Realistic or Modern The Oath - 1940s Gangster Drama - IC (Ended)

[Misty Gray]

James Porter

As they danced, Lucy asked James to dance with her for the rest of their lives. James was surprised by how much her request affected him. Here he was already planning on proposing marriage to her soon and yet he was still somehow surprised to hear she really did want to spend her life with him. He opened his mouth to respond, but they were both momentarily distracted by watching Finn sit down for a rest. Lucy then turned back to him with a raised eyebrow. The song had ended and there were a few second of silence. "Lucy, I will dance with you until my last breath," he softly and earnestly told her. He wasn't consciously aware when the slow song began to play, but he automatically pulled Lucy in close for a slow dance, kissing her forehead as he let her rest her head against his chest. He was normally self-conscious about doing this kind of thing in public, but in this moment it may as well just be the two of them in the room. "I love you, Lucy," he told her. Now more than ever, he was certain asking her to marry him was the right thing to do and he was now filled with more confidence than she would accept his proposal.

Bellz

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Sinead Sullivan​

Sinead was proud of Finn when he saw the song to the end. She followed him as he sat down, making sure he was okay. "Darling, I dance circles around everyone," she playfully told him. "Good show, Finn," she added. Glancing to James and Lucy, Sinead cheekily danced towards the record player and switched the music to a slow song. She thought it was sweet seeing the two lovebirds so close tonight.

Sinead had been about to grab herself another glass of wine when Shannon said she needed to get some fresh air. Sinead happily obliged to help her mother outside so they could sit on the porch for a short time. The girl didn't get much alone time or any sort of bonding time with her mother, so she jumped at the chance. As they sat out on the bench, Sinead linked her arm with Shannon's and rested her head on her mother's shoulder.


Conor Sullivan

After finishing opening his presents, Conor looked to those still in the kitchen. "Carrick, Aidan, Arlene... Let's get out of the kitchen and join the rest of the party," he suggested, pointing towards the lounge. He didn't wait for them before leaving the kitchen to join the others. He saw James and Lucy dancing closely, in their own world like nobody else was watching. He sat back on the sofa and spotted the ring box Shannon had forgotten to take with her. He discreetly opened it to see the diamond engagement ring. There was only one couple he knew of that was in such a serious relationship and it was the one dancing nearby. A grin crossed Conor's face as he decided to have a bit of fun.

Conor got up and stood opposite Finn, keeping his back to Lucy and James. He showed Finn the box and opened it up to reveal the ring. He used his eyes to gesture towards the happy couple so Finn knew who the ring belonged to, but hushed him not to say anything out loud. "Yes! Of course I'll marry you, Finn," he playfully told his cousin. Still not loud enough for the others to hear. He then took the ring out of the box and placed it on his little finger, the only one it would fit on. "I'm the happiest man alive," he told Finn, leaning towards him as he chuckled. Deciding he'd messed around enough and should probably keep the expensive jewellery safe, he went to remove the ring. His face turned serious as he struggled to take off the ring. Finn would probably think his cousin was still joking. "Seriously, mate. It's stuck," he said, the colour draining from his face as he tried to force the ring off of his finger. "What do I do?" he quietly asked.

Though he had his back to Lucy and James, the others would likely see Conor's current predicament.


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[Enzyme]

Giovanni "Angel" Gambino​

Angel leaned against Vinnie's desk, swirling the heavy liquid at the bottom of the glass. He kept his eyes on the drink as Alex spoke, seemingly more invested in it than what Alex had to say. To say Angel and Alex had a "difference in opinion" was an understatement. While the girl had become family, he sometimes wished he could send her far away. Where she would be safe, of course, but would be out of his way. It was hard enough keeping Vinnie on his side, the last thing he cared for was a lawfully good voice yapping in his ear and trying to redirect him. When Alex said she needed his help, however, he looked up from the glass.​

Resting his thumb under his lip, he made direct eye contact with Alex. "Is that so?" He tilted his head, taking a sip from the glass. "Well, what can I say other than, 'you've come to the right place'." He smiled to her, sitting up off the desk. He walked closer to her, keeping his drink to his chest. Pressing his tongue into his cheek, a business expression overlaid his face. "What do you need?"

neverbackdown

 

[neverbackdown]

Alexandra Romano

Alex took a sip of her drink while she let Giovanni mused over what she had said, before placing the glass back onto the table. She noted his apparent change in interest as she approached her and looked up to him as he spoke. Alex bit her lip as she thought over her plan, she didn't know how he going to react to this but she knew she could trust him to keep it quiet especially from her father.
"I need an unregistered, untraceable gun" she said quietly to him. Alex was aware that this was severely out of character for her and after all the righteous talks that she gave Angel and her father she felt a little guilty by asking, however it needed to be done. She kept a serious, business like expression on her face
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Enzyme

