rhinestone eyes.

[jackierco]

SPOTTED: JACKIE RUIZ-CORIONI in new york city! heard the THIRTY year old belongs to THE REAPERS as a ROAD CAPTAIN. word on the streets is that they can be RESOURCEFUL, but they can also be IMMATURE

character name: giacomo "jackie" ruiz-corioni

birthday & star sign: january twentieth, aquarius

gender & pronouns: male, he/him

occupation: handyman @ gold standard repairs

education: high school; juilliard school dropout

sexuality: homosexual

gang affiliation: the reapers (road captain)

faceclaim: sean teale

character inspo: roman roy (succession), stiles stilinski (teen wolf), shawn spencer (psych), gina linetti (brooklyn 99),

tldr biography

tw: illness

brooklyn born and raised, grew up spending afternoons at the reapers clubhouse and weekends working in his grandpa’s handyman business, gold standard repairs — and getting into trouble all over the city with his friends whenever he had the chance. music became his one real outlet and he eventually got into juilliard for piano after a lot of family resistance, but dropped out junior year when his dad’s parkinson’s worsened and his mom stepped back from the business to care for him. jackie came home, took over the day-to-day of the company, fully committed to the reapers, and recently worked his way up to road captain — the same role his dad once held. chaotic and a known slacker when things feel low stakes, but loyal and always shows up when it matters.

headcanons

him getting elected as road captain was super divisive. he's loyal to the reapers and worked very hard to get his patch, but generally he's unreliable at times and likes to mouth off. so i think there was a number of reapers pushing for him to be elected, and a lot of them ACTIVELY being like, sorry kid but no.

father is still alive (for now) but in the late stages of parkinsons. he was a very well respected, high ranking reaper, and i imagine though he's obviously stepped back from his duties, the guys often come by his parents house to see him, and help them out with whatever they need.

it took him forever to get his motorcycle license bc he high key thinks its so stupid to drive in the city when the subway is RIGHT THERE. but yknow, requirement of the club and what not. usually he won't take his bike unless its for club business or he's traveling outside nyc.

has access to a lot of different buildings bc of the repair business. if private, closed off meetings are needed outside of the clubhouse, he'll use one of those spaces.

knows the streets and subway lines better than google maps. and has a knack for knowing EXACTLY how long it'll take wherever he needs to go.

can perform most household repairs without any sort of instruction manual. his grandpa taught him very well.

super bad at finances though, his mom still has to triple check his work. he thinks math is stupid.

incredibly talented pianist, can play most songs by ear or learn them relatively quickly with sheet music. if he sees a piano out and about he'll usually stop to play it. even convinced the guys at the clubhouse to let him keep a small one there that he can often be found at.

he is a HUGE flirt hide ur husbands

not very hard to befriend but his attitude can also rub people the wrong way. he can definitely take a joke too far, or be bitchy under the guise of being 'brutally honest'. its ANNOYING.

has been the victim of the cat distribution system. two stray on two separate occasions showed up outside his apartment building and just never left? never officially adopted them but gave them collars and they can come in and out of his place when they want. their names are ludwig and claude (after the composers)

full biography

The Reapers and Gold Standard Repairs were the twin pillars of Jackie Ruiz-Corioni’s childhood, the club and his Grandpa Ruiz's handyman business woven so thoroughly into his daily life that they didn’t leave room for much else  -- and from early on Jackie learned that they weren’t optional life paths so much as inevitable ones. Days after school were spent with his father, Giancomo Sr., around the clubhouse, learning the ways of the Reapers,  and weekends were spent accompanying Grandpa Ruiz to various jobs around the city, assisting with paint jobs and repairs. The only reprieve from the constant motion came at night, when Jackie would explore the city streets with the other neighborhood kids. Climbing fire escapes, sneaking into dive bars, stealing cigarettes from bodegas — chaos appealed to the young man whose life was filled with nothing but structure, getting him into trouble more times than he could count. But he was smart, resourceful, and had a knack for escaping sticky situations. The only thing he couldn’t escape from was his family’s high expectations.

