R E C K L E S S

Grace Ambrose bartender // cacciatore informant the great pretender "shoot me down, but i won't fall, i am { t i t a n i u m }."

[gracexmbrose-blog]

linds-scott:

“Probably. Not as if I ever say anything important, right?”

[gracexmbrose-blog]

antoniocontadino:

“I’m drinking in the middle of the day?”

“Thanks for telling me the obvious.”

“Okay, I get the feeling you’ve got this whole ‘it’s five o’clock somewhere’ thing going on right now, but I don’t think that I like it.”

[gracexmbrose-blog]

antoniocontadino:

“Yeah, well life isn’t all sunshine and roses. So if I want to drink in the middle of the day that’s no ones business than my own, thank you very much.” 

“Really? I’d never have guessed. I wasn’t actually complaining, I was going to ask you to buy me a drink, but sure.”

[gracexmbrose-blog]

“Alex. I don’t have people to protect me, Molly, it doesn’t work like that. I’m not in their inner fucking circle, I’m not worth that much and–” She cut off, shrugging, “And I don’t want this to happen to him. I don’t want him to get hurt, too.”

[mollyabrams]

“Well – Fuck that Alex. You have me, okay? I might not be much in the grand scheme of things but… we’re not just things. That you get to bruise, play with and bloody up. This is chaos, this is a jungle, this is war but there are god damn rules. There has to be. Point her out to me, she’ll get hers. I think – I think, and forgive me for saying this, but you’re underestimating him. He’s the boss of one of the most powerful ruling families in this whole wretched city, people like him don’t get hurt. One of the fundamental rules, is they’re untouchable. 

[gracexmbrose-blog]

"And I'm just going to end up getting you hurt, too." Grace mumbled, shaking her head slightly. "We are, Molly. Or at least, I am. Nothing but a fucking pawn, one of the irrelevant players who can get thrown away as soon as they're not needed any more. I don't matter to any of them, I'm-- expendable. They don't need me any more, I shouldn't even be alive." She sighed quietly, looking up at her friend and frowning, "Nobody is untouchable, Molly. Not one of us. Not Tony, not me, not you. It's riskier to attack one of them, sure, but he's not fucking invincible."

[antoniocontadino]

“I’ll do what it takes to protect people, it’s all I’ve ever done. I can’t jsut say I’ll stop being like that, I have my family to protect as wel. Aria and Sonny, hell even Leo, my cousins, everyone. I’ve got by before now, I’d never do something to get myself killed unless it was taking a bullet myself to stop someone else getting hurt.” He nodded. “I’d never name him, but it doesn’t mean I’d not admit that it was my order, that the first move was made by me. Hell I’d love that bitch Anna to now just to see her damn face.” He sighed. “So what do you what to do, Princess? Because I don’t know what else to say.” 

[gracexmbrose-blog]

Grace sighed sadly, looking up at him and shaking her head. “It’s beside the point! You’re not even fucking listening to me.” She muttered, tucking her hair behind her ear. “I don’t care about who you are trying to protect - I’m not part of your family and I don’t need your protection. I don’t need you getting yourself hurt to try and take care of me, it’s not worth it.” She looked back up at him, nodding a little. “Nobody would care if it was your order, as long as you don’t tell anyone that it was Daniel.” She added, before falling quiet for a few seconds. What did she want to do? She was still for a few moments before stepping forward, wrapping her arms around him tightly and clinging there, her fingers grasping at his shirt. Grace shrugged slightly, “I don’t... I don’t know what I want to do, Tony. Just don’t say anything. Just don’t let me go.”

[angel-bayer]

“Why do my parents insist on telling me they have a surprise for me?” 

[gracexmbrose-blog]

"Does anyone like surprises?"

[gracexmbrose-blog]

Grace shook her head as he began to speak, “There isn’t. There’s no happy ending in this, there’s no way for this to be resolved without someone I care about getting hurt.” She replied quietly, sighing. “If you think for one minute that I’d make it out of the crossfire alive then you’re wrong - or you’re just certainly one hell of a fucking optimist.” She shook her head again, “If you can’t promise me that then it’s not good enough, Tony.” She fell quiet for a moment, shifting back on her heels a little uncomfortably. “I know what happened. I know who helped you. I know a lot more than anyone actually wants to give me credit for.” She mumbled, looking down at the ground and sniffling quietly, another tear sliding down her cheek. She looked back up as he spoke, unable to move away from him. She pulled away from the kiss quickly, shaking her head and wiping yet another tear from her face. “I– I can’t. It’s all I can fucking think about! I can’t get away from it, from any of it! I’m– I’m scared, Tony. I’m fucking terrified.”

