take your heart out of its holster

Catalina 'CC' Corioni, 34, paralegal

[ccxcorioni]

SPOTTED: CATALINA 'CC' CORIONI in new york city! heard the THIRTY FOUR works as a PARALEGAL. word on the streets is that they can be ADAPTABLE & LOYAL, but they can also be OUTSPOKEN & ABRASIVE.

FULL NAME: Catalina Corioni-Cuevas NICKNAME(S): CC, Cee, Cat by her family PREFERRED NAME(S): CC, will exclusively introduce herself this way BIRTH DATE: 15th April, 1991 ZODIAC:  Aries ☀, Taurus ☽ , Sagittarius ↑ AGE: 34 HEIGHT: 5'7 SEXUALITY: pansexual, demiromantic OCCUPATION: paralegal LANGUAGES SPOKEN: english, spanish & some italian FATHER: Anthony Corioni MOTHER: Roslyn Cuevas SIBLING(S): Sofia Corioni (twin sister), Vitoria Corioni (younger sister) & two older half siblings PET(S): one boxer mix called Pepper & Luna, a malinois LINKS: pinterest (x)

tl;dr:

Her parents eloped to New York together ( her father left his estranged wife ) and so for the first five years of CC's life it was just her parents and her sisters.

Anthony wasn't really a plan kind of guy and so he took whatever job was going, landing a job at a restaurant that just about kept the family afloat. But despite money being tight it was a happy home.

It only got happier when her maternal grandmother forgave her daughter and moved to New York, living nearby and helping out with childcare so that Roslyn could also find work.

When CC was thirteen her mother passed away unexpectedly - complications after an asthma attack - leaving the whole Corioni family shocked and grieving. Her father had finally saved enough money to start his own restaurant and did so, throwing himself into work and leaving the kids to mostly look after each other.

Her grandmother filled the void left by both parents where she could but CC was reluctant to let her do it all for them, becoming independent at a young age to make it easier on everyone.

After graduating from high school she moved from job to job, never really settling in life despite generally working hard. Lacked direction and most of the time the only thing she wanted to do was socialise or go to the club. Life could be so short, after all.

Her pursuit of fun at all costs finally caught up to her, a car accident She came out of the accident mostly unscathed, just a couple of broken bones and scars. But with it came something of a wake up call, she didn't exactly feel as though she was wasting her life but she realised that she wasn't exactly going anywhere either.

It wasn't until her grandmother pointed out Nolan Fitzpatrick at church and mentioned him needing a receptionist that CC grabbed hold of her future. Then and there she tried to convince him to hire her, succeeding and starting immediately.

Before long she'd proven herself loyal enough that Nolan suggested that she look into training to become a paralegal, funded by him. It's a job that she loves and she does whatever is needed to get the outcomes they need.

Personality:

Competitive, blunt, and independent CC has a way of making her presence known. Her honesty sometimes sounds more like an insult and the black-and-white way she sees the world means that she has a habit of being judgemental. Stubbornness means that once she’s made up her mind about a person it’s quite difficult to change it. Generally, it’s her straight-talking and sense of humour that wins people over and her endless loyalty that keeps them. She’s fiercely and blindly defensive of the people that she cares about and would do anything for her friends and family. For all her love of fun that sometimes borders on recklessness, she is generally someone who can be relied upon by those that she cares about, willing to drop anything and everything if they need her to. She’s intelligent and quick thinking, even if it’s not usually the trait that makes itself known immediately, it lends itself well to her job.

Headcanons:

Lives practically next door to her grandmother, her namesake Catalina, and the two regularly spend evenings watching all of the elder woman's favourite tv shows.

Has a scar on her left thigh and one on her right arm where she had to have a plate put in after breaking it in a car accident with an ex-boyfriend.

Is allergic to shellfish and slightly paranoid about it so carries an EpiPen at all times.

She likes to be busy at all times. If she isn't at work then she'll be seeing family, if they're busy she'll go work out. Her evenings are always filled with plans whether it's dinner, partying or some new hobby she's decided to give a whirl only to drop it a few weeks later.

Fosters dogs in her spare time and has a boxer-mix called Pepper that was a foster fail. She's vowed that she won't fail again but the malinois she is currently fostering is quickly stealing her heart.