 

[Bellz]

Finn Sullivan

Misty Gray Lamia myst.erion Enzyme
Finn had been watching James and Lucy dance, the couple seeming to have slipped off into their own little world, blocking out the rest of the noise as they slow danced together. Conor looked like he was up to absolutely no good as he walked over to him, making the same face he did when he was younger. The face that he knew he was up to something. Finn raised a curious eyebrow at Conor and watched as he made simple gestures to him. He was gesturing to James and Lucy and pulled a small ring box from his hand. Finn's eyes went wide with surprise as his head shot over to look at James and Lucy for a moment who were still dancing like no one was around. Finn gave a small smile as Conor agreed to marry him, rolling his eyes at his cousin's actions as he placed the ring on his pinky finger, seeing as how that was probably the only finger that would be close to that of Lucy's delicate little fingers.

Shaking his head, he eyed the couple dancing and looked to Conor as he tried to get the ring off. The shock on his face said it all. At first, Finn thought he had been joking about getting the ring stuck on his finger but as the strong man pulled and pulled, he couldn't remove it. Finn covered his mouth as he tried to hold in laughter, Conor frantically asking him what to do. Everyone was starting to notice the commotion, everyone except James and Lucy luckily. Finn quickly stood from the couch, bringing Conor up with him as he tried to tow him around the corner without looking suspicious.

Finn grabbed Conors little finger and tugged on the ring. "Jesus." He muttered before trying again. A few more tries and nothing was being accomplished. Finn was sure that James didn't want anyone finding the ring and spoiling the surprise, but it seemed like now if he was going to propose , Conor was going to take the place of the ring box. "You have a bloody fat finger mate!" He muttered in concentration. Peeking his head around the corner, he waved for anyone of his cousin's attention while trying to remain discreet as James and Lucy were still very much unaware.
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[Enzyme]

Giovanni "Angel" Gambino


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Angel cocked an eyebrow at her request. He had to double-take, completely caught off guard. Looking at her again, he began to chuckle and shake his head. He stepped back from Alex and rested upon the desk once more. He then took a sip of the drink of the scotch, looking back up at her. "Out of everyone i've ever encountered, you'd be the last person i'd expect to want a gun." He scratched the back of his neck, before relaxing his expression. "Nonetheless, you're family and I want to help you." He appeared to be thinking over the proposition, before his expressions hardened and a smile played upon his lips. "You're no killer. Tell me who's causing a problem for you and i'll take care of 'em." He pressed the glass to his lips, anticipating her response.

neverbackdown

 

[neverbackdown]

Alexandra Romano

Alex gave a half smile when he told her she was the least likely person to want a gun. "And that shocked response there is why I can't let you do it" Alex said gently. She'd love to give the name and only have the guilt of the order resting on her conscious but Angel was a gangster and would definitely be suspected, whereas Alex she was seen as innocent and she knew that was an important card to have in this action.
She gave a sad smile "I cant, I'm sorry theres nothing more that i'd love than to just give you a name but this is a delicate operation. It's not just some thug on the street and it will definitely gather more attention and resources than any other murder in this town". She sighed softly "I know you could be discreet and probably get away with it but Im not risking it, when questions start getting asked I dont want the heat to fall on you or at least for you to have any blame". Alex took a sip of her drink as she looked down at the floor.
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Enzyme

 

[Lamia]

Athena Archer & Rayna Caito

Rayna nodded softly, feeling quite relieved that Vinnie wouldn't be a problem in her search for her son. The woman nodded lightly as Vinnie told her they would speak more in private. She watched as Vinnie took the empty plates from everyone.
Thena handed Vinnie her plate as he rounded up everyone's plates, whilst Olivia began speaking in reply to her answer.
Athena looked to Olivia as she spoke, trying to manage a small smile.

"Y-Yeah. Leo's a great worker.." Athena replied softly. She looked up as Vinnie placed the food in the center of the table.
The girl took a few things onto her plate, but not taking much. She ate a bit of corn, tapping her fingers lightly.

Athena chewed slowly, not feeling very hungry at the moment. "Um, I'm going to the restroom." she informed everyone before pulling out her chair and heading to the bathroom which resides in the corner of the main room. The girl entered the restroom, letting out a sigh. She ran her hand through her curls, taking a breath. Athena leaned against the wall, feeling a single tear rolling down her face. She crossed her arms against her chest. The girl sighed, "I'm so dumb." she muttered, more tears falling.