[antoniocontadino]

“Princess, I can’t promise you that. I don’t take well to the people I love being hurt. And I will fight till my last breath to stop it happening, or make them regret ever thinking about it never mind actually doing it. That is who I am, I can’t change that.” He nodded. “Then you know if they find out exactly what happened to Giovanni and why a lot of us are going to go down for it. And I’m pretty bad at holding my tongue when it comes to them threatening the people I love, the people I care about.” He put a hand to her face, “Princess, I’m going to do everything in my power to stop you being hurt again. I know you want me to be cautious, but trust me, I’m not going to let them hurt you, or me, or anyone else I care about.” 

[gracexmbrose-blog]

"Tony, listen to me. Right now, I don't give a fucking damn who you are or what you do. If you can't promise me that, then I'm gone. There's no point in me staying or waiting around for the people around me to get hurt." She paused for a second, shaking her head, "If anyone needs your protection, it's Daniel. He is terrified, Tony. He gave up his father to you, you owe him enough to make sure nobody fucking finds out." She frowned up at him, sighing deeply. "I'm still caught in between. There is no way out of this for me, no kind of protection that could actually keep me safe -- I can't go with you because I can't leave them behind."

[gracexmbrose-blog]

She wanted to move away from him, to turn and leave, but she couldn’t quite manage it. A small sigh escaped her lips and she leant her head into his palm, looking up at him. She shook her head, a sad smile curving her lips. “Nah. You guys get to be happy, you get to be the Kings and Queens of the city. You’ve got more money than anything else and everything you could ever need and want at your fingertips. You guys get the chance to be happy. You’re family- you’re the family. But what about the rest of us? Everyone who works for you, or for them? They don’t have the same. We don’t get to be happy. We’re in constant fear for our lives, stuck with every fucked up choice we’ve ever made that got us here, and there’s no way out of it. It’s a trap, and I’m fucking caught in it.” She tilted her head away from him, lifting her hand to brush a stray tear from her cheek. “You’ve already done more than enough, I don’t need - or want - you to do anything else. If I die, I want to go out without pulling anyone else down with me, Tony. Promise me that? That you won’t do something stupid and get yourself hurt? You won’t get involved?” She knew that was a lot to ask, but she couldn’t stop herself. Grace paused for a moment, before nodding. “I know. And I… I love you too. But – there’s nothing we can do about it.”

[antoniocontadino]

He looked to the floor as he listened to her, then he looked up. He honestly never thought too much about the people that worked for the families, he paid them and they did their duty. It wasn’t that he didn’t know they were at risk, of course he knew that, but he always saw his family as the biggest targets. Once one of the families was defeated the war was over, there was someone to run the area again. “There is a ways for you to be happy, Princess,” he said. He believed that, though he knew it would involve a lot of bloodshed. “Someone just needs to win the war. Once there’s nothing left to fight you won’t be caught in the cross fire anymore. I’d do anything for you to be happy as well. Anything to get you out of that trap.” He bit his lip as she spoke. “Princess, I honestly can’t promise that. And fuck, if they find out what I did to their family, and who helped me do it we’d be top of their fucking target list. If my family doesn’t win this war we die. I know that, and in all honesty I’d rather go first protecting everyone else than have to watch it all burn.” He shook his head, “Just, don’t think about all that for a moment. Just one moment.” 

[gracexmbrose-blog]

Grace shook her head as he began to speak, "There isn't. There's no happy ending in this, there's no way for this to be resolved without someone I care about getting hurt." She replied quietly, sighing. "If you think for one minute that I'd make it out of the crossfire alive then you're wrong - or you're just certainly one hell of a fucking optimist." She shook her head again, "If you can't promise me that then it's not good enough, Tony." She fell quiet for a moment, shifting back on her heels a little uncomfortably. "I know what happened. I know who helped you. I know a lot more than anyone actually wants to give me credit for." She mumbled, looking down at the ground and sniffling quietly, another tear sliding down her cheek. She looked back up as he spoke, unable to move away from him. She pulled away from the kiss quickly, shaking her head and wiping yet another tear from her face. "I-- I can't. It's all I can fucking think about! I can't get away from it, from any of it! I'm-- I'm scared, Tony. I'm fucking terrified."

[gracexmbrose-blog]

Grace nodded, falling quiet for a second. She wished she could say weed was one of her worst vices, but it didn’t even come close. She didn’t know the names of half of the pills she was taking these days, and it wasn’t as if she hadn’t considered the stronger stuff. She looked over at him as he spoke, “Damn, I’m sorry. That sounds rough.”

[hunterarcher]

Hunter shook his head. “He’s fine, on tour again actually. Hopefully his last one before he retires” 

[gracexmbrose-blog]

"At least it all worked out in the end, right?" Grace replied, nodding slightly as she picked up her drink to take another sip. She wasn't sure if she could say the same about her situation, but she didn't really feel like going into detail.

