Sometimes I wanna cry, but I worry somebody would hear it

[elvanxreynolds]

downtowntanaka‌:

Johnnie furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, but ultimately ignored the guy’s comment. He couldn’t remember the last time can I help you was just a stray comment rather than a genuine effort. Actually, no, he could. Back in New York, most strangers regarded each other with an inherent suspicion that locals here would find really odd (which is to say, hypocrites, because this whole town found him odd).

“All right, then,” he said, opting to fish for a bottle and open it for himself. “What’s ‘vices’ to you? Drinking? Smoking?” He grinned awkwardly, mentally kicking himself for the dumb joke before he even made it. “Playing pool?”

“To me? They’re just a thing, isn’t a definition” not that he knew of anyway, but then he didn’t really care enough to ask around and find out. Definitions sounded more like a thing for a dictionary anyway. “Think playing pool is a problem in itself, vice or not”. 

[elvanxreynolds]

valcntinagarcia‌:

                    VALENTINA couldn’t deny that she was conflicted. She knew that Elvan stood accused of murdering her sister; knew that more than half of the town (and her family) had believed it - but she had never been convinced. Perhaps it had been the trauma of that entire year; Marco going to prison, Natasha’s death, learning the family secret - maybe some, tiny, hopeful part of her wanted to cling to the fact that someone who supposedly loved her sister wouldn’t have harmed her. She shook her head as he spoke, biting back a short huff, “Look - I’m not gonna sit and try to convince you why having a coffee with me is a good or a bad idea. I’m sure you’ll remember I’m not the most patient person in the world. It’s just… Been a long fucking time and regardless of whatever anyone else said, I never said you were guilty or not.”

“Not welcomed in The Grind, not about to get coffee thrown on me in The Corner either” he hadn’t felt the need to risk it. He only had to wear it once to know he didn’t want to do it again. “And you’ll remember I’m not an idiot. Don’t much feel like going somewhere private right now” he knew enough about the family. Perhaps it might seem that he was just taking their family business a little too seriously, but it wasn’t that. He’d never given a crap about that. His issue was he knew what her brother was capable of, and he didn’t know what she knew. Better to stay somewhere safe and public, but that didn’t seem possible here either.

[elvanxreynolds]

niko-valentine‌:

“Alright man, sounds good.” Niko moved over to the kitchen and filled up a glass of water, making sure to add extra ice since the days had been getting hotter and hotter in Edens Town. He returned to the living room promptly and handed it over to Elvan, a glass of his own on his other hand. He wasn’t about to drink in front of someone who didn’t, mostly because he didn’t know the reason but suspected it had something to do with the who prison thing. “So, what are your plans now?”

“Depends what my lawyer says. No part making plans if they just drag me back inside” he replied with a shrug. It was what it was, and he didn’t really have the energy to care. The lawyer believed they had a strong case, they had let him out after all. But still they lacked a guilty partner. Even if he knew exactly who it was. “My life is boring anyway. Been trying to catch up with Edens” even if it was only temporary. 

[elvanxreynolds]

fairfionasawyer‌:

“Can I get a good horror film?” Fiona could pick up a certain bite in Elvan’s speech. What, did he think she was trying to get a rise out of him? It was as reasonable a guess as any, but the tension that arose from it started to bore Fiona. What was she to do to him, in any case?

“I have left. Boarding school, remember? People would make such a fuss when I returned home for the summer.” Well, mostly those she used to playfully torment. She recalled once loosening the gears of some poor girl’s safety bicycle. Had that been Aria? Maybe. It would explain Aria’s current hesitation around her. People really held onto past pains. “Further into North Carolina. It felt so far away from Edens Town at the time. I miss the distance, really. Do you ever just…” she waved her hand around, as if summoning the words. “…miss things?”

“I don’t care” not about to rise to... whatever this is. Maybe people really did still find this town boring. But if their only entertainment was getting a rise from others, well she was going to get bored with him. Even if he was irritated, he knew how to hide it.

And yet she carried on talking about... something. He didn’t know, he had long stopped listening, seemed to be easier then listen to her talk about something apparently he should know, he didn’t. “Yes, I miss the silence before you started talking” was she really talking about missing things? His wife was dead, and his child taken from him, and she thought she understood what missing something felt like? There was an argument for someone else. 