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[Enzyme]

Giovanni "Angel" Gambino

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Angel bit the bottom of his lip, nodding lightly. He looked off to the ground, sipping the scotch in contemplation. "Very well," He finally said, looking back up to her. "Come to my apartment tomorrow morning. I'll have a gun for you that'll leave the feds scratching their heads." He circled his drink again, nodding with more confidence. "Just so you know. If you need my help whatsoever in this process, even if it's to help you map out and execute, don't hesitate to ask." He offered her a sincere smile. "Please don't get yourself killed. That'd made me sad."

neverbackdown

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

Nikolai Kuznetsov



A scratching sound came from the music player as the pin was taken off the record. This would cause the attention of the table to move towards the record player in the hallway. They'd find a man holding the pin of the device with his left hand, his right loosely holding the grip of a submachine gun. Another man next to him wore similar attire, also armed. In front of them both stood Nikolai, clenching a toothpick between his teeth. "This all looks very good," he said, his stern expression softening.

He moved for the available seat at the head of the table. Nikolai began to hum a Russian folk song as he tucked a napkin into the top of his buttoned up shirt. He then moved for a plate, filling it up with the assortment of food. "Y'know, back when I was a child, i'd be lucky to go to bed full. Yet, here we all are. God bless America." He chuckled to himself, cutting up the meat. He then looked up to the rest of the family, his eyes stopping on Vinnie. "You have a beautiful home." The Russian gangsters remained behind Nikolai, clenching their weapons.
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[neverbackdown]

Alexandra Romano

Alex smiled softly when Angel asked no more questions, she was glad that he hadn't pushed it as her mind was a mess and she possibly would have broken and spilled all to him. "Thank you, Giovanni and I'll try my best" she said as she stepped forward and gave him a hug. While she had fought with him and been very cold towards him the last few times they had met, she still saw him as family so she did care for him and tonight he had proven he cared for her also. She still remembered his reaction to when she had been shot last year and how he had rushed to help her when she began to fall. Stepping back from the hug, Alex gave him a smile before picking up her glass of the table "we better return before they've eaten all the food" she mused before turning around and walking back towards the lounge.
As she walked, Alex heard unusual voices speaking and slowly walked into the room, where she walked straight into someone, she jumped back and looked up realising that she had bumped into some Russian man who was holding a submachine gun and her heart dropped. She raised an eyebrow as she looked at the men separating her from the table. "One family dinner without drama, thats all I wanted" she muttered to herself. Alex tried to hide the fear off her face and she slowly made her way towards the table, trying to get closer to her family and away from the Russians and the man she had walked straight into.

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Nicolo Romano

Nicolo watched as Athena excused herself before leaving the room, he heard her stutter and he wondered what could have made her so sad. His conclusion was that her and Leo had a fight or had broken up and he was confused about why. He thought they made a good couple and they really seemed to care for each other. Nicolo turned to Olivia with a small smile "maybe try speak to her in a while?" He suggested "I would but im not very good at girl talk" he added as a second thought.
Suddenly the music stopped playing and Nicolo heard an unfamiliar voice coming from behind him, he turned his head quickly to see a bunch of armed men standing around them. Nicolo looked to his father in confusion before turning to face the man who sat down at the table. He kept his mouth shut as he quietly observed knowing now was not the time to speak. Hearing footsteps, Nicolo turned his head just in time to see Alex walk straight into one of the men, before hearing her mutter something about drama and family dinners. He watched as she began to walk towards the table, ready to jump up and get her if one of the men tried anything.
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[Lazy Taco]

During Carrick drunk moment, he had accidentally smashed his glass cup on the sink and some of the glass had pierced his skin. At least he wasn't bleeding a lot. "Why ma hand redz?" He drunkenly said, slurring each word he spoke. Shrugging, he had started to walk toward the living room, following behind Conor, having to tilt his head in confusion when Conor had got on his knees and had said something to Finn. It even got him more confused when Conor started to look like something was wrong. Being drunk the first thing he did was grab a knife and walk toward him. "Canz I helpp?"
Misty Gray Bellz

 

[Misty Gray]

Vincenzo Romano

Vinnie looked up from his food when the music scratched to a stop. He saw two armed men along with Nikolai and quickly stood up. His first thought was how the Hell they'd got into his home. The second was that he'd have to be less hands on in asking such questions, being that his family were all sitting in the same room. He couldn't risk them harm, even if he did want to square up to Nikolai. When the man complimented how good everything looked, Vinnie smiled a bright smile, one which masked his ill intent. "Well, I always put my full effort into everything I do. Including dinner," he pleasantly told the Russian. "Your two friends don't look as appreciative," he remarked, pointing to the armed goons. He had a gun on him but made no move to use it.

