After a few days to think it over, Soph decided she was ready to meet Genevieve. And while Damian set up the meet, he spent all of last night tossing and turning in worry. He knew everything would go fine, but he just wanted everything to go perfectly. He spotted Genevieve sitting on a bench waiting for them as he carried Soph over. She was sitting on his hip, her arms wrapped around him as he walked, like a little koala bear. Finally closing the distance between the two, he stopped in front of Gene and set Soph down. "Soph, this is your mom, Genevieve."
gen had spent nearly a week on the edge of a nervous breakdown. even after damian told her their daughter had agreed to meet, her nerves hadn't eased. this was something she had been waiting for since the day she left. there were a number of reasons why she didn't take sophia with her back then, none of which mattered as she sat on that park bench. her hands were clasped together in her lap to keep them from shaking, but once she spotted them both walking toward her, she took a ragged breath, trying her best to prepare herself for something she'd been wanting to do since she returned. she stood up as they approached on, forcing a smile on her nervous features. she eyed damian, trying to thank him wordlessly before she leaned down. the urge to just pull the little girl into a hug was strong, but she knew that would probably scare her and ruin this whole experience, so instead she just held her hand out. "i'm really happy to see you again, baby. I missed you so, so much."
Location: The O'Rourke Home
status: Closed @nghtxmare
"Dj, why don't you go to your room and change?" Carrigan said as they entered the house. Their son pulled away from her and raced up the stairs while their daughter sat on her hip. "Why don't you go too, sweetie?" She said as she set her down. She then stepped into her husband's arms and pressed a soft kiss against his lips. "These bake sale moms are going to be the death of me," Carrigan whispered against him as she pulled away and looked up into his eyes. "But the new mayor's wife was there and I may have talked her up some." She spoke with a devious twinkle in her eye.
whenever in the presence of most people, declan would simply ignore them until something peaked his interest. but his family was the exception. whenever they walked into the room, he would drop whatever it was he was doing. to hell with everything else. his mother taught him well, even if his father lacked when it came to showing any sort of affection. he stopped just long enough to share a quick hug with each of his children before swooping his wife into his arms, swaying her as they found one another. "those bake sale moms have very influential husbands and that's the only reason I let them bore you to near death." he leaned closer, pressing their foreheads together, lips nearly touching hers. "I bet they were all jealous of you." he hummed his appreciation, lips turning up into a smirk. "did you now? enough that she'd accept a dinner invitation?"
“ somethin' i can do for you ? ” he questioned , looking the other up and down. he had a bit of a defensive stance , arms folded across his chest. he was on high alert , much like he typically was. jack wasn't trying to be an asshole , he was just trying to be cautious. it was difficult for him to want to trust anyone out there.
when she heard his voice, she turned sideways to look him up and down. she was ready to tell him to get lost, to leave her the fuck alone. his demeanor screamed wariness though, and she could relate to that to a point. so she shrugged, turning fully. "I don't know. can ya? you're the one chatting me up."
Kelly rolled his eyes again. "Spiraling? The fuck even is that?" But he knew it, and she was correct. That didn't make him feel much better either. And then she was being nice... That made his eyes roll again, and he threw back the rest of his drink. "Why are you acting like you give a fuck? About her or me?" He finally perched back in his seat and looked at her. "You didn't care about me back then and you don't care now. Nothing has changed."
"come on. the booze makes you stupid, not dumb." she was never one to sugarcoat her thoughts. especially not around people she cared about once. there were no feelings between them (she wasn't sure if there ever were), but she still cared if he ended up doing some stupid shit that got him killed. which knowing kelly...it might. "you right. I don't care if you drink the whole damn bar. I care about an old friend getting himself in trouble because his best friend's dead."
Kelly couldn't help but roll his eyes at the familiar voice, one that haunted him for some time. "Ah, so you were out searching for me." He let out a scoff. How dare she? "So you came here to see the fucking disaster. Ain't this a form of fucking karma, Karma." He tossed back his drink. "Go fuck off. I don't need you or your fucking shit."
"no. I heard you were spiraling again and the bar is usually where you end up." she wasn't searching for him. she wasn't not searching for him either. it was...complicated. and when he was snippy toward her, she could have snapped right back like she usually did, a witty remark that left most scrambling for words. instead she glanced around them before tilting her head, blue eyes staring at his as she spoke, voice low. "I heard about your friend. I ain't here to give you a hard time. she was good people."
LOCATION: a hospital employee frequented bar.
FOR: up to you angel!
