy hadn't given off any gay vibes until now. Before Erik even had a chance to address it and confirm what he meant, Billy had pushed himself back to stand up. The topic had been changed back to making tea causing Erik to smile at him.

"Why learn when people can make it for you?" His voice was low as he was still trying to wrap his head around everything. After a brief moment, he decided to push it to the back of his mind for now. Knowing his brothers were on their way he didn't want to start that conversation just yet. It came as a relief to him that he said he could be friends with him still after learning he was a hitman. Of all the things he was worried about that was the main one. "I have no reason to learn tea, alright? We have the little bag where the tea leaves are ready to go. You posh bastards have to have the leaves all separate." He joked, sitting in the chair Billy had just stood up from.

It was silent for a few moments before the door had opened. Erik quickly glanced to Billy before Spencer and Alex rounded the corner and asked what was going on. Erik left it up to Billy to explain the situation, nodding his head at him when he looked to him. He seemed nervous which told Erik he was still on edge about the whole shooting. It was almost as if he didn't want to tell them at all what had transpired. Instead of getting to the point he was telling them minor details, which he understood. It was his first time experiencing something like this, why wouldn't he be? The moment he turned his focus back to tea Erik knew he had to pick up where he had left off. He stood up from his seat and looked between the three bothers. "I'll get to the point. Trevor's dead in the backseat. He tried to kill Billy and so I shot him." He sighed before scratching his cheek with his index finger. "It was the only issue we ran into and he's still sitting in the garage." He turned to look to Billy to see if there were anything to add, though he was sure he probably didn't. "He's got a nasty bruise on his neck and some trauma but for the most part he's okay." He pointed to Billy as he addressed the other two men.


Billy ( Pyroclast )
Alex ( Enzyme )
Spencer ( Misty Gray )​

 

[Pyroclast]

Syd Porter
Jane Carriveau-Porter​

Seeing his children in such anguish was almost unbearable. Syd had always tried to do everything he could to keep them safe and protect them from the horrors that life could bring. At the very least he had hoped that they wouldn’t experience loss or trauma until they were through childhood. It broke his heart to watch them cry so uncontrollably, too many tears for him to wipe away. Upon receiving the news, Syd’s priority had been to get his children to safety and into a comforting environment where he could look after them, so it wasn’t until JJ told him what Matthew had died for that he realised he hadn’t been able to ask anyone a single question about what had actually occurred. Hearing that Matthew had jumped in front of Roxie and JJ, saving their lives in the process, moved him deeply. After breaking Roxie's heart and driving her away, putting a wrench in their relationship forever, he had given up on ever winning her back, not believing that he deserved another chance with her. Instead, he had resigned to a lifetime of proving to Roxie that he could be a better man than he had been when they were together - but this only made him resent Matthew for already being good enough for her. The man had always appeared flawless, had always made life look so easy. He was liked by the community, he was mentally sound, generous, sensible and a good role model to his children. He gave Roxie the stability that Syd had never been able to give her. All in all, he was perfect. As much as Matthew’s seemingly perfect nature frustrated him, part of him had been happy for Roxie. So, now that he had died to save her and JJ, Syd couldn’t help feeling guilty for never saying a good word about the man while he had been alive.

For a moment Syd was tongue-tied, just watching helplessly as his son broke down in tears again at the realisation that his mother had almost been killed. Even though he and Roxie had split up several years ago now, he would still be heartbroken to have lost her. It didn’t matter that they barely knew each other on a personal level anymore - she was the mother of his children, and therefore meant a great deal to him. He couldn’t tell if JJ was thinking about it more deeply yet, but as Syd looked at him he realised that he could also have lost a son had it not been for Matthew. As much as it hurt to see the boy in pain, Syd knew the alternative would be agony unlike he had ever felt. Before he could stop himself from thinking about it, a tear fell down his own cheek and he quickly reached up to wipe it away.