Has a burner twitter account she uses to drag anyone and everyone who annoys her. No one is safe, from the guy who cut in front of her in line in the coffee shop or the girl who spilled a drink on her.

[dxncingonmyown]

@ccxcorioni | CC and Veronica, The Reap House

"No fucking lighters." Veronica announces when CC walks into The Reap House. "That's the new rule around here. No lighters, no blunts, no scented fucking candles--" No matter how much some may love the 'cherry blossom three-wick candles' that Veronica puts out. "Come to think of it, no hairspray, either. That shit's flammable." And unlike the rest of the locations targeted by the fires, the Reaper's didn't have endless amounts of money to rebuild. It's a miracle no more were hurt at the fire at Second Gear. "Anything else I'm missing, CC?" Because when it comes to intensity, her childhood friend is reliable in piling on with her when the rough edges of the world present itself.

[ccxcorioni]

Hands held up the instant her friend's voice reached her, feigning innocence as though she'd never do such a thing. Like she hadn't just relapsed into smoking again, deciding that the kick she got from being on her high horse wasn't hitting as much as the cigarettes were at that moment. "No one doing their nails, acetone can make things go up real fast." Tone flippant as though she hadn't escaped a burning building within the last month. It was easier that way, always had been, downplaying the event as thought it hadn't been minorly traumatic. Instead latching onto the fact that they'd all made it out alive. Elbows propped on the bar, smirk playing over her lips when she couldn't help but tease despite knowing Ronnie was likely right to take it seriously. "You gonna make us all do a fire safety course too? Start carrying those fire blankets around."

[nfitzpatricks]

"What then -- you really gonna make me put on a big show of askin' you out? Want me to write it on a little post-it note with a 'yes' or 'no' checkbox like we're twelve?" Part of him figured she'd die from the cringe of it all, but he was also just tired of beating around the bush after months of tension, of longing, especially with how quickly they'd begun settling into this new dynamic. "A box of matches and a good suit -- just tell her to use a good picture of me." Not that she would if it came to that. He'd come to learn over the years, even before they were dating, that CC's girlfriends were just as cutthroat and headstrong as she was; for better or for worse. Nolan lazily rested his elbow atop the open door, holding still as she worked to straighten his tie -- grin widening when she gave it a tug. "Those kinds of threats will get you everywhere, Corioni." He teased, head tilted slightly as he made a show of considering her demand. "Alright, alright. How 'bout Saturday night I make us some reservations at Carbone? That fancy enough for you?" Far too impatient to wait for an answer with their faces so close together now, Nolan instead closed the space between them, softly pressing his lips against hers.

[ccxcorioni]

"It'd be more than you'd done so far." Retort falling easily from her lips, as uncensored and unthinking as she always had been. The reflex still to argue and challenge him even if things were more harmonious between the two of them now. Though in truth it lacked as much of a bite as it might have once done, something she'd deny when the last thing she was ready to admit was any part of her was going soft. "I think it's gotta be a real sad, earnest looking one to really sell the story." The faux sincerity of her words broken by a snigger, imagining the kind of pathetic picture Rin would undoubtedly pick just because she could. Smirk turned into more of a grin at his response to her supposed threat, eyes expectant as he played at considering her request. "It's a start." Any other remark she might have had silenced by his lips against hers. By far the most efficient way he'd ever employed to getting her to shut up for once. Still, as much as she revelled in the contact, hand around his tie pulling him closer, she still couldn't let him have it too easy. With some reluctance she pulled away, only so she could issue a warning about resting on his laurels. "But don't get any thoughts about taking me some place nice one time and coasting on that for however long this lasts. You gotta keep it up."