[alexdrakos]

welcome home

[elvanxreynolds]

cameronrey‌:

“Elvan.” Cameron was right there with him and spat a disturbing glance at the waiter. “Fuck off, idiot.”  Cameron’s words were hard and strong as he reverted back to the tone he used when calling out orders in more serious situations overseas. While he wasn’t the type to go off on innocents, the waiter was hardly that. He couldn’t believe, though he really shouldn’t have been surprised, by how people behaved with Elvan. This was the first time he had seen his brother in all those years and he was covered in coffee. Cam grabbed some napkins from a table nearby and handed them to Elvan. “Sorry about that.” Everyone was staring but Cameron reached over and wrapped his arms around his brother. He had missed him. “Not the best reunion. Let’s get out of here.” He laughed.

Much as he wanted to snap, he knew it wasn’t the right way to go. Better to just take it and be annoyed later about it. Moment he snapped about it, then more rumours would just start about him, and he was honestly just exhausted of it all. He had been about to just get out of their, when he heard his brother’s voice. Well, it seemed that like it or not they were having the reunion here. Maybe he should have just stayed in his apartment today. That might have been easier. Or just stay all the time, replace a cell with an apartment. “And go where? Not going to be any different” that was fact, nothing to get emotional over, even if he was trying to wipe the coffee off of himself.

[elvanxreynolds]

zhao-phoebe‌:

“ I don’t just deal with loans, I can assist with general accounts and such. ” Figuring it wouldn’t hurt, Phoebe dug around her purse for a moment to hand over a business card. “ But, if you do need help with getting a loan, please let me know. You might be surprised. ”

“What sort of bank has everyone doing all the jobs? Met enough bank thieves to know that banks have a loan department and a account department” they had all been too honest about it inside, interesting enough, not that he was in the mood to rob a bank. “Still not interested”.

[alexdrakos]

welcome home

[elvanxreynolds]

cameronrey‌:

location: The Grind Coffee Shop who: open @edtstarter​

“Wow, not much has changed around here.” Cameron vocalized as he read about the museum’s new gallery, the upcoming May carnival, and the winner of last year’s pie-eating contest in the daily, local newspaper. He was sat at The Grind, awaiting the coffee he had just ordered. The man’s hair was cut short, from his recent trip to McKee’s barbershop when he had landed in town the previous day. CJ was already settling into a routine and he hadn’t even been in Edens Town for more than forty-eight hours, that was just what small town life plus over a decade in active service did to people. He heard a crash near him and it took all but five seconds to be on his feet, helping out.

He had heard that his brother was back in town, but he hadn’t yet had a chance to speak to him. Or rather, he had been avoiding speaking to him. He knew how their parents had reacted, Quinn had been completely different, and he wasn’t really sure if he had the emotional reaction to deal with another reaction. That aside, he wasn’t ready to be looked at like he was a killer by his own brother. Alright, technically he was, but that was back when he was a child, it was different. Of course things were unavoidable, and when the server practically threw the coffee at him, it caught people’s attention... well what a way to start the day. 

[elvanxreynolds]

quinnreynclds‌:

                  QUINN still wasn’t entirely sure how she should be reacting to this encounter. She knew what Elvan had been accused of, but she had never been quite sure that she believed it. As much as she was certain relationships had disintegrated in the years she’d been in the military, she still loved her brothers, and couldn’t help but feel guilty that she hadn’t been around when they’d needed her most. “Fuck The Grind. My apartment’s around the corner.” Quinn replied, shaking her head, “Besides, I can make better coffee than half their baristas, anyway.”

If he was honest he wasn’t sure if this was a good idea or not. He wasn’t sure what her reaction to him would be, and he was afraid to ask really. But he was smart enough to know that she wouldn’t take no for an answer, not about this. He had a lot to explain about it, and he didn’t really know how to start. “Alright, lead the way” he couldn’t argue, and at least this would be private enough. “I’d be careful how loud you say that”.

[elvanxreynolds]

zhao-phoebe‌:

“ I’ve lived here about eight years, ” Her purse shifted on her shoulder as she held out a hand to shake. “ Phoebe Zhao, I work at the bank in downtown. So, if you need any finance help, just ask for me. ” She gave him her best smile, wondering if she should pull out a business card to really sell the ‘helpful’ image.

“That would explain it, left ten years ago” left was a strong word, but seemed the best fitting one. “Yeah, doubt that’ll happen. Doubt anyone is lending me money anytime soon” and he didn’t care too much about it. Criminal convictions apparently were an issue, even when he was wrongly accused, that didn’t seem to matter. 

[elvanxreynolds]

niko-valentine‌:

Niko gave him a nod at the mention of his pastime. He hung up his keys and showed Elvan to the living room. “Maybe I should’ve had you scavenge the fridge instead of order takeout.” He said easily. “You want a beer or whatever or something in the meantime?” Niko just nodded again, catching the man’s drift. There weren’t too many things that would change people at the core, but he figured prison was definitely one of them. 

