In Bocca Al Lupo

Gene Torrio | 36 | Underboss They say a man is judged by his actions, not his words... I'm a bad, bad man.

[gene-torrio]

Taking Stock || Gene & Eliza

[elizacapone]

The blonde eyed her guard, before nodding to Gene. Luis didn’t seem happy with playing babysitter, and hardly seemed intent to adjust to it—after all, he was only supposed to be temporary from what she’d been told. “Of course, I think Luis and I would both like that,” she answered. “I’m not sure he likes following me around much, to be honest.” She gave a slight frown, wishing that Gio was still around. The girl had hardly been obedient for her former guard, but he had loyally served for most of her life. 

Looking up at the older man beside her, Frankie’s go-to person, who even seemed to be her right hand before Sal these days, Gene was family—but like most of her family, Eliza had to struggle to think of what all she really knew about the man. She’d always been kept out of business, before being entirely naive to what it was her family did, and now not exactly wanting to be involved. But she was involved, even before as she had been seen as a pawn to force Lucian’s hand, and now would she be the same thing for her sister? “Gene, how long have you known The Capone family?” she finally asked.

[gene-torrio]

Gene could barely suppress his smile as he waved off Luis, pretending not to see the grateful huff the man gave before turning and stalking off in the opposite direction. He didn't know where his young friend went these days, but he seemed to be in an even darker mood than usual. He would have to discuss finding Eliza a permanent escort with Francis soon. 

"It has nothing to do with you," Gene assured her. "Luis just likes...well, he prefers tasks that he can be in charge of. Watching after you, he's not in charge, you are. I doubt that he minds what you do, it's simply the idea that sets him on edge. He's very...energetic. But he's also loyal, he defend you with his life." Gene said carefully, trying to address any concern that the young woman may have. "I would do it myself, but I doubt you want to be cooped up in the study with me half the day or being dragged around town. I'm afraid I'm not very exciting company as of late." He sighed.

At her question, Gene shrugged his shoulders. "Your father took me in when I was a boy, barely sixteen. Hard as it may be to believe, but I was a lot like Luis back then. I had a helluva temper." He admitted with a small smile. "Why do you ask?"

[rhett-kelly]

Delivery Date || Rhett, Gene, Frankie

[frankie-capone]

"Not reassuring." Frankie mumbled through clenched teeth after Rhett talked about his mother. That had been so long ago she couldn’t imagine it would be of any help to them right now. "I trust the both of you with my life." After a shaky breath she continued. "But the two of you delivering this baby is terrifying."

Tears tried to form, the unusual sharp pain was relentless and she knew it wasn’t normal; but she would be damned if she let it get the best of her. Bullet holes, knife wounds, scars riddling her body from the last seven years, but nothing compared to this. 

After Gene returned she rolled her eyes. This was not what she needed. Pointing between the two of them, she tried to sit up while supporting herself with her other arm. “Listen, the both of you. There will be no fighting, you will help each other and Rhett you will not get territorial. If you do, I will never forgive either of you. Capisce?”

[rhett-kelly]

Rhett nodded, no longer concerned with Gene or the fact that he was most likely to see things Rhett would prefer were for his eyes only. A jealous man, Rhett was, but that meant nothing when it came to the life of his child and his wife. 

"Contractions? Are you having any?" The man asked, holding onto Frankie’s hand while fluffing a pillow underneath her head. He was sure that she was having pains. He could see it her face every once in a while. To be honest, the little that he remembered from his mother, did him hardly any good now, but he was determined to have the delivery go well.

"I’ll need to get towels, lots of them…" Rhett muttered, attempting to think of all the items they would need for this birth. The thought of doing this without help from a professional was terrifying, but he knew nothing was more frightening than this moment was for Frankie.

[gene-torrio]

"Si." Gene consented, looking between Rhett and Francesca. For the moment, he was happy for the panic the soon to be father seemed to be suffering. But he knew that Rhett would need to get a hold of himself if they were to do this efficiently. 