[bulletwnds]

after a weekend full of parties and early mornings nursing hangovers with greasy burgers— a workout was well needed. though halfway through trying to keep up the pace on the stair master, she wondered whether the 'good feeling' people mentioned after a workout was real or not. she was sweaty and on the verge of throwing up.

after calling it quits early, she placed her towel behind her neck and veers the corner towards the locker room when she collides with another person. luckily not hard enough to be knocked back but enough that the impact caught her by surprise. "shit, are you okay?" her hands extends out but falls short when she noticesdthe girl opposite her. "——cc. i didn't know you came here."

starter for @ccxcorioni

[ccxcorioni]

As someone who'd always possessed a stubborn refusal to ever truly acknowledge or deal with her emotions, exercise had been an outlet for her since she was a child. It had started with various sports teams, bugging her parents to take her to practises and games. It had shifted as she'd gotten older, switching to more solitary pursuits when they fit in with her schedule more easily. Running with her dogs, pilates classes and weekly gym sessions all keeping her time filled when she'd never been good at sitting still.

Headphones had just been put in place, rounding the corner to start her session, routine thrown off as she collided with someone else. "Yeah, fine." Came out before she realised who the other speaker was, expression shifting to something more neutral. "Mhm, it's my regular." Staking her claim, as though it was the other woman who was somehow intruding despite it being a public place. "Can't believe I haven't bumped into you here before." With an overly friendly tone that suggested she was anything but in disbelief.

[chanelcalloway]

Chanel had never experienced a loss like this one. Sure, she'd lost a few members of her extended family and seen her parents lose a couple of close friends throughout the years, but while sad, none of those losses could have ever prepared her for the irreparable damage of losing a sibling. Her and Dior had once been close, and while the sisters had experienced their own differences throughout the years, those things had never weakened the strength of her love. In fact, more than anything, she wished she'd taken more opportunities to be there for the other woman when she needed her.

Although she appreciated the sympathy of her friends and was grateful for CC's kind gesture, receiving such sympathies had become a continuous reminder of her own grief. "Thank you," the brunette answered softly, taking the dishes into her hands, "Do you want to come in for a bit? I can make a pot of coffee... or whip us up a little something stronger?"

[ccxcorioni]

Pity had never sat easily on her, bearing it with almost as much discomfort as she did grief. She knew more often than not people hated being on the receiving end - it had made her furious when that was all people had to offer her after her mother's death. Nothing more helpful than their own awkwardness. Unable to do anything more useful than simply feel bad for them. So she was determined not to be that for Chanel, even if she felt out of her depth in knowing what she might need. But then her friend threw out a lifeline, something she could grasp onto with ease. "Let's go stronger." Might take the edge off the rawness enough that the brunette could handle things however she wanted to. "Unless you want both, go Irish with it." The sentence gave her an idea as she moved through to grab glasses for the pair of them, wondering if maybe a little bit of distraction or normality might be the way to go. "Did I tell you yet that I'm a total cliché?" Question posed lightly, letting Chanel choose whether she wanted to take her up on the offer or not.

[nfitzpatricks]

It was the way that she practically threw herself into his arms that had his demeanor softening, the timidness in her voice rather foreign --unsettling, even. "No, no, I know. Just -- what's the point of a fuckin' cell phone if they don't wanna work when you need 'em?" He grumbled, a kiss pressed firmly to the top of her head. With all that they had been through together over the years, between all the violence, the murders and the bomb scares, he'd never felt the type of concern, the type of fear that washed over him that evening. Perhaps because he hadn't been there when the fires broke out, in all the chaos that had come previously, she'd always landed somewhere in his line of sight if not directly beside him -- but more likely, the shift in their relationship had risen the stakes, the thought of losing her suddenly meaning more than it ever had before. No longer was CC just a colleague, a friend, not even just the woman he'd fallen for; she was everything, she was family. Nolan let out another sigh of relief, hand rubbing against her back before he pulled apart slightly to look at her. "Are you sure? You let one of the doc's check you out?" Eyes scanned her features, looking for any obvious signs of injury before he leaned in, kissing her softly. "Christ, you smell like a chimney sweep."

He glanced over her shoulder and down the hall momentarily at the mention of Jackie. "Poor kid. They have to get him into surgery or somethin'?" He figured as much, either that or they sedated him, considering how quiet it was. The young man definitely had a way of making himself heard. A quick nod was given at CC's request. "Of course. Whatever you want."