The poor boy was so concerned about his mother’s safety, something Syd wished no child his age should have to worry about, and he let Jeanie cradle him and cry with him while he thought about how to broach the subject with his children. He wished he had managed to have another phone call with Roxie to find out how much she had told the children about her new responsibilities, if she had told them anything at all. After what had transpired, he was sure that explaining it to them now would be too much for them to process. Looking down at Jane, who was shaking and sobbing into his lap, he gently scooped her up and helped her to her feet before walking her over to the sofa where Jeanie and JJ sat. He got under the blanket with them and sat between his children, wrapping his arms around all three of them while they cried.

“That was a very heroic thing, what Matthew did tonight,” he told them, keeping his voice soft and low. “But he shouldn’t have had to do it. Your mam might be taking on some extra responsibilities at work at the moment, and until things have settled down, we’re going to make sure that she has more security from now on. You remember when we saw the Prime Minister on TV, and how she had all those bodyguards there to protect her? Well, that’s because she’s seen as an important lady. And mam is very important too, isn’t she? Far more important than smelly old Thatcher.”

Focusing on her father’s voice helped to ease the intensity of Jane’s cries. She felt exhausted, weak and sick with shock, and had no interest in leaving the nest of blankets. She cuddled against her sister, feeling Syd’s warm hand gently caress her arm as he continued to speak. “I’ll make sure your mam has more protection from now on,” he said, holding the three of them securely and beginning to gently rock them. “It won’t be like this forever, I promise. Things will settle down again. Right now, Reina and your Uncle Conor will take her somewhere safe and make sure she’s looked after, so don’t worry about her for now. Just try to focus on being here together, under this blanket where it’s all safe and warm. And later, I’ll call Uncle Conor and find out how she’s doing, and maybe you can talk to her then if you like. Just rest for now…and if you want anything at all, you just let me know, okay?”

Interactions
Bellz Jeanie, JJ

 

[Misty Gray]

Paulie's Pizzeria
~ Downtown Dublin, Dublin ~

Conor Sullivan​

Conor, Reina and Roxie moved further back, where there was a low wall which the two women could perch on if they wished to. Conor remained standing in a position he could look to the two ladies but also keep an eye on what was going on around the crime scene. He looked to Reina as she spoke, even if she was avoiding making eye-contact with him. He heard the woman blame herself for not being closer to Roxie and Matthew, but she also said she had gone ahead with the girls instead. He paid particular attention to the description of the vehicle the shooter had been in so he could pass the information on to the guards he had waiting nearby. Conor solemnly nodded upon hearing Matthew had protected Roxie and JJ. Whilst his natural thoughts were that Matthew had done the right thing by saving the lives of a mother and her boy, it still felt wrong that an innocent had be caught up in the crossfire. "Evidently, the man really was a saint," he thoughtfully commented. He looked directly to Reina and shook his head. "You can't blame yourself. As you said, you were watching the girls... and Matthew was watching Roxie and JJ," he reasoned with her.

Conor's focus then moved on to Roxie as she said she knew the bullet was meant for her. He wasn't about to humour her by suggesting otherwise. "I'm afraid to say you're probably right," he admitted, letting out a deep sigh. He could see her lip trembling, but with Reina by her side he figured he didn't need to step in to physically comfort the grieving woman. He nodded his head when the woman said she wanted those responsible dead. "As do I, love. Not only did they try to kill you, but their actions were also against my family," he said, referring to the children. "An innocent man was murdered and in my city. I have every intention of making sure those responsible suffer," he assured the woman.

With regards to her not wanting the police meddling, Conor turned to glance at the Detective before looking back to Roxie. "I can help you deal with them. Donnelly acts like he's Mr. Big Bollocks, but when it comes down to it, he will do as he's told if he wants to keep his job," he firmly told her. "You just tell him the truth about what happened. Your back was turned during the shooting and the black car sped off. You just need to keep your new title and knowledge of possible motives to yourself for as long as you can," he told her. He then nodded when she said the kids will need to stay with Syd. "That'll be for the best," he agreed. "I'll have a word with the Donnelly and get him to keep Matthew's identity quiet for as long as he can, to give you a head start on telling his family," he offered.