"Alright, the doctor said this could go quickly or it could take time." Gene said, going about it systematically. It was the only way for him to do this if he wasn't going to join Rhett in his dazed stupor. 

"Yes, Rhett, get towels, and bring in the hot water from the stove. Also forbici," He said before waving his hand, "Ah, scissors." He took Frankie's other hand so that she would look at him. 

"Francis," He said in their native tongue. "We need to count the contractions, and see how far apart they are. The baby is coming, but you should not push until you are ready." 

[umaleitora]

[rhett-kelly]

Delivery Date || Rhett, Gene, Frankie

[frankie-capone]

“Stop acting like I’m some porcelain doll. I’m not some fragile thing just because my water broke.” She shrugged out of her coat and once they had her on the couch she waved them off of her. The number of times she had come close to death in the last five or six years should be a testament to her strength but the way Rhett and Gene were acting, you would think she was a sickly child.

The pain had subsided for the moment and the less coddling they did the better. Frankie was worried though, she didn’t want to deliver the baby here, let alone with only Rhett and Gene.

“Call someone, anyone. See if anyone from the clinic can make it here. Hell, find Brie. I don’t care; just get me someone that knows what they are doing.”

Leaning back on the couch, she wasn’t sure what she was supposed to do. There was a sharp pain in her side, not like the labor pains the doctor had tried to describe to her. If anything went wrong there wouldn’t be anyone here to assist them.

[rhett-kelly]

Rhett huffed as he took the coat from Frankie, nodding toward Gene to get in touch with someone that would be able to help them. Try as he might panic tugged on the edges of his brain, making it difficult for the man to remember what it was that his mother use to tell him when he was a child.

“Listen, I know that you feel like we’re being mother hens at the moment, but all Gene and I want to do is make sure that everything happens smoothly. Not sure if I told you this, but- uh I may remember a few things that my mother forced me to learn. She was a midwife.” Before Frankie could get a word in edgewise, Rhett held up a hand, so that he could finish his statement. “I’m not saying that I can deliver a damn baby, but I do pride myself on knowing a thing or two. We will try to get Portia here. If not her, then maybe Adelaide and if all else fails, we will attempt Brie, but we need to face the facts here. This baby is coming even if those women don’t. So you have to trust me. can you do that?”

“How’s it going in there, Gene!?”

[gene-torrio]

Gene grit his teeth, knowing that with the weather outside help was probably not going to come. Instead, he chose to appease the birthing mother and her ninny husband and went into the kitchen to try and find someone that could come. Brie didn't answer, the lines were busy at the hospital and he left a message with the operator that once they were free to tell them that there was a woman giving birth in the Kelly residence and assistance would be appreciated as soon as possible. On a whim he tried calling Zelda, though she was either out or knew better than to answer. He was going to have words with her when this was through. 

A seamless string of Italian profanity flowed from his mouth as he got all the things he knew they would need, He was nothing if not efficient and the very day that Francis had told him that she was expecting he had had a long discussion with the doctor at the hospital. Home births weren't all that rare, back home or here, but there were notably less complications if done in a hospital.

As it would seem, they didn't have that option.

Coming back into the living room, Gene lifted Francesca's legs, shaking his head at the two of them.

"No one," He said. "Rhett, I put a pot of water on to heat, but it should not boil or be hot enough to scald, we'll need it. "Francesca," He said to her calmly in Italian. "I need you to talk to your husband so that we can deliver this baby without starting a new war. I can help you, but only if he's not trying to strangle me."

[rhett-kelly]

Delivery Date || Rhett, Gene, Frankie

[frankie-capone]

Frankie had woken up in the morning and refused to get out of bed for hours. Her back was aching more than usual and try as she might, sleeping through the day didn’t seem like it was going to be possible. Once she was out of bed, she moved slower than she had just the day before. She couldn’t imagine having to continue like this for weeks, but the doctor had been unable to determine just how far along she was the last time she went in for a checkup.