[ccxcorioni]

Huff of agreement left her at his grumbling, some half-assed muttering about starting a campaign complaining about it lost into his neck. Hand waved off his concern. "Yeah I'm sure, I was barely in the building." Nose wrinkled at his observation, already feeling more like herself though the sigh that slipped from her lips was softer than the usual way she'd huff dramatically. "I'd like to get Eau de Soot off me as soon as possible." As though a shower was all she needed to wash away the events of the night. It wouldn't be but she could always hope it'd lessen the thoughts enough she could banish it all from her mind. She shifted in his embrace, tucking herself into his side as she rested a head on his shoulder, something close to exhausting finally kicking in. "I think so. I don't know. Think I stopped taking in anything after hearing he was going to be alright." The relief meaning it was hard to focus on anything else, the treatment he needed hardly worth paying attention to when she knew she'd do whatever needed to help him in the aftermath. What mattered was that there was an after.

For a moment she just stilled in his arms, focusing on touch enough that she could ignore the sights and sounds of the hospital around her. But the brief reverie couldn't last, not when her family had always had a way of disrupting anything close to peace. Chattering voices drifted towards her, making one out enough to hear one of her aunts asking where Cat had gotten to, urgency to get out of there suddenly spiking. "That's our cue to leave." Hand patted his chest, brisk words given as she turned them both to face away from the direction her busybody family member was coming from. "Unless you're keen to be interrogated by my whole family about your intentions. And then be put on coffee and vending machine duty for however long they think they need to stand vigil over Jackie."

[criminaltypes]

       sometimes  it  truly  felt  as  though  life  had  been  determined  to  test  just  how  much  sonny  could  take.  as  though  fifteen  years  or  so  of  all  he'd  seen  and  been  through  with  war  weren't  enough,  then  came  the  side  effects  of  caring  about  people  and  what  happened  when  you  lost  them.  always  having  been  a  self  soother,  someone  that  got  through  things  on  their  own,  he  went  inward  when  his  heart  was  tested  the  way  it  recently  had.  the  aftermath  of  the  fires  and  the  loss  he'd  taken  on  had  hallowed  him  out,  left  him  to  appear  withdrawn  and  empty,  though  his  mind  hadn't  quit  spinning.  a  slow  burning  fire  was  building  within  a  lethal  weapon.  "same."  that  was  the  only  depth  he'd  offer  to  her  equally  shallow  response.  "how  much  do  you  think  jackie's  gonna  milk  this  injury?"  there  were  already  some  strong  assumptions  and  guesses  but  it  was  a  conversational  pivot.  "i  always  want  in  on  nana's  cooking,  by  the  way.  i'll  be  dropping  by  jack's  after  i  give  him  another  visit.  if  you  need  anything...  you'll  let  me  know,  right?"  they  were  too  similar  in  some  aspects  and  sonny  knew  she'd  handle  whatever  she  needed  on  her  own.  still,  the  reiteration  was  mostly  to  remind  that  he  was  there.

[ccxcorioni]

Scoff left her at his question, knowing without any doubt in her mind that Jackie wasn't about to let anyone forget what he'd been through. "His entire fucking life. He'll get to eighty and still be telling people about the time he barely made it out alive. Acting like some knock-off Joker when he opens with 'wanna know how I got these scars'." An attempt made at what she thought was an accurate impression of her cousin doing an impression. "Sure, I'll drop some by." That was the easy part, gaze flickering over his features as fingers drummed on the bar as she debated with herself. Knowing more often than not she'd rather just drink away her feelings or ignore them entirely. But as much as it made her uncomfortable she knew part of being there for someone else was setting aside her own feelings. "Do you remember at the beginning of this wonderful friendship I told you that you needed to get your shit together? Or some other kind of wisdom I gave freely." A brief pause, gaze fixing on him as she gestured briefly towards his face. "The look you got on your face is a little too reminiscent of back then so if something's bugging you, you should talk about it." Features scrunched up slightly, knowing she'd always been one to shy away from anything close to sincerity regarding her feelings. Only ever feeling safe expressing irritation or wry enjoyment. She admits just as much, knowing how much of a hypocrite it makes her. "I know that's rich coming from me so if I'm wrong you can tell me to fuck off and I'll graciously comply but if I'm right -" Shoulders rolled into a shrug, voice softening slightly as though that would make it easier for him to hear. "- well it doesn't have to be me but you should tell someone, Son."