Vinnie sat back down as Nikolai took it upon himself to take a seat at the opposite end of the table and help himself to food. Vinnie sent a reassuring glance to his family members. He saw Alex bump into one of the Russians and he quickly, but calmly, got to his feet and beckoned her over to her place at the table. "Have you been drinking, girl?" he joked to her, to make light of the accident. He wondered where Angel had got to having last seen him follow Alex away from the table.

Vinnie sat as he heard the Russian tell some brief story about being lucky to go to bed so full. It wasn't that important to the Italian. The Russian then complimented his home and Vinnie looked him in the eyes. "Well, thank you. We're a guest short tonight, so at least the food won't go to waste," he told him. Vinnie's face then turned a little more serious. "The only problem is, I don't recall inviting you and your friends here." He couldn't help but think Athena would be better staying where she was right now.

Olivia remained silent, making eye-contact with Nikolai when he glanced to her. The man's accent alone told her enough about who he could be. She'd encountered some of the Russian Mafia during an undercover job. Under the table, she held Nicolo's hand. She hoped Vinnie was going to stay pleasant.

Enzyme neverbackdown Lamia ReverseTex


Conor Sullivan

As Finn fumbled trying to remove the ring, Conor pulled an offended face as his cousin yanked at his finger. "I do not have fat fingers! It's all muscle," he half-joked. "It went on, so it must be able to come off," he reasoned. He was about to suggest grabbing some washing-up liquid or butter or something when he saw Carrick with the knife. "Seriously, will someone deal with my drunken brother and that knife," he suggested. He then looked back down to the ring, not even daring to see what James and Lucy were up to. "James is going to kill me if I don't get this ring off. Like, he won't even hesitate. Just one bullet and I'm gone. Sinead will end up as boss of the family," he lightly joked. Really, he didn't fancy facing James' wrath.

Bellz Lamia myst.erion Lazy Taco Enzyme​

 

[ReverseTex]

The

Lorenzo Romano

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neverbackdown


Lorenzo remained silent throughout dinner,
a rareity for the usually charasmatic man. His mind was elsewhere, both worried about Vinnie findings, and how much he could find out...

Lorenzo and Jack sat facing each other on his couch. He held his copy of “And Then There Were None,” deeply invested into the mystery tale. Although he felt a nudge on his leg, bringing him from Indian Island and back into reality. Jack smirked, reading his copy of “Gone with the Wind.” “Your taste in literature is quite feminine isn’t it?” Lorenzo asked teasingly, while getting a pair of narrowed eyes and a smile from his counterpart. “Maybe, but at least I don’t read that boring, or depressing shit you like. My taste is like fine wine, yours is like a bottle of scotch. But somehow we work.” Lorenzo smiled, setting down his book. “I can’t disagree with that? But let’s really test that shall we.......?”

The sound of a Russian accent brought him back from his reverie, and a annoyed sigh was his only reaction. He agreed with Alex’s statement, this family couldn’t do a nice thing without a interuption of some sort. He was armed however, usually carrying a gun when he wasn’t negotiating, or he felt threatened. Turning to face the Russian man, he locked him emerald eyes on the Russian’s muddy pair. “That is true, you lot weren’t invited to this family occasion. But, the Italians are known for being quite hospitable. And like my cousin said, there’s plenty of food for three more.” Glancing to Vinnie over his shoulder, he had a plan brewing in mind, which hopefully Vinnie could follow without any verbal indication.

 

[Enzyme]

Nikolai Kuznetsov

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Nikolai moved his eyes back to his food, slicing into the meat with the steak knife. He hadn't looked up to Lorenzo as he spoke, as if he acknowledged Vinnie as the only one at the table. He looked up to Vinnie as he informed him he didn't recall inviting them. He scrunched his eyebrows, pretending to be confused. "That's funny, because we had no problem walking through your front door. As a matter of fact, no one was even there to great us." A smile played on his lips. If one of the party members were to look outside, they'd in fact see the usual high-end security was missing. Almost as if they just vanished into thin air. Nikolai moved the napkin to his face, wiping off his mouth. "I am Nikolai Kuznetsov and I come on behalf of the Russian Mafia." He leaned back in his seat, motioning to one of the gunmen. Without hesitation, the gunmen offered Nikolai a cigarette. After accepting it and holding the cigarette between his lips, the gangster held a zippo lighter under it and ignited it.

Nikolai looked back to Vinnie, pulling the cigarette from his lips; a string of smoke following close behind. "We have stayed quiet during your dispute with the Sullivans. For awhile, it seemed it had ended." Nikolai shrugged, pressing his elbows into the table. "Well, it appears the wall of peace has been knocked down by the hammer of greed and the craving for war." He shook his head. "I never understood your lust for blood. It seems your willing to throw your own money into the fire to keep it burning." He tilted his head, shrugging once more. "Maybe i'm wrong. Maybe it was the Sullivans that started this again." He leaned in closer to the table, blowing a cloud of smoke over the table. "I don't care, cause i'm gonna' help you finish it. The back and forth gunfire and terrorizing of Chicago is over. The Sullivans are too weak to hold themselves up, so that's why i'm here tonight." He stuck the cigarette into his plate to extinguish it. "You help me out and i'll vaporize your biggest pest."