For a while, though, it looked like he might have found a way out. Music had always come easy to the young man, and as he got older it became a healthier way to channel that inner anarchy he so craved – and so his parents indulged him, loosening the leash a bit and allowing him to take lessons, be more involved in extracurriculars, if only to keep him happy and out of trouble. What they didn’t count on, though, was him taking it as seriously as he did, and without their knowledge began applying to different schools around the city. It all came to a head after Jackie was offered a full scholarship to Juilliard for college, an argument that he still counts as one of the few times he’d truly seen his parents truly infuriated with him. Higher education wasn’t a part of the plan — especially not when he would be going for piano of all things, not exactly something that would spawn a lucrative career. But the expectation had always been he’d become a Reaper and work for his grandfather, two things he couldn’t do if he was spending his days in the classroom, his evenings at rehearsals and recitals. However, after months of persuasion, his parents finally indulged him, understanding this was a passion and not simply an impulsive decision. 

The conservatory challenged Jackie in ways he’d never imagined, unable to get by with mere skill or his smart mouth alone — for the first time in his life, he had to work for something. Prove himself, prove that he belonged instead of having a legacy to back him, to keep him safe and comfortable. After a rocky start, he began to thrive, moving through the semesters with high marks and a notable growth – until a call from Maria, his mother, at the end of his junior year changed everything. For years Giacomo Sr. had suffered from Parkinson’s Disease, and while his symptoms had been more or less controlled after catching it early, the sickness was beginning to progress. Maria informed him that she needed to step away from Gold Standard Repairs in order to care for him full time, through tears begging him to forgo the rest of his education and be there for his family. Though it pained Jackie to even consider leaving school, leaving everything he’d worked his ass off for, it pained him more to imagine his family struggle knowing he could help. So, he dropped out and returned home, immediately taking his mother’s place in the business and – finally – began prospecting for the Reapers. 

His grandfather passed only a few years later after a short sickness, and leaving the business to Maria – the owner on paper, yes, but with Jackie keeping it running day to day. He quickly became a fully-patched member of the Reapers, his father’s name doing a lot of heavy lifting for him despite not being involved with the club in the same capacity. Within the last year he was promoted to Road Captain, a position his father once held, his access to various buildings across the city along with his intimate knowledge of the city making him an undeniable asset in this role, even despite his obvious shortcomings. Though he’s known for being utterly chaotic, somewhat immature and, at times, unreliable, Jackie’s the kind of guy who you know will still show up when it matters most – it’s just those times in between that may escape him. Though he’s had to push his dreams aside, embark on the very path he’d tried for so long to step away from, he’s grateful for all that he does have; a thriving business, community within the Reapers, in the city he loves so much, finding ways to make life enjoyable regardless of whatever destruction he leaves in his wake. 

[dxncingonmyown]

@jackierco | Jackie and Veronica, Jackie's Hospital Room

"Ew." One syllable. All Veronica needs to express her opinion on the meal selection at the hospital's cafe. And yet, she's sure she saw smoked salmon and caviar being delivered to any high-profile victims. Fortunately for Jackie, she shows up and then some. Several meals, packed tidily into a cooler. An old iPad. Soaps and shampoos. And most important of all, a wad of cash. "The food here's disgusting." And that's coming from someone raised on scraps from foster parents. "I made lasagna." She says, already preparing him a slice. "And cash. Do you know how expensive a hospital room is in New York? Jesus Christ," she clicks her tongue. "You better be resting up." Knowing Jackie, however...

[jackierco]

"Don't even get me started." Even Jackie was getting tired of hearing himself complain about the lackluster (putting it nicely) food in this godforsaken place. Regardless, he'd not had a difficult time making himself at home in the hospital room -- stuff everywhere ranging from 'get well soon' cards to take-out containers, electronics, clothes that most definitely needed to be washed. "Have I ever told you that you're my favorite? Because you are." Jackie sat up straighter while Veronica prepared him a plate, giving a short roll of his eyes. "I don't need your money, V. The lasagna is payment enough." That and he didn't want to feel like he owed her -- or anyone for that matter. Money was something he was a bit too prideful about. "God, you sound like Elijah -- I am. Not really much else I can do in this fuckin' thing anyway," he gestured to his full-leg cast. "Doc said I'm going to be in this thing for a few months even after they let me go. Fucking torture, I won't be able to work that entire time. Do we know anything about the clowns who did this in the first place? They're about to owe me a lot of goddamn money."