[dadivosos]

" but then my main job would be looking over you , " he said attempting to contain his chuckle. head whipped over to look at the woman , " you know -- fresh relationships are always the most vulnerable. could make up some outlandish story and nolan might eat it the fuck up. " but then again his brother wasn't as gullible as he supposed. the woman would be exposed to their inner workings now , not that she hadn't before but if this was going to be serious between them then she might as well get used to it. eyes narrowed but he knew she was right -- gracie would rather gag on every bite than admit it was horrendous. " well then what are ye doing there and hand me another tomato. "

[ccxcorioni]

Eyes rolled at his response but she saw no reason to justify to him that there was no way in hell she'd be under his care. "Please, he's smarter than whatever story you could concoct." Unclear whether she was complimenting her boyfriend or implying that his brother wasn't clever enough for something convincing. Probably both. "And I'm pretty sure that's only for someone he didn't know already." Triumphant smirk pulled at her lips as he didn't argue about his girlfriend, knowing it was an easy thing to fall back on whenever they were bickering. Maybe an unfair one but her competitiveness had never let her fight fair. Tomato was picked up, holding it out towards him only to pull it back as he reached for it, brow raised. "Are you gonna chop it the way I said or make it up as you go along again?"

[rachelxhan]

She didn't quite know if it was weird to come over, she knew that sometimes CC got weird about Rachel when she'd come over in the past. But, to be fair she was pretty sure that she'd won her over for the most part. At least she'd hoped so. "Yeah, you weren't there too were you?" She frowned as she felt like she immediately looking over her for injuries. "I see...well, I'm glad then that he's okay. Annoying means that he's alive and well enough." She said with a conciliatory smile as she realized that her whole purpose had been answered in just a moment. "Is he staying with you?"

[ccxcorioni]

"Yeah but I'm fine. Got out without so much as a scratch." She didn't mention the way the smell of the smoke had lingered on her, even after showering, clinging to her as an unwelcome reminder that she'd been so close to danger. "Nah, we'd end up killing each other. Or he'd try and I'd succeed. I've been checking in on him as much as possible. He'll be fine." Questions answered she couldn't help but wonder if there was something more to the other woman showing up. "Are you doing a story on it or something?" Fairly certain that she was or had been some kind of writer. Easier for her to imagine some kind of agenda behind her appearance than it just being out of the goodness of her heart.

[rachelxhan]

character: @ccxcorioni

location: nolan & cc's office

She was pretty sure she'd seen Corioni as one of the people on the list and so after a day or so she felt like checking in to see if there was any relation to CC or if it just happened to be a more common last name. Thankfully the woman she was looking for was already in the office. "Hey, I saw your last name with someone in one of the fires and just wanted to check on you." Rachel shared as she know that perhaps if anyone else said those words that may come off as suspect, but she genuinely had no ulterior motives in this moment.

[ccxcorioni]

"Oh, that's -" Unnecessary was the word that came to mind but only because she was doing her best to move on as swiftly as she could from the fires. Pretending to have it all together until she could forget the smell of smoke and heat of the flames. "- really nice of you. Yeah, we're everywhere." While she saw her immediate family every week she knew the extended network was huge. "My cousin but he's gonna be fine, just a pain in the ass in the meantime." Easier to focus on her annoyance at how demanding he was being than come to terms with how close she'd come to losing him.

[criminaltypes]

       since  the  fires  something  had  hallowed  out  and  distanced  in  sonny.  he'd  withdrawn,  became  even  quieter,  and  there  was  something  haunted  in  his  features.  not  a  passing  or  fleeting  emotion,  but  something  that  seemed  etched  in.  the  blond  stood  at  the  bar,  nursing  a  beer,  with  thoughts  far  away  from  even  himself.  if  and  when  he'd  inevitably  pulled  from  his  reverie  sonny  wouldn't  be  able  to  explain  where  his  head  had  gone.  he'd  faintly  registered  that  cc  had  appeared  next  to  him  at  the  bar,  put  in  an  order,  and  was  talking  to  him  about  jackie.  though  he  could  make  it  out  it  sounded  almost  like  she  was  speaking  under  water.  "nothing.  don't  worry  about  it,  i  got  it."  while  half  the  time  they  seemed  on  each  other  nerves  there  was  a  special  bond  between  himself  and  the  road  captain.  for  a  good  while  he'd  been  helping  cc's  cousin  with  his  father,  and  more  so  since  the  fires  and  jackie's  injury.  he  remained  quiet,  let  the  silence  roar  between  them  for  a  few  long  moments.  took  another  sip  of  his  beer  before  he  finally  looked  at  the  brunette  beside  him.  "aside  from  wanting  to  do  bodily  harm  to  our  tragic  survivor...  how're  you  holdin'  up?"