“I’m good, but not a miracle worker” he joked, he had been once, but that was a long time ago. He was struggling now, he barely seemed to be able to do anything now. Only the basics, which was something he hated given how once he had been on the verge of becoming a chef. “I don’t drink alcohol, water is fine” there was enough going on without him getting too many vices. Easier said than done really. 

[elvanxreynolds]

niko-valentine‌:

“There’s a first time for everything, but it doesn’t have to be with me. And I agree, pasta is definitely one of the best foods out there. You cook much these days?” Niko wondered what it was like in prison and what the inmates were allowed and not allowed to do. “If you went through it, you would know.” Niko chuckled, making a face at the thought of Elvan going through such things. “You probably don’t want to know either.” It didn’t take too long for them to arrive at their destination and Niko made quick work of putting the car in park and switching off the truck’s engine. “Mi casa es su casa.” And with that, Niko left the car and opened up the door to his home for Elvan. The entirety of the Valentine family really lived up to their town reputation, they were a welcoming bunch.

“Is there now? Cook all of the time, not a lot else to do” there was things that he’d like to do, but most people wouldn’t give him the time of day, it was easier to just to accept that then try and change anyone’s mind. Besides, he had always cooked, he could see his life going that way, it was what he wanted. Instead his life had gone a very different way, and there was nothing he could do to change it. “Probably better to assume I don’t want to know, or that I’m willing to talk about it” he never wanted to. What had happened back then had been hell, and all because he had done it before. “Seems nice”.

[elvanxreynolds]

fairfionasawyer‌:

“Oh yeah?” she asked. “What kind of scarier things?” Part of her was tempted to taunt him, just to see if any tales spun by the court about his fearsomeness had any truth to them. She doubted it, somehow. He seemed so… timid. Hesitant. As if further interaction with her could lead to another encounter with her father. As if that would lead him back to the slammer again.

“Relatively unfiltered, then,” Fiona said. “I’ve heard in bigger cities, you can’t see any stars at all. Do you think that’s true?”

“Watch a horror film, will give you all the cheap scares you need” but he wasn’t about to be some sort of amusement. He had provided enough for that family, and he didn’t feel like doing it again. He was sure that her father got a nice cheque from putting him behind bars. Lucky them. He wondered how they slept at night living off of other people’s misfortunes. 

“It is true” once upon a time he had lived in a city, and as a child he used to look up at it, it was relaxing. “What? You never left Edens?”

[elvanxreynolds]

niko-valentine‌:

It wasn’t a far drive to his home and he knew exactly the amount of time it would take for the food to get to the door, having often raced the delivery driver there. “I’m not saying I expect a woman to cook for me, if that’s what you’re getting at. I mean that there’s no reason to keep the house stocked for just one person who’s barely ever there anyway. But also, I’m kind of shit at cooking.” He chuckled and made a turn with the vehicle. “Not everything has changed, y’know, Elvan.” Sometimes people were too stubborn to adapt to the world. “There are definitely a few movies you need to see. I’ll lend them to you.” He offered. “So, is the bar of soap thing real?” He was trying to make light of Elvan’s situation, even though he was fully aware of it being the darkest shade of black, one that bleach couldn’t even touch. 

“That’s why pasta is so good, lasts forever and could do it with anything” and he didn’t really have much of a social life now, so it gave him more time to cook again. Not like he was really cooking for anyone, but he had nothing else to do. Some point, he’d need to find a job, but no one really wanted to hire someone with a criminal record. Stupid really, he’d had one since he was a child, but that one he had been allowed to have sealed. Nothing had changed, only he had been guilty then, and innocent now. “Well aware, nothing really ever does change, just minor differences” he had thought Edens would be a while new place, evidently it was still the same as it had ever been. “You ever known me to sit through a movie?” his attention had always wondered, although now... well what could he do. “Yeah I don’t know what that means, and I don’t think I want to”. 

[elvanxreynolds]

fairfionasawyer‌:

“Only if you’re the big bad wolf, it is,” Fiona quipped, grinning from ear to ear. So this was Elvan. Fiona had seen him in pictures, if only because she wanted to know who her father got convicted of murder those years back. Apparently, this man turned out to be innocent, and the court found out. Well. That was sloppy work on the count of both attorneys. The defense attorney, for not securing his innocence sooner, and on her own father for not successfully burying his own mistakes.