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[Bellz]

Finn Sullivan

Misty Gray Lamia myst.erion Enzyme

Finn rolled his eyes, "What did you expect trying on a ring that was meant for Lucy?" He asked, wondering what his cousin's thought process was on this whole situation that he had tangled himself up in. Biting her lip, he tried in vain pulling at the ring. "Yea, all muscle, right! Time to lay off the sweets Conor." He teased lightly before seeing Carrick stumbling around. This party was just getting better and better in a comedic sense. Finn could hear the next song coming to an end and his eyes widened. Conor talking about how James would end him was starting to get to him, he definitely didn't want to be on the receiving end of that man's anger.

"BUTTER!" Finn said almost too loudly before rushing towards the kitchen. Noticing Carrick had the knife in his hand, he gave a nervous laugh and plucked the blade from the man's hands. A strange feeling came over him in that moment realizing that he hadn't held a knife since the night that he was emotionally tortured. The blade glistened in the light much like it had then, the call of it was almost too enticing for Finn to pass up. His face twisted up in frustration as he moved towards the kitchen and threw the knife onto the counter before grabbing a stick of butter.

Heading back, he looked to Conor and then the ring. "You better hope this works or James is gonna be proposing to Lucy with your pinky finger."
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[Misty Gray]

Vincenzo Romano

Vinnie wasn't surprised when Nikolai introduced himself as a member of the Russian Mafia. He was curious as to what had happened to his security, but he would find out later, he was sure of that.

Vinnie listened as the unwelcome guest spoke of the dispute with the Sullivans, a smirk crossing his face as he wondered why the Russians would even care so much. "Maybe you are wrong," Vinnie began glancing to Olivia. "There was peace, until members of my family were stabbed and threatened." Vinnie also leaned forward, out of curiosity, as the Russian offered to help rid them of the Sullivans. "You're, right, they are weak, by our standards. So, I'm curious as to why you need to bother yourself with the small time scum. The only reason they've not all been wiped out yet is because I simply haven't chosen to do so." Vinnie sat back, giving it some thought, nevertheless. He knew he'd be a fool to laugh the Russians off and should at least hear Nikolai out. "Out of curiosity, what would you ask of from the Romanos in return?"

neverbackdown Enzyme ReverseTex Lamia​

 

[Enzyme]

Nikolai Kuznetsov

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Nikolai paused after Vinnie finished speaking, looking to the two Russians behind him and smirking; the Russians returned the amused smile as well. Nikolai looked back to Vinnie, crossing his arms. "Well, I am simply responsible for Chicago under the wing of the Russian Mafia. I don't have the jurisdiction to go around slaughtering families as I please. I will, however, not allow this war to continue. I'm sure you can imagine it isn't prime for business." Nikolai kept a stern stare at Vinnie, as if he were staring into his soul.

"If you could've, but haven't wiped out the Sullivans, you're either crazy or stupid. So, let's just assume you don't have the necessities to do so. I will supply you with what you need to exterminate the Irish rats."

Nikolai paused, looking around the table at the rest of the family before meeting Vinnie's eyes again. "Also, they control a large portion of Chicago's alcohol trade. Once they collapse, we're gonna have every family in the East Coast scattering to snatch a portion. I will secure all of it and give your family the majority of the trade. In return for my generacity, I want 15% of your gambling portions." He leaned back into the chair, nodding his head lightly. "Now, if you turn down this offer, not only are you clinically insane, but I will kill you both and end the war permanently."

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[Lamia]

Rayna Caito

Rayna lifted her eyes when she heard the music stopping. She saw the Russians with weapons and an eyebrow raised. The woman glanced at Vinnie, having an uneasy feeling in her stomach. This was odd, with Russians entering their family dinner out of the blue tonight. She listened as the two men discussed their little quarrel with the Sullivans. Rayna slowly ate her mashed potatoes, unsure where this would lead to.

Misty Gray
Enzyme

 

[Misty Gray]

Vincenzo Romano

Vinnie may be a power-hungry egotist, but he was smart enough to know when he wasn't going to win an battle. The Russians were not people he would fight, especially not in his dining room with his family in the firing line. Besides which, there could be ways this would benefit the Romanos in ways he hadn't expected. Nikolai would find it difficult to stare into Vinnie's soul - it certainly wouldn't be as easy as staring into Conor's.