[ccxcorioni]

"Well I owe you one anyway. Been cooking with my grandma, just let me know if you want in on some of that." While she knew that she wasn't exactly the poster girl for empathy she'd always been perceptive. Her sister had once described it as nothing more than nosiness, as though it was motivated by nothing more than wanting the perfect piece of gossip to share. At that point it might have been true, paying attention more because it served her than out of any kind of concern. But the silence that sat between them felt loud. Loaded. Enough that her gaze turned a little more keen as she prepared to gather evidence. "What's a little light maiming between family?" Shoulder rolling into a lazy shrug before she answered his question. Well, almost. "Still processing." A bending of the truth, not quite a lie but not totally honest when she wasn't even been that with herself. She'd started to reflect on the fires only to stop the moment it got to hard. Avoidant nature when it came to her emotions a constant contrast to the head on nature she usually tackled life with. But she wasn't concerned with herself - she'd be fine, she'd will herself to be - Sonny on the other hand seemed very much not himself. "How about you?"

[nfitzpatricks]

A smirk tugged at his cheeks in response to her reaction, eyes only parting from hers once the light turned green. "No, no, I'm not asking you on a date. I'm telling you we're goin' on one, and askin' you about the burger part." Of course the real answer was yes, but he was never going to waver when it came to being a bit of a dickhead for his own self-amusement, no matter how crazy about CC that he'd become. "Alright, well; suit, I got that covered already. Nice dress--well, a skirt is, like, half a dress, ain't it? I got a box of matches in the glove compartment, so there are your fuckin' candles." He rattled off, securing them a parking spot not too far from the restaurant a she did so. "And as for romance, hold on--" exiting the vehicle, Nolan quickly walked around to the passenger's side, opening the door there, "-- there's your romance." A hand extended toward her, grin smug yet his gaze holding something more genuine. "I'll pick up the check, too, in case you were worried I'd be too cheap for that."

[ccxcorioni]

"This relationship thing doesn't mean I like being told what to do anymore than I used to." As in, not at all. But there was no true argument from her when a date sounded nice as well as being well overdue. Scoff left her at his attempt to style it as the kind of date she'd describe, hand placed over her heart with faux sincerity. "Let me tell Rin I've got her next headline - local man proves romance isn't dead with a box of matches." Eyes narrowed slightly in playful consideration, flickering from his face and that smug grin she'd come to enjoy so much to the hand he extended as though she was weighing up if it was enough. "Fine, close enough." Hand placed in his as she got out the car, free one smoothing over her skirt before reaching for his tie as though she was going to straighten it out. She did, at first, before fingers wrapped around it firm tension applied to bring him closer as though she needed his full attention. "I still want that fancy dinner though. You can pick up that check too." Patting his shoulder with a smirk before

[jackierco]

where: the hospital who: @ccxcorioni & jackie ruiz-corioni

"The food here fucking blows. When's Uncle Tony gonna come by with that chicken parm he promised me?" Jackie complained as he flipped through the same five channels on the small TV, unable to settle on a show. It was no surprise that the Reaper was feeling restless, always one to be constantly on the go from sunrise to sunset -- so, being confined to a hospital bed for god knows how long wasn't exactly ideal. Not to mention the business losing income from him being incapacitated, something that worried him more than he'd be willing to let show. His mother insisted she wasn't concerned, but he knew better -- she and his father fully relied on him, something that had been the case since the patriarch's illness began to progress all those years ago. "Did I tell you they were this close to choppin' my leg off?" A lie. "Doctor said it was a miracle that the initial surgery worked so well. Apparently my body is, like, real fuckin' good at healing or whatever. Said it was a miracle."