JUST ONE DRINK BEFORE she heads home. maybe that will help her shoulders ease, bring the warmth back in her chest she feels like she's losing the longer the veil exists in their lives. she'll find herself in zev's bed eventually. she always does -- her ending up there, but she always eases in his presence. but, she just needs some time for herself. he already has so much on his plate already. she isn't quite sure if she wants a cocktail, feeling that even make a decision on that is far too much -- instead opting for a glass of sauv blanc. it never failed her. she can vaguely hear that she's being spoken to, but delays in registering the attempt at conversation at first. " hm? " she eventually speaks, eyebrows raising as she adjusts in her stool. her smile is weak, but friendly. " my apologies... it's so easy for my mind to go into outer space. "
"you got distracted again, didn't you?" gen's smile was warm, understanding. the last few days hadn't been easy on anyone, much less those who had to deal with the aftermath. like them. she let out a soft sigh, picking up her own drink. "I was asking, when was the last time you slept? you look exhausted. not that I look much better myself..." her eyes rolled playfully, voice hinting at humor. she felt like a wreck as well, dealing with all the victims at the races and then at the hospital as well... it was moments like these that made her certain she was in right job, but also made her wonder if it was worth her mental health.
Though if she asked, he couldn't lie. He wasn't that happy to see her. It wasn't the first emption that jumped out at the sight of her. Mostly hurt. "Okay. I'll take your word." He said with a small nod. "I'm not interested in this turning into a nasty fight or putting Soph in the middle. Our issues are our own." He knew she wanted nothing either. "I've only told her good things." He spoke honestly. "I have a few minutes now... if you'd like." He let the offer hang there for a few moments in the tense air.
"I'm not either. I'm--I'm sorry for what I said the other day. I was upset and I lashed out. you didn't deserve it after everything I did." she tried a smile but it was weak. "now?" she didn't expect him to agree so quickly, or at all. but she owed it to him, she knew that much. "okay... why don't we have a seat?" she gestured to an area with a few empty chairs. "I'll tell you whatever you want to know."
Location: The Penthause
Status: Open @rotsstarters
Enraged, grief-ridden, on the verge of being broken. That's where Killian stood at the moment. It only reminded him why he didn't let people in, why he didn't allow himself to care for others. It only sealed his fate with this pain. "I don't give a fuck, just give me another!" He yelled at the bartender, who then obliged. He threw it back like it was nothing, hoping the drunkness would drown his pain. "The fuck do you want?"
she should know better. she should just walk away. instead, she found herself walking through the crowd toward him. as she approached from behind, she waved the bartender away before taking a seat next to him. "figured I'd might find you here." head tilted as she rested her elbow in the bar. "just wanted to make sure you weren't drownin' in your sorrows or some shit."
(JUDE DEMOREST, CISWOMAN, SHE/HER) They say the city never forgets a name and KARMA DELANEY is no testament to that. The 29-year-old has carved out their place in NYC’s underbelly. On the surface, they’re all ALLURING, smooth moves and sharp eyes. But dig a little deeper and you’ll find something far more dangerous , SELFISH, with no hesitation and even less remorse. They move through the streets like they own them, wearing the colors of the GHOST RIDERS and running the game as a PROSPECT. Some say they’ve always been here. Others swear something’s changed. Either way, they’re not just part of the story. They’re rewriting it.
BASICS
KNOWN NAME: Karma Delaney
BIRTH NAME: Annabelle Marie Daley
AGE: Twenty-Nine
DATE OF BIRTH: August 15th
PARENTS: John & Eva Daley
SIBLINGS: One Brother, One Sister (status unknown)
CHILDREN: None
HAIR COLOR: Blonde/Brown
EYE COLOR: Hazel
HEIGHT: 5'4''
TATTOOS: None
SCARS: None
SEXUALITY: Bisexual
OCCUPATION: Drug dealer/Prospect for the Ghost Riders
BACKGROUND (tw: mentions of drugs & death)
much of annabelle's childhood is a blur. born to two drug addicts, she spent most of her early years surrounded by neglect and loneliness. she doesn't really remember when her father disappeared from her life, since she never really saw much of him to begin with. it was just her, her mother most of the time and whenever she she brought men around, annabelle was locked in her room, unable to get out, yet stuck listening to everything.
she didn't really realize her mother was pregnant (twice) until the babies were placed in her lap and she became in charge of them, making sure they stayed quiet, fed, warm. she hated how she was supposed to take care of these little kids when nobody bothered taking care of her. it didn't last long though. she was only nine years old when the police knocked on the door, with social services in tow. her mother had been arrested and that meant she wasn't in charge of the little ones anymore. no, instead they were placed in different foster homes and annabelle spent the rest of her childhood and early teen years bouncing from place to place. she never heard of her siblings or her parents again. she truly was on her own in the world.