When she made it down the stairs, after what felt like an hour, she practically collapsed into the closest chair. She stayed there for the rest of the morning and afternoon, unwilling to try and move again.

Gene showing up had been a welcome distraction from the pain she had found herself in. She stood, wanting to turn the gramophone off, and as soon as she did Frankie knew that something wasn’t quite right. She ignored Rhett and Gene’s words as she stood there and looked down.

Before she could react Gene was next to her and then Rhett. Frankie watched as her husband over reacted, as he was wont to do. She wanted to yell at the both of them for the way they were behaving but the pain was too intense.

Finally sitting back down, she managed to growl at them. “Quiet the both of you!”

[rhett-kelly]

Rhett nodded, his eyes wide as he took in the state of her. She was drenched, not only from sweat, but her dress was wet as well. If he hadn’t known better, he could have sworn that her water broke. At least that’s what he remembered his mother saying when he was but a wee lad.

“Mo Chuisle. I’m going to need for you to get up. We need to get you to the clinic before it’s too late.”

He was shaking, but his voice was calm as he pulled the woman from the couch as gingerly as possible. He looked at her, and although she seemed to be in wordless pain, there was a glow about her. The realization of their child coming into this world almost more than he could even stand.

“We’re having a baby….” He whispered, placing a kiss on her temple as he slipped her coat over her shoulders. “Now, we just need to get you out of here safely in this wretched weather…”

[gene-torrio]

Gene yanked his coat on and nearly slipped on the stone steps as he left the house.

“Cazzo.” He breathed, looking at the state of the world. It was like everything had been covered in white over the last few hours that he’d been there, the snow coming up to his ankle. “Cazzo. Cazzo! Cazzo!!” He grumbled in his panic. Ignoring the snow that would be impossible to drive in, he wrenched the door of his car open and shoved the key into the ignition.

The engine wouldn’t even turn over.

“Gesù Cristo. Devi essere scherzando.. Figlio di una cagna!” He snarled, slapping the dashboard and quickly hurrying out of the car again. He ran back inside, throwing off his coat and shaking his head at Rhett. “It’s too cold. It won’t start.” He panted, looking at the state of Francesca again. Shaking his head, he pointed to the couch. “Sit her down. We’ll need hot water, not boiling, and rags and- and scissors.” He said, beginning to roll up the sleeves of his shirt. “Francis.” He said, his tone momentarily calm. “Frankie, we’re having this baby here.” He told her, helping Rhett settle her onto the couch.

[rhett-kelly]

Delivery Date || Rhett, Gene, Frankie

“Anyone need coffee besides me?” Rhett yelled from the kitchen. It was hard to hear much over the music that was coming from the parlor, but if this chap knew anything, it was that his hearing hadn’t decayed in his old age. Humming along to the tune, he grabbed a mug as he waited for a chorus of yes’ from the other room. Instead, he heard nothing, followed by the sound of the record scratching to a halt.

With a frown he moved to the room that held his wife, as well as her partner in crime. (For lack of a better description.) “My question wasn’t the meaning of life ya know… I was just looking for a yes or no respo-”

The empty mug that once dangled from Rhett’s fingertips crashed to the floor as he looked from Frankie to Gene. “What on Earth is going on in here!?” Rhett questioned, not entirely sure whether he should be irate or concerned with the scene that had unfolded before him. Never had he thought of Gene as a threat to his marriage, but by the looks of it, it seemed the man couldn’t keep his hands to himself, instead they moved about Frankie’s pregnant belly almost frantically as if he were some prepubescent who’d never touched a woman before.

Sure, Gene’s position was a precarious one, but the view he had of Frankie’s legs as she held the hem of her dress over her knees was one that set Rhett on edge. They were hasty with their movements, panicked even as Frankie kicked off her heels, a long groan escaping her lips. Rhett couldn’t decipher if it was pain or pleasure, but he was too pissed off to care.