[dxncingonmyown]

"And in some circles it's considered polite to slurp your fucking soup. Say, you should consider a bit of travel, huh?" Rare is the time when Maddox leans into the snobbery and finery that's reared him. But in this case, it makes Jackie so irate, that Maddox finds it fun. As if class war is what any of their back-and-forth is about. However, like many things in life, it's easier to double down on what's easy and known. Sitting up straight, he lifts a cocky brow back at Jackie. Let's his eyes drop from his dark eyes, down the length of his body, then back up. "If memory serves, it's not really a contest, bud." It's said with a coy smirk, falling back into that all familiar rhythm. "At least if we're measuring lengthwise. Now, if we're talking width..." he licks his lips. "You win there."

And in the spirit of competition, Maddox reaches for the shot of vodka. Eyes unmoved from the ghost of his past as he downs it. Proof that even in this position as an upstanding, ADA... He is not so lost, that he's forgotten how to drink and have a good time. It's quickly replenished with whiskey, half of it downed before his commentary on Hinge dates echoes. "Fuck, man. Careful with that - you'll get yourself cancelled." Wisdom from his own slip of the tongue. "So, no one's stuck, then?" He's not surprised. He and Jackie were never the 'white picket fence and happy family' types. For very different reasons.

"Why so curious?" It's his turn to go on the offensive, barreling down his old friend. "'Cause it sure as shit isn't because you're sympathetic." What was his angle, now that the years have taken him off the straight and narrow?

[jackierco]

He knew that Maddox was just trying to get a rise out of him -- and more than anything Jackie was irritated that it was working. Fist began to clench around the empty Red Bull can before he caught himself, placing it back down before he completely crushed it. "We live in the greatest city in the world -- why the fuck would I wanna go anywhere else?" Other than to simply inflate his own ego. Regardless of any resentment regarding the discrepancy in their respective lifestyles or wealth, that was a true opinion Jackie always held; that he had everything he ever wanted or needed right here in New York City. Brow arched at the sudden change in tone, a flicker of disbelief crossing his features before it softened into abject amusement. "You -- are playing a really fuckin' dangerous game here, Maddox." Jackie warned, twisting in the barstool so he was angled towards the other male, elbow sliding onto the counter and casually resting his cheek in his hand. "I can't tell if it's pure stupidity, or if you really are that pathetic." Cruel words were draped in that handsome smile of his, familiar but separated by years of distance when it came to anything physical -- but color him intrigued, and a willing proponent of unwise decisions.

"Right, forgot I was talking to Mr. PR Nightmare over here." Because thought Jackie isn't chasing the tabloids for the latest, it's hard to ignore headlines with his former lover's name on them. "And for the record, that ain't nothin'. Try spending a weekend at the clubhouse." Things had gotten better since Elijah took up the mantle, but for a lot of his life he'd had to get used to being surrounded by a bunch of tough guys with opinions they felt too comfortable sharing -- hell, even the comments he got when word that he was gay got around some years back had been incorrigible. Jackie lifted his glass, pausing before it touched his lips. "Plenty have. But you know me -- the moment they start to feel like leeches, I burn them off." He tilted the drink back, letting the amber liquid slide down his throat. "You?" Question was tossed back, though he admittedly didn't care about the answer. It wouldn't change anything.

It was Maddox's defensiveness that drew a chuckle out of him. "What makes you so sure I'm not?" Maybe a part of him was, deep down, but Jackie wasn't great at accessing sympathy when he wanted to. "I don't know, Mads. Seems to me like you're just lookin' for any reason to self-sabotage." He smirked, adjusting his position on the barstool so that his knee brushed against the ADA's. "Maybe I'm just trying to help you speed that along."

[criminaltypes]

       unbothered  and  unmoved  by  the  dramatics,  jackie  had  earned  a  little  leeway  with  his  injuries  and  the  stress  he  knew  that  was  boiling  under  the  surface,  he  stood  by.  the  heavy  concern  for  his  responsibilities  outside  of  the  hospital,  outside  of  the  outlaw  life,  were  what  sonny  had  stepped  in  to  take  care  of.  he'd  been  there  before,  with  jackie,  their  bond  unique  in  the  ways  they'd  been  steered  by  choices  that  they'd  been  more  obligated  to  make  than  freely  run  to,  and  he'd  always  step  in.  "if  you  don't  properly  rest  and  heal  then  you'll  be  completely  useless.  think  of  it  that  way."  the  suggestion  was  met  with  understanding  in  his  oceanic  gaze  as  he  laid  something  down  with  that  statement  unsaid.  endure  the  two  weeks  so  you  don't  fuck  up  the  rest  of  your  life,  potentially.  because  jackie  could  be  royally  screwed  if  his  leg  went  wrong.