foster care wasn't much better. while she had a little independence before, now she was forced to follow rules that made no sense to her. by the time she was fifteen, she was fed up with it all. she wanted to break free and be someone else. so she did the only thing a fifteen year old could think of, she ran away. she spent some time on the street, crashing with friends, sneaking into places to spend the night. she knew she needed to put money together quickly so she tried getting a job at a diner, where the money was shit. but that's where she met someone that would change her life.
over time, the diner became the hub for her side trade. selling drugs was easy. selling burgers was easier. and she was finally making good money, right up until her boss found out and fired her. by then she was eighteen and she figured maybe selling full time would be easy enough. she started going by a different name, started selling in nightclubs and bars, anywhere a pretty girl would be allowed in.
through the years, she's had many different jobs, but drugs were always her fall back. and she almost made it unscathed if it weren't for almost getting caught selling inside a strip club. they could have beat her up or called the cops, but instead, they gave her a second chance. or third? fourth? whatever. she has been working for them, trying to prove herself valuable. but drugs, even selling, is like an addiction for her. and this whole...found family thing they have going feels a little too odd. uncomfortable. like a flame you know will hurt you but still so pretty you want to touch. let's just hope she doesn't get burned again.
Damian let out an exhale. "It wasn't that I wasn't happy to see you, Gen." It was more of a shock; he wasn't expecting it. "I talked to Oxana and we have some concerns, but we did talk to Soph. She said she's gonna think it over." He paused, "We just don't want you to come back into her life if you aren't serious about staying, or at least keeping contact with her. Like you said, you are here for work, and maybe in a year or two, you gotta travel or move or whatever. We just don't want her to get attached and lose you." That was it, their concern. "We are going through some big changes at home, so she has a lot going on in her head, but I think she's gonna say yes."
were you? happy to see me? the words died in her mouth, unspoken and inappropriate. she pushed past the lump in her throat at the mention of his new girlfriend--their friend and nodded once. "I'm not going anywhere. there's no traveling, no breaking contact. I swear. I'm...working to fix what I broke. whatever that may look like now." her lips pressed together as she scanned the crowd around them, trying to find any distraction to calm her nerves. home. that's a place she wasn't part of anymore. "I'll wait however long it takes for her. and...if you ever want to sit down and talk, maybe we can do that too."
Damian did not reach back out for Genevieve. He did have a conversation with Oxana about everything that went down, but it's not like she actually gave him a number, just to talk to some girl, and he was over trying to hunt her down. "Surprised to see you here." He said coldly, his voice with no emotion in it. "Guess you are really here for good if you are being social and crap, everyone surprised to find out you aren't dead?"
her attention was on the event unfolding. she was trying to stay as professional as possible, even if she did see plenty of familiar faces. damian was one of the few she had not planned to see or interact with. yet he seemed to have other plans. "I'm here for work." she holds up her press tag for a moment before letting it fall back down around her neck. "I wouldn't have come to see you if I wasn't planning on staying. believe it or not, some people are actually happy to see me."
Kelly took a moment to scan the room, "Weel I like dancing, getting drunk, hitting on pretty women." He listed off. "I like to let loose and have some fun, meet new people, talk, interact. We are social creatures." He didn't understand how some people liked isolation, granted he lived it for several years and never wanted that again. "What about the car show, you going to that?"
"that sounds absolutely awful. sore feet, hangovers and...well, poor women." to an outsider, she might sound a little mean, but there was a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "you are a social creature. to me, it sounds exhausting." she rolled her eyes, leaning back in her seat. "now that, I will be attending. I took a sneak peek at the collection available for viewing and...it's amazing."
it was something she should have expected. not having an unbrella. not many did check the weather when going out. most of the time, julieta did. but today she didn't. "i was joking on the ride." she spoke. but if he was offering her a ride, she would take it. "but since you're offering, i need a ride to the grocery store."
"I am offering, yes. in fact, I insist. I'm not about to walk away and leave you here to get soaking wet." he let out a low chuckle, motioning toward the main road. "it's just over there."
most of the time, she wouldn't mind sharing, but not now. not after getting off a long shift at the hospital. not when she was hungry. with barely getting any time for a snack or lunch. "if you're hungry, you should." she was thankful though that the other wasn't mad at her for being a little snappy. "if you ever want to try something new, try a meaty with barbeque sauce instead of pizza sauce." she suggested.
"barbecue? really?" she pondered over the suggestion for a moment. "I can kind of see it. maybe with extra cheese as well. thank you." she took a step as if to leave before she backtracked. "I'm sorry, I'm tara by the way."