[ccxcorioni]

"There'll be no chicken parm." Not from her father at least. "Uncle Tony's all talk. Full of false promises. I'm sorry you had to find out this way." Voice flatter than usual and not just because she was talking about how her father's ability to somehow be loosely present in her life and completely absent at the same time. She'd learned the hard way, time and again, not to get her hopes up as he made grand sweeping statements only to forget he'd ever made any such declaration when he inevitably got sucked back into his restuarant. But the disappointment in the man who'd raised her ( up until the loss of her mother ) wasn't the reason she was so deflated. If she were being honest she'd been worried, forced to accept the uncomfortable realisation that she'd come a little too close to losing another member of her family. She wasn't about to tell him that though, confusion flickering over her face at his statement as though it didn't make sense. "You practising your story for someone who hasn't been talking to your doctor and nurses every fucking day?" She scoffed slightly. "A miracle. You think God'll give us another and have you lose your voice for a little while?"

[dadivosos]

" yer goin' to hell unlike me -- i'm a feckin' saint. " that was debatable but she didn't need to know the difference. though she definitely was a saint for putting up with both fitzpatricks but she would never get the props from him. " i can't -- father craig or is it greg -- whoever has a problem with me. dunno why -- " shoulders rose in a lazy shrug. " not with me -- i don't know what you , " he pointed at her. " do wrong but i do nothing wrong , ever. " a bit of an understatement but he wasn't going to argue. " i am listenin' i'm just not doing what you're saying. "

[ccxcorioni]

"If you're a saint it's only so they can make you the patron saint of fucking losers." The comment about her going to Hell was left untouched, not about to wade into the fate of her soul with him of all people. "Gee, I wonder." Words heavy with sarcasm when in that moment she could think of at least a dozen reasons why someone would have a problem with him. She had several. "Have you hit your head recently? Is this some kind of psychosis that's given you a very misplaced god complex?" Face had screwed up into a mix of genuine confusion and faked concern, as though it was the only explanation for why he was the way that he was. "Do it your way. Just don't complain to me when your girlfriend gets sad because she has to tell you that it's shit because she's incapable of lying."

[junghaerin]

“𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐝𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐚 pretty major bomb on me, so my face is pretty appropriate,” she told her friend. last time they’d spoken, it was just a kiss. now there were proclamations of maybe love? she let out a scoff at her bomb-related phrasing. “excuse my wording. too soon.” rin’s lips curled up at the corner, as if the memory of their near-death experience had already faded to nothing. “anyway, why are you telling me this story like you’re describing paint drying? c’mon, i know you’re internally freaking about this.” because anyone would be. rin sure had. back in chicago when her ex whispered ‘i love you’ against her neck, she’d bolted upright so fast she knocked over a wine glass. and of course, not long after that, he lost his job when she published the story he’d leaked to her. the universe had impeccable comedic timing when it came to rin’s love life. “it is a big deal!” she leaned in so fast the table shook. “do you…shit, cc, do you actually love him back?” rin tucked a black wisp of hair behind her ear, eyes wandering when asked if she had any info on luna’s love life. truth be told, she couldn’t remember the last time she and luna had managed to carve out space for just the two of them. their schedules rarely aligned these days, though that’s not to say they didn’t text. “no. god, she’s just as avoidant as, well, both of us.” a knowing smirk. “do you know anything? like, when did this all even happen? where’d they meet?”

[ccxcorioni]

The comment about it being too soon pulled a laugh from her before shoulders shrugged, knowing she'd never cared about what was appropriate before. "For someone else, probably." Face scrunched up at Rin, maybe rightfully, chastising her account when she knew that she'd have done the same if the roles were reversed. There was no denying she could be prone to hyperbole for the sake of dramatic effect but her retelling had been devoid of anything close to the usual level of entertainment she employed when telling a tale. But before she could put more of a spin on it, they finally got a chance to place their order. "Oh thank god. I'll have a margherita - a strong one, charge me for an extra shot or whatever." She'd likely need it to get through the conversation her friend seemed intent on having but she wasn't about to have the waiter think she was someone who expected something for nothing. "Maybe." It felt like too much to admit, especially when she'd yet to say anything close to Nolan. "I don't know, I'm trying not to think about it too hard." Because every time she did the seriousness of it made her nauseous. She'd never been one to avoid commitment before but there was no denying that it felt different this time. The stake felt higher. He knew her so much better than almost everyone else she'd dated, there was a certain vulnerability that came with that level of intimacy. "But I think I could." If she didn't already. "She said something about climbing and him ignoring her. Didn't get much else out of her about it." But no sooner had the words left her lips something else occurred to her. "Oh, said he doesn't talk much which probably suits her just fine."