it  was  a  complete  upheaval  and  it  put  things  into  a  scary  perspective  for  the  younger  man  laid  up  in  the  hospital  bed.  sonny  experienced  pain  differently  so  he  was  relatively  unmoved  when  he  saw  it  shoot  through  the  road  captain.  a  moment  later  he  poked  his  head  out  of  the  room  to  check  on  that  nurse  that'd  gone  off  to  get  some  clearance  for  more  pain  medication.  "i'm  taking  him  to  the  appointment.  nothing  is  gonna  be  missed.  no  setbacks.  stop  stressing  about  it.  we've  got  it."  between  himself  and  jackie's  family  everything  would  be  covered.  "seriously,  i  mean  it,  you  need  to  be  as  proactive  and  good  as  possible  when  it  comes  to  healing.  don't  fuck  around  about  it,  jack.  it's  two  weeks,  not  a  fucking  lifetime...  unless  you  make  it  that  way."  there  was  a  sternness  coming  out  of  him  that  was  very  big  brother,  but  still  there  was  something  lacking.  like  any  emotion  was  drained  out  of  him,  the  words  had  a  hallow  ring  to  them.  when  jackie  looked  up,  it  registered  what  had  been  noticed,  and  the  younger  man  was  likely  the  only  person  to  find  out.  at  least  that  easily.  "hazal."  it  was  all  that  sat  in  the  stagnant  air  of  the  room  for  a  moment.  then  his  head  shook  slightly  and  there  was  something  despondent  in  his  eyes.  "one  of  the  fires.  she  didn't  make  it  out."  jacke  was  the  only  one  that  knew  of  his  connection  with  her.

[jackierco]

It was a side of Jackie that he seldom let a single soul see; the side that worried, that stressed, conditioned by either himself or perhaps his mother (his poor mother -- who didn't have much of a life outside of caring for her husband) that these things were worth losing sleep over. If he became incapacitated, who would be able to take care of them? Shoulder some of the burden? Of course, the answer was obvious; the Reapers, evident enough just by pure history if not Sonny here telling him to focus on getting better -- but then, would any of it have been worth it? Throwing his hopes and dreams away to stay home, be a caregiver, even when there were enough resources that could have kept them afloat? No; he couldn't consider such things, wouldn't, because doing so would send him on a greater spiral than simply worrying would.

Stop stressing about it, we've got it covered. "That's easy for you to say. You just gotta deal with your brother, and his only medical condition is being a certified dumbass." He snapped, only lashing out because he couldn't find another way to pick Sonny's words apart. "I'm not fucking around. I won't, okay?" Petulance laced his tone, though his brow softened as he considered the other male then -- the lack of bite in his words, the quiet that lingered between them after he'd questioned him. But then, Hazal. Jackie didn't have to hear the rest the explanation to know what the VP was about to say. "Oh." Brows narrowed, for once at a loss for words. She'd been someone that Sonny had confided in him about once upon a time, someone Jackie was pretty certain only he was aware of -- at least regarding her connection to the male. It made him wonder how much he was holding in around everyone else, needing to play the part of leadership while he was falling apart on the inside. "I'm -- sorry, Son." Words were uttered quietly, eyes warily fixed on him like he was waiting for something to happen, like he was cranking a jack-in-the-box and bracing himself for when it popped out. "Are you --" a pause, next words genuine even despite how ridiculous they might have sounded. "--you want some of my morphine?"

[jackierco]

where: harvey's hospital room who: @dxncingonmyown (harvey) & jackie ruiz-corioni

"Nope, go fish." Cards were shuffled around in his own hand once he'd delivered that nasty blow to Harvey on his turn, slouching against the back of his wheelchair. Eyes flickered up to look at the man, chewing on the string of his hoodie as he assessed him. Shit, he must have been really going stir crazy at this point to be playing Go Fish with the fucking police commissioner of the NYPD -- either that or he'd categorically gone insane. He still wasn't sure which quite yet.

A sigh fell from his lips. "Do you got any threes?" Brows narrowed, a thought striking him then. "Why don't you got many visitors? Other than, like, all the pigs that work for you. No offense." Jackie couldn't get rid of his family even if he tried, which was part of the reason he found himself here after wandering the halls looking for an escape. Why Harvey Knight decided to entertain his ass was a mystery in itself. "They all back in foggy London town or somethin'?"

