RAISE HELL / DIE TRYIN

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He stiffens, a familiarity such as her warmth was dangerous and yet in the moment he’d thought it worth it.  Arms wrap around her once fragile frame. He breaths in the saccharine scent of her shampoo, allowing himself the simplest of pleasures before his voice mumbles into hair. “It’s good to see you, Popov.” It’s a moment of foolish pleasure, allowing himself to fall off the grid all the while knowing the consequences that will follow as he pulls away, stepping back to create distance once more. “You did good, kid.”

“ it’s just a hug, De Luca. Calm down: it’s not like a swat team is coming in.” she jokes as she takes her cue to move back into her original standing. “You did good, Old man.” She notes with a soft smile before squinting her eyes. “What is? is that a... grey hair?” a fake gasp leaves her lips as she takes a step onto the first marble graced surface. “you know if you were trying to charm me you could of at least brought some Italian sweets. “

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“I wouldn’t dream of it.” Something so minuscule, something that reminded her of a simpler time. At one point, Rosalie had never wanted to be away from Ricardo. He, however, clearly had something else entirely in mind. Her lips press together, a tight smile forming upon her features. “I’m not mad.”  And perhaps, in some distant timeline, she’d believe her own words. “I’m not mad. Just –– look, I’m sure Stass would love to see you. It’s been awhile.”

He allows his smile to tug tight for a moment as the mention of their youngest sister ( in law ) made his chest grow warm. “i was face chatting with her before her flight. “ he raises his brow for the moment as he hears her comment. the whole situation could of been something good as he had wondered what it would of been like as a married couple. “You don’t have to act like this, Rosa.” His words carry some sadness for the pause. “I know what I did and so do you ; i completely understand.” he notes as his eyes move towards the floor while he adjusted his stance. he looks up to her with familiar eyes “you deserve better.” 

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“ No, we’re not in love. When you’re in love with someone you don’t abandon them, you just don’t.” Fingers take a firmer grip upon her crystal, a heavy sigh exiting into stale air. “Business is business, I for one know when to separate it.” A woman of kind nature, it only took the mention of a certain detective, a certain man, to cause her to explode as if a ticking time bomb. Gaze averts towards the liquid swirling within flute before she continues. “Yeah well, two weeks here and then you’ve got to find me the fastest flight down to Argentina. Next stop on Rosalie Popov’s World Tour of Avoiding the Real World.”

“ ah you got it wrong. my abuela told me that love never abandons. you’re not going to say an old lady is lying are you.” he shoots a mock warning brown before a smirk forms. “look, we do business together only you don’t realize i’ve been with you since the start of your success. it’s not just business for me. he cared and he was going to fucking pay for it. everyone he ever adored found themselves at the grasp of the grim reaper. 

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“I’m your sister, there shouldn’t have to be a choice.” Where their parents had failed, it had seemed Rosalie succeeded, beneath watchful eye Stassi had turned into nothing less than a functional woman of character. She feigns annoyance at the mention of her ex husband, his name causing a surge of emotion to course through her bodice. “Love him all you want, Stass. I’m not going to stop you.” It’s a moment of honesty, vocals denied of any trace of malice as she continues. “I’m just saying, I’m not interested in reliving the past.”  He’d left, that was all there was to it.

“ and I’m your sister too ; he made a mistake Rosalie.” Stassi noted while looking around to make sure no one could hear them. “I love him for how he took care of you - how he took care of us.” she crosses her arms in pure frustration and a growing tired of feeling guilt. “I do love him: he’s like my brother and those feelings don’t go away.” Her honesty would reflect her sisters. “I love the two of you even though you both are stubborn as hell.” she rolls her eyes with a soft smirk. “let’s have a good time, okay?” 