[gracexmbrose-blog]

“Yeah, well that’ll be a change.” Grace muttered, a little bitterly. In all honesty, she’d been stupid for getting herself involved with him in the first place - but she couldn’t take any of it back now. She looked up as he spoke, “You could still be in more danger. You’re not invincible, you know.” She sighed sadly, shaking her head, “Do you really believe that? That there’s some happy way out of this for both of us? It doesn’t work like that and I know that you’re fully aware of it. I’d skip town but.. They’d find me, and I’d die anyway.” She shrugged a little, having already fully come to terms with her fate. Grace glanced back up at him, suddenly feeling a pain in her heart and she shook her head, reaching her hand out towards him. “This wasn’t your fault, Antonio. None of it was. After we met… They sent me in to spy on you. If I’d just never gone home with you that night, we wouldn’t be stuck in this position. None of it would have happened, we’d both still be safe. And I’m sorry for that, okay? Just know that I’m sorry. I never meant to do this to you.”

[antoniocontadino]

Tony cupped Grace’s face in one hand. “I’d never think you’re stupid, Princess.” He sighed again, she was right, he wasn’t. “I know I’m not invincible, but I am determined, that has a lot of effect… I know it doesn’t have to all be miserable, that people involved in all of this can be happy. Sure this is a little different, but there ware always ways, as long as you don’t give up.” He listened to her. “That’s not what I was talking about, Princess.” He shook his head as she apologised. “You don’t have to apologise to me, not for anything. I’m sorry I can’t do more to keep you safe.” He sighed and tucked some hair behind her ear. “I really do love you,” he told her. 

[gracexmbrose-blog]

She wanted to move away from him, to turn and leave, but she couldn't quite manage it. A small sigh escaped her lips and she leant her head into his palm, looking up at him. She shook her head, a sad smile curving her lips. "Nah. You guys get to be happy, you get to be the Kings and Queens of the city. You've got more money than anything else and everything you could ever need and want at your fingertips. You guys get the chance to be happy. You're family- you're the family. But what about the rest of us? Everyone who works for you, or for them? They don't have the same. We don't get to be happy. We're in constant fear for our lives, stuck with every fucked up choice we've ever made that got us here, and there's no way out of it. It's a trap, and I'm fucking caught in it." She tilted her head away from him, lifting her hand to brush a stray tear from her cheek. "You've already done more than enough, I don't need - or want - you to do anything else. If I die, I want to go out without pulling anyone else down with me, Tony. Promise me that? That you won't do something stupid and get yourself hurt? You won't get involved?" She knew that was a lot to ask, but she couldn't stop herself. Grace paused for a moment, before nodding. "I know. And I... I love you too. But -- there's nothing we can do about it."

[gracexmbrose-blog]

Grace laughed quietly, “Doesn’t sound all too bad, actually. But yeah, thanks. Hey uh– if you don’t mind me asking, what happened that got you stuck smoking weed in Amsterdam for a month?”

[hunterarcher]

“Better than thinking at the time. Still smoke from time to time.” He thought for a minute before answering the question. “I don’t mind you asking… My dad was MIA for a while, for all I knew he was dead, and it was the most likely thing to happen, so I just assumed.”

[gracexmbrose-blog]

Grace nodded, falling quiet for a second. She wished she could say weed was one of her worst vices, but it didn't even come close. She didn't know the names of half of the pills she was taking these days, and it wasn't as if she hadn't considered the stronger stuff. She looked over at him as he spoke, "Damn, I'm sorry. That sounds rough."

[gracexmbrose-blog]

“No, I think I can work it out. I’m not stupid.” Grace shot back, shaking her head. “You wouldn’t! I’m not going to put you in danger, Antonio! I couldn’t live with myself if I did!” She paused for a moment, thinking over that. It wasn’t as if she really was doing much living, she was spending most of her time trying to get out of her mind, to get away from herself for as long as she could. Grace bit her lip gently, looking up at him. “How badly it could end? Tony, there’s no could about this. I’m going to die, with or without your protection and I will be damned if it happens on anyone’s terms but my own.”

[antoniocontadino]

“I never said you were stupid. I’d never think that.” He sighed. “Grace, I’m the Boss of the Contadino’s, it’s not like I could be in any more danger as it  already stands.” He knew it was true, but this was who he was, it was what he had wanted once he finally understood what it was his father did, it had been his goal all along, to be the boss. He just didn’t see things getting this complicated. “You don’t have to die, Princess. There’s always something to do. Some way to save people.” He bit is lip, honestly scared that she was right and he was clutching at straws. “This is all my fault,” he said quietly.