[jackierco]

where: pop's diner who: @dadivosos (alfie) & jackie ruiz-corioni

"So, you're, like, stupid rich. Right?" Jackie questioned with a mouth full of pancakes, brows pinched with curiosity. "I'm not talking 'summers in the Hamptons', rich. More like, 'I own an entire zip code in the Hamptons' rich. Or, is that considered the slums to your lot?" A couple of weeks in the hospital had been enough to make Jackie want to explode, and now that he was out it appeared as if he'd made it his mission to take it out on everyone else. Not that he'd lacked company -- really, it was the feeling of being stuck that he was glad to be rid of, though the cast on his leg and relying on others to drive him around was another uphill battle. A lightbulb went off in his head. "New game idea," he started, pouring more syrup on his pancakes, "tell me, Daniel Plainview. How much do you think a carton of eggs cost? A banana -- ooh! What about a pack of gum?

[dadivosos]

he had heard jackie had been the most impacted by the fires so he had been first on his list. he didn't expect the other to be anything less than dramatic but he could hope for the best. as he entered the room he was bombarded with questions -- which elijah was at least grateful he was somewhat feeling like himself. " i'm telling you , you need to stay here another week. " he was sure cc wouldn't appreciate elijah backing him in in being released. he took a seat in one of the chairs across from the man , eyes surveying the damage before looking up at him. " you don't have shit to do , " he shook his head. " we're got it covered. " it was true , all he had to do was recover. " plus , if you develop a limp you know everyone will give you shit for it. "

[jackierco]

A sharp breath left him, head reeling back into the antiseptic-scented pillows as Elijah told him exactly what he didn't have to hear. And really, he knew he was right -- and regardless there wasn't a way in hell anyone from the Reapers or his own family would let him anywhere near a stack of voluntary discharge papers. But he was restless and he was anxious; a bad combination for the road captain. "Yeah, because you guys are all a bunch of fucking assholes," he murmured, though he'd surely be right there with them if it were anyone else. Arms crossed, allowing his eyes to close momentarily as he attempted to calm himself down. "Second Gear," he started after a moment, returning his gaze to the president, "is the whole place really gone?"

[jakemercer]

"Got a better idea for you." Jake settled back in the hospital chair, movements careful though it would’ve been denied if Jackie pointed it out. "We put you in a wheelbarrow. Prospect tips you in, tips you out. Hands free." A pause as he leaned forward and stole the jello cup from the tray in front of Jackie. "And legs free." One hand peeled open the cup as he spoke. "Elijah tell you that with a straight face? ‘Cause I got this thing with my back and then the ribs ‘cause I broke down a door." An exaggeration, by all accounts, but he'd be a dead man before he was doing whatever referenced a koala and Jackie. "Considered putting you on a skateboard and pulling you on the back of my bike."

[jackierco]

"Okay but will they at least put one of those gym mats down so that I don't knock my fuckin' head on the concrete? Or, like, a really soft blanket?" Nose scrunched when Jake took the jello from his tray, pushing the untouched items -- pudding cup, half a sandwich, orange juice -- further towards him in case he wanted it. It all tasted like shit. "Mhm, yeah, he did. Says you're being demoted from 'enforcer' to 'assistant to the road captain', meaning you have to do whatever it is I say." Words were delivered dryly, a shrug pulling at his shoulders. "Aw, boohoo to you. You must be in so much pain." As if he could be the only one suffering at any given time. "See, that I could go for. You know how much fun that would be, whipping around corners? Would probably have to wrap myself in bubble wrap or some shit, though. We should try that sometimes. We could be the new Jackass."

[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?"

[jackierco]

"Not if you annoy the shit out of him, then he gets so fed up he actually follows through. Maybe that's where you went wrong all these years." Words were returned just as dryly, knowing it was more complicated than that. They'd spoken about it over the years during those rare moments of sincerity, delving into conversations about their respective relationships with their parents. Jackie could crack jokes and be an asshole all day long, but there was a deep understanding between them when it came to family matters. He couldn't help but smirk at her expression, eyes peeling from the channel guide on the television. "Maybe. Need to add something about my heroics in there for when I can leave this shithole and get over to a bar, that way I'm not attracting the sad horny guys." Jackie shuddered for good measure. "You know you don't have to sit here and babysit me. Don't you have a boyfriend you should be out, like, frolicking with or whatever? Maybe that would help with your moody-ness." If he was being honest, he really didn't want her to leave, preferring her company far more than just his own. But he was far too prideful to admit it.