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Suddenly he’s much more aware of their surroundings. Whilst hushed words, dark corners and empty halls were once their only solace, he’d been determined that memory lane could only end up back at one singular action. “Stassi ––– “ He says her name for the first time, something like a hymn from his profane mouth. It’s soft, foreign as could be. “You can’t just –– “ A loss for words as he takes a step closer, closing gap that stood between them, his tone low as his words come out as barely a whispered breath. “We can’t talk ‘bout that shit here, not now.”

she remains in her spot as her eyes peek up to the taller figure. “then stop looking at me like i’m that person stuck in the room you found me in.” emotions are trail blazed as she finds herself looking at the amount of guests then back to the familiar figure. in that moment she is quick to reach on her toes to wrap small arms around his shoulders. “  ––– why couldn’t you of just said you were happy to see me?” she says softly as her body presses against his. one feeling she loved was one of home. 

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Her relationship with Sargus began and ended with her work. He was the money behind every extraction and exhibition that followed. A notable partnership, she’d always been grateful towards the man. Much more so when he’d kept his nose out of her business and kept his mouth closed. “This isn’t going to be one of those god awful reality shows where we’re all workaholics who come looking for love, Sargus.” She rolls her eyes, subtly before sipping champagne from its flute. “Besides, he’s just staring because he’s protective.” For good reason, she’d thought. “If I get drunk enough to even think of going down memory lane, I want you to hurl me off a cliff.”

“ sugarplum, we’re far past the whole business partner bullshit. “ he notes with a rough humored tongue. he looks to the figure across the room before sighing gently. “if you two are in love i find it hard to understand the divorce. i’m not havin’ you mope around when we could be using this as plenty good business time.” he wasn’t known as a figure for caring, but when he did he would give it his all. he looks to the brunette and responds with a laugh eye roll tuck at her cliff comment. “Never. You’re too good for business.” 

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chocolate brown gaze trails down to the book in hand, a soft breathy laugh escaping her in the process. “sherlock holmes..” does it do her any good to linger on edge of bitterness? Perhaps not. Yet, Rosalie couldn’t seem to let go. “old habits die hard i guess.” Ricardo had been, for lack of better words, a light at the end of a darkened tunnel. Knowing Rosalie better than she’d ever cared to know herself, and right now she’d felt foolish for even thinking it. “Are you staying?”

ricardo was all that was loving and kind ; foolish at times, but that was what made all around him gather. “don’t diss the book.” he notes with humor. “you know it’s a freakin good book.” he notes while he finds the bitterness in her tone. “I don’t want you to be mad this whole trip. yeah, i’m staying. I just wanted to warn you that i’m here and i’ll make sure to stay away.” at least he would try. 

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“Comes with the job.” Stassi was something of a distant memory that was controlled by sirens, blood splatters and hollowed out screams. The horrors that they’d seen, the painstakingly terrible things in which they’d endured side by side. He laughs, if only for a moment allowing whatever guard he’d built up as per Ricardo’s request to falter. “Big city life change you that much, huh Popov?” He runs a free hand through locks, gaze averting hers as if only to stop from being selfish. “Careful, you don’t wanna go ‘round tellin’ me what it is you’ve been up to. I’m under oath.”

“oh.” it leaves her mouth before she can take a moment to think with urgency. that comment stung ; it was always because of the “job” as it was the cause for his presence in her life. she can’t seem to dig herself up from the hurt of a comment. he would think it was nothing ; she’s being sensitive. “You’ve always been under oath and i’ve always been the witness to your first murder.” she went there ( oh boy ) she finds her eye sight leaving her feet as she’s prepared to leave.

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◇ ––– @nettycohan / netty

“hey, look i get the fact that we’re in this big ‘ fancy castle ‘ and we wanna make the best of it, but the power is out and I don’t think we should separate.” he notes ; it wasn’t his character to be so logical only his guard had been up from the start. he looks around the library as he gestures towards the already burning fire. “It’ll be fine in here. Promise”

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◇ ––– @deathlyomens / rosalie

“ jesus, i can feel your ex eye-fucking you across the room.” his voice is groggy although his exterior is perfected. he had donated money to her projects, but most of all in some part of him he believed in all that she had done. “are you two going to bone already?” he sips from his glass before nudging the smaller figure. “maybe collin’s was playin’ some matchmaker shit.” 

