sinner

Nixon Peters + 22 + Ravenwood

[kitcruz]

"It's a stupid name," he agreed in an exhale of smoke, passing the joint back to Nixon. Kit didn't think he was failing too miserably either, and the fact that he hadn't been behind bars yet was nothing short of a miracle. His life was what it was, the way he saw it, and he knew Nixon had a point, he deliberately sought out chaos. "I mean, yeah it's gotta be on purpose, right. At this point. What's next, I'm the only one standin' in my way, some shit like that?" Not actually offended in the slightest, he smirked in his direction, "I'm doin' okay. Could be worse."

[nixon-peters]

"I'm your friend, not your therapist. You don't have to do that self reflection bullshit with me. I'm just saying I think you have more going than people give you credit for. If you choose to fuck it up that's on you." Nixon rolled his eyes as he took the joint. "Could be worse," he agreed. "You really just call me over here because you felt like baring your soul about your beat down or are we doing something?"

[kitcruz]

Kit motioned like he was zipping his lips then threw away the imaginary key. If he really wanted to be an asshole he could’ve thrown in some jab about not wanting to get in the way of Nixon’s sex life, since he knew firsthand what he’d be missing. They were long past that though, the fling he and Tahani had when they were teenagers hardly comparable to the very adult relationship she had with Nixon. He shook his head, “They’re not in it anymore, Ace’s guys jumped ‘em all out when he took over. I missed all that though, so.” Technically he was a greaser still but he didn’t know which was worse- being Polo’s bitch or getting jumped out. “Yeah I’m trying. Not hard enough but it’s like for every good choice I end up makin’ two bad ones.” 

[nixon-peters]

"This is weirdly political for a bunch of people who couldn't come up with something more original to call themselves than 'greasers'." Nixon rolled his eyes, wiggling his fingers as he held his hand back out for the joint. "You're doing fine, man. You haven't been in jail and you managed to keep all your toes this time. Sure, your face is a little fucked up but it wasn't all that great before so it could definitely be worse. Between you and me though, sometimes I think you do it on purpose. Not this time, no, but I know you aren't stupid."

[carrolllennon]

"Phoenix always spared my feelings." And maybe that was the problem all along. Had someone grabbed him by the shoulders and shaken him sooner, Lennon would have woken up sooner. It took losing everything, even brushing death, for him to realize that he needed to get his act together. Starting over in life as you neared the end of your 20s felt like a humiliating ritual. His peers were creating something long-lasting. Whether it was in jobs or relationships. They were achieving greatness that had been bestowed upon him at a young age. Greatness he squandered for a few moments of doped-up bliss. Now here he was in the ashes of the life he had burnt away. Chipping at something half-heartedly because he needed to go on. The cruel touch of reality felt like a bucket of ice water. A shock to the system each time he opened his eyes, but it reminded him that at least he was alive. At least he did get to try again, fail, and build something, even if he never imagined this was where he would be with his life. He was grateful for the faith that Nixon had in him, but it felt like the sort of blind faith children held onto. Back when they could afford to dream something so ridiculous and risk it all.

"I could be." He agreed. Letting the idea linger. The thought of it burned in his chest. Aching with the life he had long lost. It almost felt foolish to hope maybe he could turn everything around and still make something of himself. "But who knows if I will." He added after a beat. "Yeah, I write from time to time when inspiration strikes. No, you don't have to. It makes you look like hot shit to have that degree, but you don't need it to become anything." All Lennon really needed was a leap of faith, but he found himself comfortable. It was the first time in a long time that he was, but by being comfortable, it also meant there was no momentum in growth. He stood still, protected in the mundane. "And yeah, what? Post my shit on the internet for all to see? I doubt people want to hear the troubling tales of a kid on the wrong side of the tracks falling into the obvious life path expected of him. Anything's better than when the senior center rolls in. It's more than crusty shoes, man. It's crusty everything." A shiver ran up his spine at the thought. "What about you, dream weaver? Think you'll still try to make it to the big leagues?"