"Mr. Kuznetsov, when you make an offer like that, how could I possibly refuse?" he asked, chuckling a little as he thought it over. "15% is definitely something I can work with. It's certainly not as insane as offers I've received in the past," he noted, recalling the crazy offer Emmet made shortly before being killed. "You supply me with what I need and I can make sure the Sullivans fall. I would only need to take Conor and a couple of others down, then the family will be crumbling on its knees," he assured Nikolai. Vinnie chose not to mention James' name as one of the other people, knowing Rayna wouldn't take it too well.
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[Misty Gray]

Conor Sullivan and James Porter

As the song came to an end, James stopped dancing and kissed Lucy once more, before letting go of her. Leaving the nice little world they'd been in seemed to suddenly make everything else come flooding back to James and he wasn't sure he could ignore what was going on anymore. The questions in his head were too much. "I know this is Conor's party, but I need answers from your mother - even just one answer right now," he told Lucy. "Could you ask her for a private chat, now? he asked. In his current frame of mind, he would go out and ask Shannon himself, but he figured Lucy would be better at doing so.

Letting Lucy get Shannon, James turned to go wait in the conservatory, passing Conor and Finn on the way...

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"It was just for a joke, Finn!" Conor said, when questioned as to why he put Lucy's ring on in the first place. "A joke that really isn't funny anymore," he admitted. Conor waited impatiently as Finn went to get some butter. His cousin soon returned. "I hope it works too," he said, taking some of the butter and rubbing it over his finger. "James won't-"

"James won't what?" James curiously asked, stepping between Finn and Conor. His eyes were immediately drawn to the ring the Sullivan boss was desperately trying to remove from his finger. "What the fuck, Conor?" he asked, in a loud whisper. He looked over his shoulder to make sure Lucy wasn't around. "How the... Why do you have that ring? What are you playing at?!" he asked, looking over his shoulder again. "I don't care if you have to cut your finger off, I want that ring back and cleaned up by the end of the night. Make sure nobody else sees it. Especially not Lucy!" he seriously warned them. "Jesus, Conor..." he grumbled. James would have probably seen the funny side were he not already tense. Perhaps later he'd see the funny side of it, if he gets his ring back in one piece. James didn't even give them time to respond before walking off to wait for Lucy and Shannon.

"Damn, he's pissed off..." Conor concluded. He then looked to Finn's face and couldn't help but burst out laughing, despite the apparent seriousness of the situation. "He'll be fine... once he gets the ring back," he reasoned. After trying a little longer, Conor managed to force the ring off of his finger and his face was filled with relief. "Ah, there we go," he said, grinning. "You're my hero, Finn," he joked. "Also a bad influence. Encouraging me to do this shit. I'll tell James this was all your idea," he teased. "Seriously, though. How useless is everyone else in this family?"
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[neverbackdown]

Alexandra and Nicolo Romano

Alex looked at father as he stood up and beckoned her over, she slowly made her way over to him very cautious of the armed men behind her that could shoot at any moment. She carefully and slowly sat down in her place between her father and Nicolo and listened to the conversation that was happening. She wondered how the got in as she looked around at them all. She looked at everyone around the table and realised that Athena was missing and Angel was still to arrive. "Where's Athena?" She whispered to her brother. "Bathroom" he replied quietly before he looked back up to the men talking. She hoped Athena stayed in there till this was all over.
When he mentioned taking out the Sullivans and her father agreed to the arrangement, Alex's heart dropped and she drank the rest of her drink to prevent herself from speaking up, she realised in that moment that since Sullivans had not attacked Olivia, Athena and Leo then it was clearly the Russians and she knew they were not to be trusted one bit, she hoped her father was wize enough to see this however, She knew now was not the time to go on one of her little outburst and giving out sprees.

Nicolo took Olivia's hand and gave her a gentle squeeze to try and reassure her, however he himself was a little worried as well. He listened carefully as they conversed, knowing this was a delicate negotiation, there was too many people here for this to end in a fight and it was clear that his father felt the same way.
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[Bellz]

Finn Sullivan

Misty Gray Lamia myst.erion Enzyme
Finn shook his head and watched as Conor swiped off a bit of the butter before placing it on his finger. He chuckled at the man's efforts to get if off when James walked between them, causing Finn to shut his trap quickly. He watched as James scolded Conor for wearing the ring and watched Conor's face with amusement. When James stormed off to find whoever he was looking for, Finn nodded in agreement at Conor's words. "I would be too mate." Finn mused. There was a moment of silence between the pair before Conor bursted out into laughter, causing Finn to smile widely.