If Fiona ever passed the bar, she’d be far more careful than this.

“Which I doubt.” He’s a sheep in wolf’s clothing. “What are you doing out so late? Enjoying the unfiltered night sky?”

“Scarier things then a wolf” lawyers mostly. Could argue anything if they wanted to. He could be angry about that, but really, with the evidence he got it. Just had to wait until his own could actually prove his innocence else he’d be right back inside. This all just felt like some nice little holiday and because of what? Some admin error all those years ago. 

He shrugged, not really caring what she believed or didn’t believe. It wouldn’t change a thing, nothing ever did. “Unfiltered? There’s street lights everywhere”. 

[elvanxreynolds]

quinnreynclds‌:

               QUINN wasn’t sure if she was in shock or if she was seeing a ghost; unable to decide in that moment if she wanted to hug him or kick him, “A few days ago? Elvan, what the fuck?” How couldn’t she have known? Did their parents know? In the space of a few moments, the tiniest part of conversation, her entire head was spinning. A decade had come and passed since she’d even so much as laid eyes on her brother; Quinn had already been in the military by the time he’d been sentenced – so much had happened in the last ten years that she wasn’t even sure what to say, “Do Mom and Dad know?” Quinn asked quickly, a frown creasing her features.

Alright, that was fair. But given his parents reaction, he had no idea what he was meant to do. He didn’t know how she or the others would react when they saw him again, and how much they listened to their parents. He had once, but now he knew that was a waste. He had been a project for them, even if back then he thought they had genuinely loved him. How stupid could he be? “Mum and dad don’t acknowledge my existence. They wouldn’t care one way or another” difficult to believe they thought he was guilty.

[elvanxreynolds]

eliclxrk‌:

                 GROWING up, Elliot had always been more familiar with Quinn than with Elvan, but he could vividly remember the aftermath that Natasha Garcia’s murder had on Edens Town. He’d heard so many rumours, so much information that seemed to come from anyone but the people with the full story, that he’d never been quite sure what to believe. Then again, surely if Elvan was standing in front of him - perhaps the notion that he’d been innocent all along was true. Eli had never been close enough to either family to have a particularly polarising opinion on the fact - and if he was honest, at the time, he’d already been handling his own demons. “Nothin’ – you just weren’t the person I was expectin’ to bump into this afternoon,” Elliot paused, realising he’d worded that completely wrong, “I didn’t mean that how it sounded. I– When did you get out?”

“Don’t think anyone is” that was his own doing really. He hadn’t told anyone he got released, and he didn’t want to make a big thing out of it. Which hadn’t exactly gone well for him now that people were stunned to see him. Who would he tell? His parents had cut him out of their lives, and he had cut everyone else out. Something that now he wasn’t sure if it was a good idea or not. It had made sense at the time, but now... now nothing really seemed to, and he didn’t know what his next steps were. “Don’t worry about it” he’d heard worse after all. “Couple of weeks back, give or take” oh he knew exactly, been keeping count for when they dragged him back. 

[elvanxreynolds]

valcntinagarcia‌:

                VALENTINA wasn’t sure if she had words to describe how she was feeling at that moment. She’d been fifteen when she’d lost her sister; when she’d been plunged into a world that she didn’t quite want to understand yet. And if she hadn’t found herself so conflicted over whether or not the man in front of her was guilty, she’d have held a hell of a lot more resentment for him being the one to put her in this position. However, in trying to be rational, the only conclusion that she could come to was that they’d both lost someone. Valentina didn’t often think of her sister; knowing it was entirely too painful to try and confront the fact that the truth didn’t seem readily available - but she didn’t seem to have it in her to be angry at him.

                “Some of them have. Some of us have grown up – at least a little bit. Couple new faces, couple old faces have disappeared but I guess that’s just the way of it,” Val contemplated, biting against the inside of her cheek. “Do I have to have a reason?”

There was a lot of reactions he had been expecting for when he came back, and for the most part he had been right. People were hardly happy to accept someone back into their lives who they believed had murdered someone. He had to accept it and try to just get by. But he had always assumed that the Garcia’s would hate him, especially as he knew a lot more about their family then they would like. After all, he was marrying into it, and Natasha had believed he needed to know. He hadn’t expected any of them to be happy to see him, not when he was technically not proven to be innocent, just released as he hadn’t been proven guilty. He was still in a prison, just this time it Edens.

“Small changes don’t add up to much. Just different faces doing the same thing” and even if they were different people, they’d soon become the same as anyone else here. “Given the circumstances, yes”.