[ccxcorioni]

"I can go right on back to being a bitch." A threat she was more than happy to make good on if he wasn't careful. Or just because she couldn't help herself. "You're the biggest pain in my fucking ass." The words practically hissed as frustration spiked. Glance was cast towards him and then towards the door, weighing up her options as though he'd left her much of a choice. An interrogation from her whole family was the last thing she wanted. If she could get away with it the majority of the Corionis would only find out about her and Nolan if they were about to walk down the aisle and not a minute before. "Fine." Word bitten out when she'd never been graceful at compromising and even worse at feeling as though someone had outplayed her. Jackie just knew her too well to not be effective in his coercion. "But I swear to god if you say anything I will make you wish you were mute." Though she figured whatever she said would be safe with him, at least in front of the rest of their family. On their own would likely be another story. Voice lowered, pulling him away from the door to avoid being overheard as much as possible. "Nolan and I got together. So I guess it's like, possible, that might have put me in a better mood than usual."

[jackierco]

"I never said you weren't still a bitch." Jackie threw back, the lack of venom in his tone more or less exemplary of how often they devolved into this very conversation. He didn't have any siblings, cursed to be a hyperactive only child, so having CC was about as close to having a sister as he could imagine. "Maybe, but I know about ten obnoxious old Italians that will have be beat in about five seconds." Because despite being her biggest pain in the ass, he was nothing compared to the rest of the family in the other room. A swing of his beer was taken, motioning for her to get on with it. "I already said I wouldn't. Swear on my Grandpa Ruiz's grave." He made a sign of the cross for good measure, figuring that there was no way anything she was holding back was really that big of a deal -- after all, the Corionis and their dramatics went both ways. That is, until she finally shared the news. "Nolan? Like, your boss, Nolan? Ronan's brother, Nolan?" A bit of amusement twisted at his lips even though his tone sounded like he was happening upon some scandal. "Oh my god, bro, what the actual fuck?" He placed the beer bottle down on the counter, arms crossed, totally locked in now. "Wait, so together as in -- you're fucking? Or you're, like, a couple? Dude, Grandma Catalina is going to flip the fuck out. How does that work with him paying you still? Are you quitting?"

[criminaltypes]

       by  the  time  he'd  made  to  the  hospital  to  check  on  jackie  and  others,  but  mostly  the  road  captain,  he'd  already  stopped  by  and  checked  in  on  the  younger  man's  father.  as  he'd  approached  the  room  he'd  been  directed  to  he  could  already  hear  the  complaints  coming  from  within  and  he  knew  the  sudden  stillness  was  getting  to  jackie  more  than  anything  else.  "yeah,  we'll  get  you  somethin'."  leaning  back  out  the  door  frame  a  low  whistle  sounded  to  catch  the  attention  of  a  nurse.  she'd  passed  him  to  come  into  the  room  and  survey  all  the  machines  and  check  on  the  drip  slow  feeding  him  some  relief  from  the  persistent  ache  in  his  leg.  a  hallowed  out  expression  stared,  almost  blankly,  at  the  injury.  "you  need  some  books  or  something."  sonny  gestured  to  the  tv.  "we'll  get  you  some  shows  on  here.  whattaya  want?"  what  sonny  knew  from  experience  was  how  everything  was  going  to  fester  and  how  jackie's  mind  would  spinout  on  every  damn  thought  that  went  through  his  head.  so,  he  wanted  to  give  that  brain  some  activities  to  do,  to  keep  ahead  of  some  of  the  spiraling.

the  nurse  then  informed  that  jackie  wasn't  due  for  more  medication  just  yet.  "i'm  gonna  ask  you  to  make  an  exception.  go  get  the  doctor  if  needed."  no  yelling,  no  sternness,  but  there  was  a  command  about  him  that  moved  the  woman  into  action.  grief  clung  to  sonny  but  it  was  something  he  was  so  accustomed  to  that  despite  his  immovable  flat  expression  the  only  visible  sign  was  how  dark  and  distant  his  eyes  were.  "i  was  with  your  dad  before  i  came  here.  he's  all  good  for  now."  spoken  from  just  inside  the  doorway  now  to  jackie,  he  knew  what  the  younger  man  would  be  fretting  most  about.  "cc  and  your  fam  are  with  him."  then  he  shifted  gears  back  to  the  distractions.  "what  else  do  you  need?"