As Roxie became upset again, Conor stepped forward to give the woman a comforting embrace. Although it pained him to do so, he soon let her go and looked to Reina to ask the woman to stay close to Roxie. He was conscious about giving those responsible any more time to cover their tracks. Although Roxie became more anxious, she turned to Reina to seek out the woman's comfort so Conor felt better away leaving them for a moment. "I'm coming back," Conor reassured them before quickly walking away.

After speaking with his guards and sending one of them off to spread the word to get eyes out looking for the black car, he then spoke with Detective Donnelly and demanded Matthew's name be kept quiet for the time-being. Once done, Conor stood near to Roxie and Reina, but gave the two women enough space unless they needed him.

Melanin-Gxdess (Reina)
Bellz (Roxie)

 

[Bellz]

Julia Avvocata

Gabriel Moretti's Mansion
~ Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn ~​

Julia let out a nervous laugh as Ricky was equally surprised by Elvian's question. He cleared his throat and Julia managed to stuff some food in her mouth to keep from saying anything she would forget as he asked if anyone would really want a little version of him running around. Julia chewed her food thoughtfully before swallowing and taking another drink of her wine. She didn't think it would be all too terrible but it was just a shock that Elvian would ask such a question seeing as Julia and Ricky hadn't made their affection for each other too obvious...but she guessed their cover was blown now that she choked on her wine. Elvian disagreed with Ricky, eyeing Julia as she stated that with the woman he chose, his kids would grow up properly and not be ruffians. The woman's slight smile was unmistakable and Julia blushed bright red as she looked towards her plate quickly. Thankfully, it seemed as though Gabriel was very unaware of the relationship between Ricky and her and for professionalism's sake, she hoped it stayed that way.

Gabriel pointed out that Ricky should be thinking about extending his bloodline not wanting him to leave it up to Roxie's kids in case Ricky passed on. Julia let herself smile for a moment as Ricky made a dry comment to Gabriel before stating that he wasn't ruling out the idea of having children with the right lady. This had the blonde looking at him with a raised brow, wondering what he meant by that deep down. He then stated he would do it for the right reasons, rather than creating heirs, and that comment made Julia smile softly at him before turning to Elvian as she agreed saying that children were a blessing.

"I don't think I've been around a child in a very long time." Julia commented before saying, "I've always loved children though, their view of the world is so pure...full of good intentions. It's nice to view the world for what they think it is rather than what it actually is." There was a dark tone that took over her light one towards the end of her sentence, knowing full well that everyone at the table would agree that the world was anything but what children made it out to be in their imagination. "You must be very proud of your children and grandchildren, in this line of work...it's a treasure to be able to have a family like that, as I'm sure you know." It really was rare for people in the gang business to be able to enjoy their families as much as other people in other occupations. It seemed to be a mixed bag, some had it all while others...like herself didn't have any family left to enjoy. Ricky still had Roxie and his nieces and nephew, but Julia knew that relationship was already strained from what happened...soon he would be in her position. Placing her hands below the table, she reached out to take Ricky's hand gently and gave it a squeeze before looking at Elvian, "This food is absolutely delicious, Elvian. Thank you both again for inviting us to your lovely home. It's nice to have a sense of normalcy once in a while and I'm sure Ricky can agree!"
with: Ricky + Gabe Misty Gray ; Elvian Melanin-Gxdess

 

[Bellz]

Blake McCarthy

The Sullivans Pub
~ Dublin City Centre, Dublin ~​

A smirk formed on Blake's lips as Adam assured her and Ali that he could cook and clean before pointing to Blake specifically saying that he'd let her come over to his place to see for herself. Blake's cheeks reddened and she let out a laugh at the thought of watching him mop his floor. "Ahh, I think you have my kink figured out, I'm a sucker for a man who can mop a floor." She said giggling some more as she moved to take another drink to hide her blushing face. It was falling back into familiar territory, flirting with a man, Blake felt like she'd never stopped even though she had for the last 13 years. It was her personality, she exuded this natural flirtation with people, even those she wasn't really attracted to. She felt that if people could put up with her flirting, dirty jokes, and teasing...they were definitely worth being around.