"I'm sure he's just nervous about it too, these types of questions are not the easiest things to ask, despite how obvious the answer might be." Finn helped Conor by placing a little more butter on his finger before the ring finally came loose, the beautiful and delicate ring now covered in butter and sitting in Conor's palm. He rolled his eyes and nodded his head as Conor asked how useless the rest of the family was. "Completely useless, and I doubt James would believe I came up with this little idea. He knows me too well by now."

Lucy Sullivan​

Misty Gray
Lucy was enjoying dancing with James, the pair rarely having a moment to themselves anymore. A small smile came to her lips as he told her he loved her, leaning her forehead against his she returned the favor, "I love you too James." She murmured softly as they continued to stay in their own little world. The commotion around them all seemed to fade but Lucy could see that something was troubling her lover, she was sure she knew what it was. The song came to an end and James pulled her in for another kiss and she accepted it graciously. When he asked if he could speak with her mother, she nodded her head in understanding.

"No no no...don't you feel bad about this James, this is a big deal. I'll go get her right now." Lucy smiled at him before reluctantly letting go of his hands in search for her mother. Lucy had seen her slip outside she believed, so she moved to open the door. "Mum?" She asked softly, wondering what her mother was doing out here. Upon finding her, she offered her mother a small smile. "James requests a private chat with you.." She murmured. "You alright?" She tilted her head to the side in concern, making sure that her mother was doing well both physically and mentally.​

 

[Misty Gray]

Shannon Sullivan

Shannon looked up to Lucy and smiled as she addressed her. "Hey sweetheart," she said to her daughter. Realising it was private, Sinead kissed her mother's cheek before returning inside. Hearing James wanted to talk she figured it was about the ring - surely he hadn't proposed tonight. "I'm okay. Just getting some air," she assured her daughter. "Are you okay, though?" she curiosly asked.

Shannon got up from her seat, holding her hand to her wound. "Lead the way..." she suggested.

James Porter

James had managed to retrieve the envelope from where he'd first left it and he took out the photographs, keeping the one of just him and his apparent mother at the top. When Lucy and Shannon entered the conservatory, he looked to them, his eyes softer than they had been with Conor and Finn a short time ago.

"Come on, then. What's going on?" Shannon asked, a smile on her face as she sensed James was uncomfortable.

"I received these photographs today, from an anonymous source. There's a note telling me to ask you about Rayna." James handed Shannon the photographs as she sat opposite him, separated by the coffee table. As soon as she saw the photograph of James and Rayna her jaw tightened. She had to wonder if Vinnie had gotten bored and was playing a new game. "Forget you saw those photographs," she abruptly told him. "It's better that way."

"No. I need you to tell me who she is. I need to know!" James firmly argued, for now not worried about pissing the scary lady off. "This is my life, Mrs Sullivan," he said, his eyes urging her for an answer. He glanced to Lucy, glad she was there with him.

"Rayna is your mother," Shannon confirmed. If someone had gone to the trouble of sending the pictures, the truth was no doubt going to come out soon too. "I'm sorry, but... Rayna - your mother - is also Vinnie's cousin. She's a Romano..." she added, placing the photographs down on the table. Shannon took a deep breath, not sure if she was prepared for the fallout.

"What?" James asked, unable to stop himself from awkwardly laughing. Part disbelief, part alcohol. He looked to Lucy for her backup on this. "Now the truth?" he asked, unable to understand why Shannon would tell such a lie. Lucy would be able to tell her mother was deadly serious.

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Bellz

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[Misty Gray]

Sinead Sullivan and Conor Sullivan

Conor nodded his head as Finn explained that James was probably nervous. He took on a more serious attitude when speaking about the subject. "I'd be nervous too," he agreed. "It's clear Lucy loves him, but it's only normal he'd still be worried. I just hope he knows everyone here would be happy for him and Lucy. James has practically been a Sullivan his whole life anyway," he explained. "We'll all just get another excuse for a party when he does pop the question and make it official!" he cheerfully enthused. Conor was glad at least Lucy and James could be so public with their relationship. He only wished he could have the same with Alex and let her join him in family celebrations.

"You're right. James would never suspect you," he remarked. "Come on. Cover me," he asked Finn and lead him into the kitchen so he could clean up the ring. As Conor delicately washed the jewelry, he had his back to the doorway, but hoped Finn was standing guard.

After finding the sight of a drunken Carrick amusing, Sinead decided to get herself another glass of wine and walked towards the kitchen, glancing to Finn as he stood near the doorway. She peered past him to see Conor standing at the sink. "What's Conor up to? He can't have had enough to drink if he's doing the dishes!" she remarked.
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Bellz Lazy Taco

Olivia Svensson

Olivia was beginning to find the conversation Vinnie and Nikolai were having to be quite distasteful, particularly at the dinner table. She cared for Vinnie, but she couldn't help but think how terrible him aligning himself with the Russians was. He really didn't need help doing terrible things when he seemed to do well enough on his own. She wondered if any of the Russians she'd spied on in the past worked for Nikolai, but she'd be sure to keep quiet about it, either way.