“You! Get yer hands offa my wife!” He bellowed, charging for Gene; his hands finding the nape of the man’s jacket in order to pull him as far away from Frankie as he could.

[gene-torrio]

It hadn’t been an entirely comfortable experience, but in his defense, Gene was trying on Frankie’s behalf. He wasn’t quite as vocal about his disdain towards the Irish as some in the family were, but the distrust was deeply rooted and even logic couldn’t wipe that out entirely.

Gene had known of Frankie’s relationship with Rhett, to some degree, for a while. He had never imagined it would come to marriage, but now that it had, he knew there was nothing to do but welcome the other man, however begrudgingly, into the family.

“Do I have to drink any more of that crap he calls coffee?” Gene asked Frankie in Italian. He looked over to the woman who hadn’t been feeling well all day only to see the strange look on her face. He sat forward at once. “Francesca?”

It all went to hell after that.

“Lay back, Francis. Lay back.” He insisted, his heart pounding in his ears as he tried to recall all of the things the doctor had told him. She needed to not panic, she needed to-

A string of frustrated Italian profanity flowed past his lips and he wrenched his arm back, elbowing Rhett.

“The baby is coming!” He growled through clenched teeth. “We need to get her to the hospital, she needs to stay calm.” He stood, allowing Rhett to change places with him. “I’ll get the car started, you get her up front.”

[madame-zelda]

Whoops || Zene

[madame-zelda]

"Oh is that so?" Zelda chuckled as she stepped closer to him. "I don’t have to buy you." She reached up on the tip of her toes and gave him a quick kiss. 

[gene-torrio]

"That's right, you work on a bartering system don't you?" He murmured, following after her as she quickly pulled away from the kiss. Wrapping his arms more tightly around her waist he grinned against her cheek and lifted her up. "I'll trade you two goats, madam, for your affection."

[frankie-capone]

Shop Talk || Genecis

[frankie-capone]

"Indeed we do. We must ensure that no one intervenes once we begin." She leaned on the desk and propped her head up with one of her hands. There was too much riding on the hotel being rebuilt and far too many opportunities for them to be sabotaged. 

"We’ll need to increase other sales to compensate and make sure to not to let anyone default on their monthly payments for the time being. I know we’ve been lax with some in the past, but that’s all going to have to change."

[gene-torrio]

"We'll post patrols around the site once building has begun. Slip a few of our boys into the process to make sure no one on the crew gets a big head about things." Gene mused, rubbing the stubble on his chin. 

With a sigh, he nodded knowing that she was right. "I agree, but let's not allow the men to dole out punishment as they see fit. The last time we let that happen, Luis blinded the man. Allow us the opportunity to make sure the punishment fits the offense. Worse comes to worse, we'll make an example of someone to show the others that we're not toying around."

[gene-torrio]

Taking Stock || Gene & Alban

[alban-dragusha]

"Things are slowly getting better, back to the way they were before." He nodded his appreciation for the man sharing his umbrella with him, shrugging slightly as the water rolled off the back of his jacket. He nodded and fell in stride with Gene as they both turned from the scene of the piles of rubble and headed down the familiar route to his shop. "I don’t believe anyone would expect anything less from us. I have never known the family to sacrifice quality to meet the demand of those who want things done instantly with no regards to craftsmanship."

He listened in reverent silence, agreeing wholeheartedly with the underboss’s words. “Time heals all wounds. We can only hope that we have the time needed to mend before are called to fight again.” Alban knew that his involvement in the violence between the factions was minimal at best, considering that he was neither a capo nor a soldier, usually left to deal with the aftermath instead, but Eliza’s capture had called everyone to action, including the normally reserved butcher. As they spoke of healing and reconstruction, he offered to the second-in-command, “Should you need any help with the building once the weather clears, please do not hesitate to call me. I know I must give my daylight hours to the store, but I am no stranger to working long nights as well.” He wasn’t an engineer or architect, but he had plenty of experience with a hammer and nails, thinking back on the shelves he had donated to Fitzgerald’s restoration and the repairs he had done on his new home.