[gracexmbrose-blog]

"Yeah, well that'll be a change." Grace muttered, a little bitterly. In all honesty, she'd been stupid for getting herself involved with him in the first place - but she couldn't take any of it back now. She looked up as he spoke, "You could still be in more danger. You're not invincible, you know." She sighed sadly, shaking her head, "Do you really believe that? That there's some happy way out of this for both of us? It doesn't work like that and I know that you're fully aware of it. I'd skip town but.. They'd find me, and I'd die anyway." She shrugged a little, having already fully come to terms with her fate. Grace glanced back up at him, suddenly feeling a pain in her heart and she shook her head, reaching her hand out towards him. "This wasn't your fault, Antonio. None of it was. After we met... They sent me in to spy on you. If I'd just never gone home with you that night, we wouldn't be stuck in this position. None of it would have happened, we'd both still be safe. And I'm sorry for that, okay? Just know that I'm sorry. I never meant to do this to you."

[gracexmbrose-blog]

“That’s not even the point!” Grace retorted, her voice beginning to crack. “You can’t stop her. You can’t stop any of them, Tony, and you don’t have to. I know one of them is going to kill me, and I’d rather that I was gone than you getting hurt again.” She added, shrugging. She was quiet as he spoke, shaking her head. “No. No, I’m just… I’m.. Going to pretend that you didn’t just say that.”

[antoniocontadino]

“You don’t now what lengths I’d go to protect people, Princess,” he told her. “Hell I’d die before I let them touch you again.” He looked to the side for a moment. “If that’s what you need to do,” he said eventually. “But I almost lost you. I had to tell you at least once, just incase. I knoe how badly this can end, Princess, but if you think I won’t do everything in my power to protect you, just like I do everyone else, well I’m sorry to tell you you’re mistaken.” 

[gracexmbrose-blog]

"No, I think I can work it out. I'm not stupid." Grace shot back, shaking her head. "You wouldn't! I'm not going to put you in danger, Antonio! I couldn't live with myself if I did!" She paused for a moment, thinking over that. It wasn't as if she really was doing much living, she was spending most of her time trying to get out of her mind, to get away from herself for as long as she could. Grace bit her lip gently, looking up at him. "How badly it could end? Tony, there's no could about this. I'm going to die, with or without your protection and I will be damned if it happens on anyone's terms but my own."

[gracexmbrose-blog]

“Oh, well.” Grace shrugged, a little nonchalantly, before laughing. “Yeah, well, I’ve never had the best coping mechanisms. This is just one of many vices, you don’t have to tell me that it’s wrong.”

[hunterarcher]

“I’m not going to say a word. I spent a month in Amsterdam stoned because I started using it as a coping mechanism. I’m not going to judge or anything, just let me know when you want more vodka.” 

[gracexmbrose-blog]

Grace laughed quietly, "Doesn't sound all too bad, actually. But yeah, thanks. Hey uh-- if you don't mind me asking, what happened that got you stuck smoking weed in Amsterdam for a month?"

[gracexmbrose-blog]

“You can’t promise me that. You can’t promise any of that. I already got hurt, and if you don’t think she won’t come back and kill me, you’re fucking wrong.” Grace replied, shaking her head more. She paused for a moment, looking up at him, “What? Everyone you what?”

[antoniocontadino]

“Not a fair comparison, I provoked that. I threw the first punch and took the rest. She won’t because I won’t let her.” He looked own at her. “Everyone I love,” he said again, quieter than before, just realising what he’d said. 

[gracexmbrose-blog]

"That's not even the point!" Grace retorted, her voice beginning to crack. "You can't stop her. You can't stop any of them, Tony, and you don't have to. I know one of them is going to kill me, and I'd rather that I was gone than you getting hurt again." She added, shrugging. She was quiet as he spoke, shaking her head. "No. No, I'm just... I'm.. Going to pretend that you didn't just say that."

[manips-r-us]

Krys|2671: ChrisxMegan  

[gracexmbrose-blog]

“Yeah, no. You probably shouldn’t ask. I have a feeling that you’re gonna, though.” Grace mumbled, sighing. “I just wanna forget that I exist. For one night, I just… Don’t wanna be here.”

[hunterarcher]

“I wasn’t going to actually.” He took a drink and nodded. “Okay, well, I should probably tell you that’s not a way to deal with stuff, but it’s up to you what you do, so I may as well just go along with it.” 

[gracexmbrose-blog]

"Oh, well." Grace shrugged, a little nonchalantly, before laughing. "Yeah, well, I've never had the best coping mechanisms. This is just one of many vices, you don't have to tell me that it's wrong."