Olivia winced as the felt the pain ripping at her side. "Please... Excuse me," she quietly asked, letting go of Nicolo's hand. She then very carefully made her way to the bathroom where Athena had gone. She keep her hand to her side but made it clear she wasn't up to anything. She carefully knocked on the door and spoke softly to Athena. "It's Olivia. Can I come in? I want to talk."
​

Lamia neverbackdown

 

[myst.erion]

= Magdeline "Maggie" Sullivan =
"Don't Underestimate A Pretty Face."

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Maggie was in a better mood than she could have ever asked for on a night like tonight. The atmosphere within the Sullivan house was unlike anything she had felt in a long time. Conor's birthday had brought along with it some very satisfying drinks, plenty of laughter even from her brother - something which lifted her spirits ten fold - dancing and the long awaited arrival of another cousin, Arlene, whom Maggie had not seen since she was very young, much like Aidan. After getting off of the phone with her co-star, worrying about Finn's stares in the kitchen and ignoring James' tease at her phonecall, the show of dancing in the living room brought a string laughs to her lips, as well as her cup of white wine, which she had refilled only once so far. Seeing Finn dance so freely and joyfully with Sinead could not have filled her with more pride and joy; at both her cousin for committing herself to bettering Finn, and her brother for letting his thoughts go and allowing himself to have a beautiful night.

Upon Arlene's gifting of Conor's new lucky charm, the memory of his present from Maggie ran through her head. It wasn't until the music in the main room changed from fast to a slow paced one, that she took it upon herself to chug the rest of her wine, leave it on the coffee table and rush herself upstairs to deal with Cono's gift. The young woman had in her mind for some time what she would like to get her cousin. She believed he deserved it for everything he had done for the family. He even could've done with it sooner. Once she was in her room, she scooped up a box with advertising on its front for a Kodak Pony. It had been released months prior and much to her delight, she recalled Conor mention it once in casual banter at The Emerald. The camera came with a fitted leather case, and she also purchased him 2 extra rolls of film. He'd be able to take 8 photos a roll. Carefully, knowing full well the party was not going to leave, Maggie also recovered plain brown paper and a blue ribbon to wrap her cousins present. She fastened the package with some scotch tape before prettying it up with her bow skills. She was well aware that Conor would rip through her work in moments, but it was the thought that counted.

When she descended the stairs again, the sight of Carrick's drunken mumbling and movemts were quickly noticed by her. It made her roll her eyes with a tiny smile at his innocence. If she wanted to meet Arthur at the bar later on in the night she couldn't do so in a drunken state. Maggie was intent on braving the temptations of an all out night of drunkenness in order to keep a clear conscience. For her "dates" sake, and for her family's sake. No doubt most of them would be piss drunk by the end of the night, and that wasn't exactly something she could prevent. Carrick proved it. With another small laugh, Maggie made her way past her finished drink and towards all the commotion. She raised an eyebrow immediately at Finn's position at the doorway, suspicious of Conor already, and Finn too. She squinted past her brother before setting her sights on him. She caught Sinead's words as she came up behind her. 'I sure hope not. He'll need a clear head to open his next present~' She was quite clearly speaking towards the birthday boy, her tone a little higher and accusatory, and not without reason. If she and Sinead knew what was happening, they were sure to scold. 'Teddy,~' she adressed her brother, her head tilting to one side. 'Sinny asked a question.....' She wasn't sure if she had spoken so casually with him since the incident with the Romanos. It felt good.

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mood; very happy, hopeful & curious
tags; Lamia Misty Gray Bellz Lazy Taco ​

 

[Lamia]

Athena Archer & Rayna Caito

Rayna observed the conversation between Vinnie and the Russian. This was a bit concerning, Rayna hoped to talk with her cousin afterwards to maybe encourage him not to associate with the Russians. The woman may only be coming back home for the first time in year but she knew that the Russians were not be messed with.
She noticed Olivia getting up and heading somewhere. Her eyes flicked over to Vinnie, raising an eyebrow as a way to say "What's going on?"

Misty Gray
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Athena was heard the knock at the door, hearing Olivia's asking to come in and wanting to talk. She sighed with tears still rolling down. The girl bit her lip, head down. "You can come in." Athena spoke softly, her voice cracking lightly. Athena went over, turning the knob of the door and letting Olivia into the bathroom.
Her tears would make it very clear that she was upset about something. The girl sniffled softly, looking at Olivia with her bloodshot teary eyes.

Misty Gray