[gene-torrio]

Gene remained silent, appreciating Alban's words but having seen some of the family's poorly executed maneuvers that could hardly be considered clever, let alone wise. 

"I don't believe that we will be fighting again any time soon, at least not with the Irish, not like we were. Everything now is...more complex. I think that with what is to come, we may almost miss the simplicity of buildings burning to the ground. Now, we must plan, we must be careful, we must vigilant. Now our battle is within the public. They offer a great many deal of the services we do. If we're not careful, we'll lose business. This is a game of skill, not brawn." At the other man's words he scoffed and waved a hand, a smile finally coming to his face.

"Nonsense, don't worry yourself over that. These men are hired hands, and if they do not meet our time requirements, they will have to contest with a second group. Honestly." He shifted the umbrella to his other hand and clapped the man on the shoulder. "You think I'd ask you to play Joseph? You are not expendable, Alban. You need rest as any other."

[knifing]

[gene-torrio]

Taking Stock || Gene & Eliza

[elizacapone]

Slowly, Eliza seemed to be venturing further away from the exclusively Italian shops in town as she tried her best to continue her daily walks. It was supposed to help her somehow, to leave the house for an hour or so, though quite frankly it just made her entirely more nervous, and made Luis rather annoyed. As she crossed the street, she looked at the now vacant site where The Burgh Hotel had once stood. 

"Quite a shame, isn’t it, how something that was once so grand could shatter into something so…pitiful," Eliza said, as she walked up behind Gene. The same comparison could have easily been made to suit her, a once shining star that now seemed to be nothing more than extinguished ash. Though as he guard trailed after her, it was a nice and much safer change that she wasn’t resisting having someone always looking after her. 

[gene-torrio]

Gene glanced behind him as Eliza stopped at his side; Luis was not far away, and he had to wonder if it was for her privacy or his own comfort. The Capo wasn't known for his polite chitchat. 

"That's one way to look at it," He sighed, turning his gaze back upon the reconstruction. "The way I see it, is that now we know better. This building will be stronger, safer, better guarded. It will be a phoenix rising from the ashes." He looked down at her and smiled. "Everything has moments like this, amore, but we endure. We don't know how to do anything else." He shrugged, glancing back at Luis once more. "Would you like a different escort home? I can't imagine he makes very appealing company."

[gene-torrio]

Day Three || A Different Era

Choose a different time period and describe what your character would have been like in that era. 

Gene would have done very well in the Roman Empire. He would have made a great military leader that would have seen many battles won. He would have been a shrewd strategist, and the men under his command would have been loyal to the death. He would readily sacrifice life and limb for Rome. 

[gene-torrio]

Taking Stock || Gene & Alban

[alban-dragusha]

Alban flipped the collar of his jacket up to protect his neck against the cold rain that had started to fall shortly after he left the house. He might have gone back for an umbrella, but he was already halfway to the shop and his coat was thick enough to stave off the cold. He was certain the sun was up by now but it couldn’t be seen behind the solid gray of the sky.

He was walking his usual route to the shop, passing by the remains of what was once the Burgh hotel, sometimes feeling chills travel down his spine as he remembered the events of the fateful night of the fire. Today, he glanced over to see that the very beginnings of clean up and reconstruction had been started and his gaze happened upon a familiar figure standing on the sidewalk ahead of him. His pace slowed as he approached and he greeted the man in a friendly tone and extended his hand. “Buongiorno, Gene. How are the plans coming along for the rebuild?”