[jackierco]

Head reeled back to hit the pillow, utterly frustrated even with Sonny doing all he could in that moment to help him, to assuage him in his current state -- part of was actually due to the pain, yes, but the larger reason was simply a response to the fear he felt, the anxiety coursing through him. Not only regarding his own health, all the 'what-ifs' regarding his recovery, the trauma he'd just endured, but also because it left too many things in flux. Things that Sonny understood more than anyone, and perhaps what pissed him off the most was that he couldn't be as pissed as he wanted to be. "I'm not ten years old, I don't need to be entertained." Yes he did, which is why the VP was asking in the first place. Eyes squeezed shut, letting out a slow exhale. "What I want is to go the fuck home. Not laying on my ass in this shithole for another two weeks."

The mention of his father had him softening slightly, mind quieting so that that was left was his fast-beating heart in his ears. "Did Ma mention he has an appointment tomorrow afternoon in West Chester? I'm supposed to take him -- she Ican't drive at night, and we've been waiting to get in with this specialist for six fucking months..." He trailed off, wincing slightly as another sharp pain shot down his leg. "Goddammit." It was difficult for him, being entirely helpless, entirely useless. Jackie wasn't exactly known for his reliability, not within his personal life or within the MC, but have no control over any of it? That stressed him out. "I don't -- I don't know." He swallowed thickly, looking up at Sonny then; white as a ghost. Another wave of fear washed over him. "What is it?" Because only reason the other male would look so defeated was if something bad had happened -- something worse than Jackie having a curable injury.

[dxncingonmyown]

"On that 2016 trend, eh?" He jests back, a side smile that fails to be classified as 'two old friends shooting the shit.' Not when there's too much history, or lack thereof, in the last ten years since 2016 in the first place. Maddox pulls back, not yet drunk to the point of a hazy world view. Jackie looks... Well, fuck it, Jackie looks good. Carrying that same reckless danger, bustling potential, and undeniable talent as well as the Gap T-shirt off his back. Like nothing's changed, except-- "Whiskey, actually." Said both to Jackie, and the bartender passing by. "Double, neat. For both of us." He nods, leaving the Red Bull untouched and sullen on the bartop. Like some sort of premonition.

"Didn't graduate out of vintage H&M either, huh?" He says, a nod to the plain shirt off his back. There was a time when he would give the pianist the shirt off his back (usually, before getting into more physical activity...) A time when Jackie knew the difference between Merino wool, Scottish cashmere, and Egyptian cotton. "Ah, fuck, I can't keep up with the Gen-Z kids anymore." The last of the millenials, just cowering as they turn the wrong side of thirty. Lifting his brow at the crude question, Maddox tries not to visibly bristle. It would only give Jackie the satisfaction. "Of course not." He answers, unwavering. "Not our family's ammo." The family that, once upon a time, he appeared on the cusp of leaving behind.

[jackierco]

He didn't say anything back, eyes flickering down to the smile that appeared on the other male's face. Full of shit just like him, Jackie thought to himself. Though it still took him a second to look away, this brief talk of nostalgia bringing a flood of familiar feelings to the surface -- ones that he'd buried long ago along with the dreams he'd once had. "You know in some cultures it's rude to reject gifts?" Words were delivered sarcastically, reaching over and into Maddox to grab the Red Bull that he seemed to have no intention of drinking. Almost exemplary of the dynamic they found themselves shifted. into. "Whiskey, neat, he says -- why is it that everything feels like a dick measuring contest with you?" Smirk widened, knocking half of the glass back with ease -- too much ease, really, for a man his age.

HIs face grew hot, tongue poking at the inside of his cheek. "Oh, I'm sorry, I left my Armani suit at the fucking cleaners." There was a time when such things were important to him, back when he was surrounded by the who's whos of New York City, desperate to fit it amongst the barrage of wealthy students from privileged families -- but it all seemed silly now, especially with who he surrounded himself with these days. The Reapers cared little for designer brands, high-end fabrics, and in fact repelled them completely. Something Jackie had evidently taken on himself, even despite the days when Maddox was letting him share his closet. "No one can. They're a bunch of little therapy-obsessed freaks. Had one guy I was hooking up with tell me I was 'ivoking his trauma' after taking, like, two days to text him back."