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◇ ––– ROSALIE

“Tiring as hell, you know how I feel about airports.” There’s a faux shudder that rocks her shoulders, flair for dramatics coming out only in the presence of her sister. “Although, it feels good to be home.” By that, she meant somewhere familiar, somewhere that had only given her positive memories, however fleeting they may have been. “You look good, Stass. Seattle treating you well?” Unable to help the maternal instinct when it came to the girl .

“ flying is terrible ; unless you’re first class then you should most definitely try it.” she notes ; her tone is dipped in honey and humor. raising a brow at the comment she rolls her eyes before shaking her head. “Let’s avoid the boring questions ; have you seen ric yet?” it was typical Stassi behavior ( she couldn’t handle being cared for ) “ c’mon rosalie. you know at one point you two are going to talk. I love you both - don’t make me choose.” 

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ADRIAN

“Can’t play favourites, Popov. You know that.” He allows a shrug to roll from his shoulders, a ghost of a hearty laugh tugging at his lips before he allows it to break into the air between them. “Besides, I ain’t about to explain to Ricardo as to why I’m hangin’ round his little sister. Been down that road, didn’t end well.” Retort coming with a softened smile, he couldn’t seem to help it. “Following, working with, whatever you wanna call it. What about you, can’t seem to stay outta trouble from the looks of it.” 

“ oh, you clearly haven’t lost that charm” sarcasm drips from tongue ; a sigh leaves her mouths as past memories allow her eyes to roll. the charm, however, always did allow her heart to skip for a moment. “We’re not kids anymore. Also from my memory you never had to explain much to Ricardo.” her tone is bitter for a moment before a relaxed sigh follows. “Not in anymore trouble than you are, Adrian.” 

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◇ ––– @meikyuiri / hanako

“ are you as sick of this place as me already?” he notes as his soft lips reach the cold glass of whiskey. “honestly, with all this wealth i was at least expecting some models, half naked dancers, something?” his tone becomes silent as he looks to the woman beside him. “ let me guess.. you’re a lawyer?” he notes with a charmed tone. “you look smart and tough - if i’m wrong I buy the next drink.” 

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It’s his touch that causes electricity to form from blood in her veins, turning upon heels before hand presses against his chest in protest. “We’re not doing this.” She gestures between them, feeling her heart skip a beat before she swallows the lump that has taken refuge within her throat. “We’re not friends, Ric.” She shakes her head at the thought, hands falling to her side as scoff exits pursed lips. “There’s nothing you could possibly say to me that wouldl make me listen.” 

HIS HEART FELT AN ACHE  ;  he had hurt her and he deserved all the wrath she carried. if she could not move mountains she would raise the fiery pits of hell. he could feel the heat in her essence. brown hues glance to her as the silence becomes overwhelming. “I didn’t follow you here  -  collin’s invited me. “ he adjusts the book in his grasp. “I don’t expect anything of you. “

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“ and you think someone in there is smart enough to cover it up?” he’s skeptical, a tone of inquisitive nature lingering within the air between them. where some were impulsive, adrian had always been much more calculated. embracing the art of questioning. “count me out of fraternizin’ with any of those rich pricks in there. i ain’t doin’ any more than my job description, chief.”

“ are you going to keep that attitude with Stass? “ his eyes dart to the other with a warning glare. “ those girls don’t do good with the no sleep, nine to twelve, crime lifestyle.” he notes as his eyes stare out into the beauty of the mountains. “I have a hunch on that Sargus prick. Keep your eyes open.” 

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◇ ––– @uncertainfortunes / gideon

SHE WAS QUICK TO EMBRACE ; her small arms formed tight against his shoulders as she quickly returned to her footing. Pulling her suitcases with a wide smile she managed to fall back into conversation. “I would of supposed your first home would of been less roomy.” The joke manages as her body turns to the echo of her voice. “Holy Shit, well you did it. You made it better than the rest of us.” 

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◇ ––– @uncertainfortunes / edward

BEING A JOURNALIST BROUGHT EASY CONVERSATION ; her eyes draw to the other in the moment as she feels the dangled earrings move with her nodding. “I think that’s all so fascinating.” her arms cross into her form as her heel clicks into the marble floor. “Do you think a place as old as this is more likely to have spirits? or does it really depend on tragic events and all that sort of thing?”