[gene-torrio]

"Si jeni, Alban." Gene greeted in the other man's native tongue. He was by no means fluent in Albanian, but he had learned enough of the pleasantries from the butcher to appeal to him now and again. With a sigh, he turned to the other man and lifted the umbrella unconsciously to help shield him from what would soon be a downpour. 

"Faster than I had hoped, but slower than what we really need right now. However, we cannot forgo quality to hasten the project, despite that. Are you heading to the shop now? I'll walk with you." His words were less of a suggestion as he turned, still holding the umbrella above their heads and began to walk. "These past few months have not been kind to us and unfortunately, we must be patient as we heal." He scowled. "It's a chess board, Alban, we have the means, but poor strategy can destroy us."

[gene-torrio]

Day Two || Basics & Cosmetics

How do they usually dress?

Tailor made suits; even still, you can't be worried about getting them dirty. You need to dress a certain way, like aristocracy, but be prepared to fight like a dog for a bone.

What do they wear to sleep?

Pajama bottoms and an undershirt.

Do they wear jewelry?

No.

Is there anything about their appearance they wish they could change?

If I could go a little longer without going gray, I'd appreciate it. 

How would they look as the opposite sex?

What do they smell like? Why (do they wear the scent or does it occur naturally)?

Cologne and food. I generally spend what free time I have in the kitchen. I enjoy cooking.

Do they have an accurate mental picture of their appearance (how they see themselves versus how the world sees them)?

I'm an attractive and wealthy individual which makes me the target of fiends in many guises. I don't particularly care if people find me ugly or attractive, there's only one woman whose opinion counts in that regard at this time and so far, I'm fairly certain she likes what she sees.

[gene-torrio]

Day One || The Basics

Age?

Thirty-four

Date of Birth?

October 11th, 1890

Hair color?

Brunette

Eye color?

Blue

Skin color/nationality?

Caucasian, Italian

Accent (if any)?

Light Italian accent, heavier when speaking to members of the Family.

Height?

6'2

Weight?

173 pounds

Tattoos?

None.

Piercings?

None.

Birthmarks?

None remarkable.

Disfigurements?

None.

Scars?

A few tells of the trade, the most noticeable is on the back of my shoulder, and that's only if you're graced with my shirtless form.

Do they have any nicknames? Where did they come from?

I'm sure I have a handful, but none that are spoken within hearing distance of me.

[gene-torrio]

Taking Stock || Open

Gene stood across the street from the massive construction site. The rubble from the destroyed Burgh had finally been cleared away and the foundation was now being set for its new and improved twin. It was going to cost the family, and the competition with the Rockefeller's would be fierce, but Gene was confident that they would succeed. Though it may take time, he was certain that they would earn every cent back and profit greatly from the venture. 

The cold rain pattered loudly against his umbrella as he inspected the workers progress shrewdly. No one would be coming to the area until Spring and if they worked diligently, they could, perhaps, have the Grand Reopening ready for the summer months.

[frankie-capone]

Shop Talk || Genecis

[frankie-capone]

"Whiskey?" Frankie laughed at the thought of Gene holding Luis down so she could shoot him. "No, I think I can keep my wits about me long enough to give birth. Then maybe you can find someone for me to torture."

Finally taking a seat once more, she looked up at Gene. “We still need to get the hotel back up an running. It was our biggest cash crop and its still nothing more than a pile of rubble, while some new monstrosity is being built just down the street.”

[gene-torrio]

"Oh, there are a few people I have in mind." Gene grumbled, but smirked at her anyways. It was strange circumstances they found themselves in. He never doubted that Francesca would marry someday, but he always imagined it down the line, and never did he envision her with a belly so round she looked ready to pop. 

Shaking his head to free himself from his revere, he met her gaze and nodded. "Yes, I've already been moving on that. Searching out workers and the like, we've got the money, no doubt, but if something happens, if someone sabotages it - and I don't just mean the Irish, we have many enemies - but if anything happens, we'll be vulnerable."