Another long sip was taken, brows arched. "Why're they makin' it seem like he did to it, then?" The police, that was. And the media. And -- well, pretty much everyone involved in the case. "And what sorta ammo is it?"

[jackierco]

where: hospital who: @dadivosos (elijah zhao) & jackie ruiz-corioni

"Bro, can you tell these fucking half-wits they call doctors that I can't stay here for another week?" The male pleaded the moment the MC President entered the room, obviously frustrated with the most recent news pertaining to his condition. Stable, yes, but considering the extent of his injuries, he'd been to stay under the hospital's care for a bit longer in order to monitor his recovery, ensure there weren't any adverse reactions after his last surgery. It was, realistically, the best news he probably could have received, given their confidence in his recovery -- but to Jackie, it wasn't enough. "This is fucking ridiculous, E. There's not enough morphine in the world to make me wanna stay here -- I got too much shit to do."

[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."

[jackierco]

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

"Elijah said that if my leg gets amputated, you're gonna need to carry me everywhere." A brow was raised in Jake's direction, conveying as much of a serious expression as he could despite being anything but. Days confined to a hospital bed with a revolving door of friends, family, and Reapers meant that the male needed to keep himself entertained somehow. "Been trying to think of logistics, ergonomics. What do you think; baby bjorn style? Or I can hang out on your back like a koala?"

[jackierco]

where: the hospital who: @criminaltypes (sonny gamble) & jackie ruiz-corioni

If the pain wasn't bad enough, the waiting absolutely was. It'd been days since the fire at Second Gear Collective had rendered him utterly useless, confined to a hospital bed as doctors worked to fix his leg. For someone as on the go as Jackie, that alone was torture with nothing to do but think; about all the jobs that he had to cancel on this week, the appointments he could no longer accompany his father to, the drop in income that was sure to make a mark even if he avoided extensive surgery, and then spiraling into an endless pit of self reflection, of what-ifs. How his life might have turned out differently, how he might have made something of himself and not had to worry about such things. Maybe they wouldn't need to rely on this business, on the Reapers, to ensure his father was taken care of -- maybe. Still, with nothing else to occupy his mind, it was easy to think in black and white, only exacerbated by the fact that he was...well, scared.

"This thing is fucking broken." He complained as he heard someone enter the room, eyes fixated on the PCA pump that didn't seem to be doing anything no matter how many times he pressed it. "You'd think they'd let me have a little extra morphine considering how close they were to amputating the damn thing." Gaze lifted, meeting Sonny's then. "Good, you're here. Can you talk some sense into these fucking circus clowns? My leg fucking hurts, bro."

[ccxcorioni]

"You're fucking weird." Hardly her best but it came as a reflex, sense of nostalgia for their childhood years brought along with the face she pulled at him. "Jeez I try and be more cordial for once and I get an interrogation." She'd offered to do the dishes for a reason - to get out of the room when she'd felt his eyes on her. Not about to declare that she was in a relationship in front of the dozens of Corionis out there when she was still adjusting to it herself. A nice adjustment but it was taking some getting used to nonetheless. Eyes fell to the bottle in his hand, gaze sharpening. "Where are your fucking manners?" Tongue clicked as she went to grab one for herself. "Some of Uncle Mikey's jokes were funny. Kinda a relief that me and you don't have to always shoulder the burden of making everyone laugh."

[jackierco]

"No, I'm fucking cute." The cheeky smile that followed was meant to get under her skin even further, like most shit that Jackie liked to pull -- but these days, now older with a lifetime of petty childhood arguments and fights, it was rare that these spats ever devolved into anything serious. "Okay, but why are you trying to be more cordial? You aren't cordial, none of us is fucking cordial." Not exactly the Corioni way, after all. An eyeroll was given, stepping aside so that CC could get into the fridge. "Case in point," he made a lazy gesture, as if she was proving him right. "Ah ah ah, don't flatter me, Catalina. I'm not as easily swayed as the rest of the peanut gallery in there." He glanced back at the door to the dining, room, making sure that it was fully closed before continuing his interrogation. "And I'm not the only one who's fucking noticed. So you can either tell me what's going on and I'll defend your ass and tell them you're being normal, or I'm going to go in there and make sure all of 'em make you the center of the conversation." His odd, threatening way of telling his cousin that she could trust him.