[ccxcorioni]

Chanel's place with Chanel Calloway @chanelcalloway

Grief had never been something she'd known how to handle. She'd watched the adults in her family simply avoid the topic of her mother, learning that the only way to cope with loss was to run from it. It was a method she carried with her, doing whatever she could to dodge it. But some people were worth breaking habits for and she knew if she wanted to be there for Chanel in any capacity she would have to face it. So she went, armed with food and alcohol when she wasn't sure what her friend might need. "My grandma kept me in the kitchen all weekend making dishes to give out but she's a little overzealous. Little's an understatement, actually, swear we made enough for the whole city. You're doing me a favour by taking these, really." The familiar dry irreverence in her tone felt out of place. Or maybe she just did. As though she was intruding somehow. "I-" Rare hesitation overcame her, unsure where she was going with it when she knew from experience that there wasn't really anything anyone could say to ease the pain. "I'm so sorry, Chanel."

[nfitzpatricks]

where: hospital who: @ccxcorioni & nolan fitzpatrick

Word of the fires set across the city reached him while he was still at the office, brushing up on some case files before he'd need to present in court early next morning -- which quickly turned into a solo brainstorming and strategy sessions, thinking of all the ways he could use these little tragedies to his advantage; personal injury, potential class action suits against the building owners, emotional distress. The commercial practically wrote itself, but just as quickly as the dollar signs appeared, they vanished as soon as Second Gear Collective was named one of the locations. Open files were left unattended, tie loosened as he tried to get ahold of CC, of anyone else he knew was present that night -- but it seemed the rest of NYC had the same idea.

He'd finally been able to connect with CC before the call dropped, though the only words he'd been able to make out were 'hospital' and 'hurt', so he didn't know what to expect once he arrived. His heart was pounding in his chest, adrenaline mixed with a very unfamiliar sense of fear overtaking him -- until he spotted her by the reception desk. "Jesus, Mary and Joseph, C -- what the fuck? You almost gave me a goddamn heart attack." The ire in his tone wasn't directed at her as much as it might have sounded so; some people cried when they felt relief, others (like Nolan) reacted differently. Regardless, he didn't waste another second before he pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly in his embrace. "I owe the big guy upstairs a fuckin' big one, I'll tell ya that."

[ccxcorioni]

Fear wasn't an emotion she felt frequently or ever, really. Even as the smoke had filled the room and heat had become intense she didn't remember being scared. Putting the rapid beating of her heart down to adrenaline. Worry had only come when she'd realised she couldn't see her cousin, spiking when she'd seen him have to be carried out of the burning building. There'd been no hesitation in going to the hospital with him, knowing she'd be unable to think about anything else until he got the all clear. Distraction had been sought from the ordeal by focusing on Jackie, speaking to one of the nurses as she heard a familiar voice. "Sorry, I could barely hear you." No time was wasted before she all but threw herself into Nolan's arms, the fear that had lingered beginning to disapate with his embrace. "I'm fine." Words mumbled into the crook of his neck

With some reluctance she pulled away just enough that she could face him as they talked, filling him in as to why she was there. "Jackie's here, his leg's pretty mashed up but they reckon he's gonna be fine." Relief clear in her tone since she'd managed to get a straight answer from the nurse. "Can you take me home?" Her cousin's parents had already arrived as well as a small host of Corioni's trickling through the door, he'd have plenty of company. Usually she would have endured her family's company, dealt with the noise and thrived off the banter that would inevitably be tossed around. But she felt flat, as though any energy she might have had had been drained and the last place she wanted to be was huddled in a hospital room with everyone talking over each other vying to be heard. That and, if she were honest, the only place she wanted to be was with Nolan and she wasn't about to subject him to introducing him to the masses just yet.