Blake looked to Ali as she suggested that Blondes have more fun, this caused the blonde to raise a brow at her as she stated that Blake had fun her entire life. There were definitely moments in her life that were the exact opposite of fun but more or less the woman was right, Blake was a fun person to be around. She couldn't help but think that was the sole reason Jackson and her got along so well. They both had fun-loving personalities, they were the life of most parties they went to. They were for the most part extremely easygoing...until they weren't. Adam stated he didn't have a preference for hair color until more recently and Blake looked at him with a surprised look before she smiled widely as he said he was really into blondes these days. He called her gorgeous and stated she was never boring and Blake's cheeks once again reddened. He smiled at her for a long time and she returned it sweetly, unable to look away from him. Once she did look away, she looked to Ali to see if she was holding up alright with the amount of sexual tension that was currently holding Blake and Adam in a vice grip. She hoped Conor would show up soon to sweep the poor woman away though Blake really appreciated having Ali as her wing-woman.

Blake moved to take another drink as Adam said that she should keep her friends up until her sleeve. His attraction to her was crystal clear in Blake's eyes and when he asked what type of man she was attracted to, Blake smiled shyly. She was ready to answer but a lump in her throat caught her off guard. She was sure they all knew the type of man Blake was attracted to...but he was no longer with them. A sad expression crossed her features for a split second before she cleared her throat and tilted her head at Adam, "I'm a simple woman. I just need someone who can keep up with my fun-loving lifestyle...someone who isn't a bore, I suppose. I like my men with a side of danger and a whole lotta spice." She said, smiling knowingly at Adam. After a moment, she turned to Ali and smiled at her lightly, "Also a man who knows how to keep track of time, seems like Conor forgot how to tell time." She said teasingly.
with: Adam Misty Gray ; Ali Melanin-Gxdess (the third wheel)

 

[Misty Gray]

Tribeca Base
~ Manhattan, New York ~

Damian Nicolosi​

As if mirroring each other's postures, Damian stood alongside Tatiana with his arms also folded. Standing in the doorway watching the messy, violent scene unfold in the basement room, a sinister smile remained on Damian's face throughout. When Tatiana made her comment about the weak stomach Damian had accused one of the Taylor brothers of having, he turned to her and smiled even wider. "I only reported what I observed. If anything, I'm going to take credit for motivating the pair of them to lighten up a bit and let it all out. I'm sure you know first hand what it's like having to prove yourself to a man who doubts your capabilities. You were raised by one..." he pointed out, not needing to mention her father's name. He then nodded as he looked back into the room. "I think you could be right, though. They've got more to offer than the typical disposable pond life in that line of work."

Damian cocked his head to the side as he listen to Dylan's scream upon having the jalapeno rubbed into his wound. "So creative," he quietly told Tatiana. Soon enough, Roy finally gave in and shouted for them to stop, pointing out that Dylan was being tortured. After some more painful persuasion, Roy finally gave the information the Taylors had been demanding. "Ah, that place is a shithole," Damian grumbled in response to hearing the bowling alley was in Hell's Kitchen.

With the information they'd obtained, Quadir approached Damian and Tatiana to check what they wanted them to do next. Damian knew what he wanted them to do, and that was to go retrieve the weapons, to confirm Roy was being honest with them. Still, he remained silent and let Tatiana make the final decision as she was the one taking the lead on the task at hand. "I sincerely hope they're telling the truth," he softly commented. Beneath his now neutral expression, Damian was inclined to kill the twins either way. Especially Dylan. With a face now as messed up as his was, killing Dylan would be a mercy for him and anyone else who had to look at him again!

Pyroclast (Tatiana)
BloodThunder27 (Taylor Brothers)