[nixon-peters]

"Because he's the only one into all that poetic bullshit." Nixon pointed out. If one of their friends aside from Lennon was sensitive he wouldn't hesitate to point the finger at Phoenix next. "Posting your shit on the internet would be better than not posting your shit at all. I saw a video someone made about a book where someone fucks Winnie the Pooh. If people are out buying that then I think you'll do just fine." His brow furrowed slightly as he watched Lennon. "You hit your head or something, man? I've been in. I went in the draft right after the last season at Ravenwood. The Bulls aren't exactly hot right now but they still count. Why do you think I was offering to set up talks with some of the guys I know? I know I can be a dick sometimes but when I came up I always thought you would be going with me. I tried to make it happen." There were times when he could be an awful friend to the boys but at the end of the day he loved them. Even Phoenix and his stupid relationship problems. If there was something he could do to genuinely make their lives better in the long run, he would make the effort. "I can take you by sometime if you want to fuck around on the court. It's like... I've done a lot of different shit but I've never felt a high like that."

[kitcruz]

"'Cause being my friend's not enough?," he joked, though he knew what he meant. With Zara he was still making up for lost time but he liked getting to know her, and not just because they were related but she was a funny kid, and clever, too. "Okay so I'll tell her. Before she hears it from somebody else." Generally the less Tahani got involved in his bullshit the better but he knew Nixon had a point. If she didn't hear it from him then it was only a matter of time before the rumor mill put its spin on it, and who know what the story would be then. "No. I'd be down a toe if I didn't say somethin' though. What about my family, like my cousins? Non-issue, they know how I feel about them too."

[nixon-peters]

"Fuck no. If it was you would've drained me dry a long time ago." Part of him would've loved to be a fly on the wall during that conversation. "And if that happens you better pretend this conversation never did. I'm not getting the cold shoulder or blue balled because of your bullshit." Nixon had never really understood the family drama, but he'd never put much thought into it considering Kit didn't seem particularly close to any of his family. "Yeah, like your cousins and the guys they ran with before. I know they're leaning towards geriatric by now but I didn't know if they'd decide to jump in on kicking the shit out of you if you decided to go turncoat. Or is it even considered that since it's the same group?" Nixon's eyebrow shot up curiously before he closed his eyes, taking a moment to enjoy his high. "You know, at some point you're gonna start making good choices and I think it might actually make me have a heart attack."

[tahani-parkinson]

"What, you won't feel special knowing you're the only person on the planet who gets a front row seat to me snoring? I'd say there are a few weirdos camped out in my DMs that would pay good money for that," she laughed, turning her face so she could press a few lazy kisses to his neck. It was nice just being held for a minute while she soaked in how grateful she was for him. If she had a dollar for every time she could prove someone wrong about how attentive Nixon was as a partner she'd probably have doubled her net worth. "Come on, I'm not dead I just don't do coke before 10am now," she laughed. Or at all, for the record, since Viper had come into the picture. Turned out they were doing pretty well at the nuclear family thing for two kids who no one ever would have predicted to get their shit together so soon. "And if I've settled down that's just a roundabout way of admitting you have too so suck on that fat one," she stepped back, dropping her towel to give him a view as she wandered through to their bedroom to get dressed.

[nixon-peters]

"Yeah? You could always start spending time with them. We can get you a decent set of headphones to block out all the moaning and you can call it your second career." Nixon tilted his head to the side as he watched her, trailing behind her casually as she moved throughout the rooms. "Just because you aren't doing coke before 10 doesn't mean I'm not. How do you think I made it through all the the last year? Besides, I'm a professional basketball player, baby. That automatically makes me cool for the next few years. And no one is going to buy that I've settled down until I put a ring on it. Even then, they'll probably still think I'm screwing around, so I have a few more years of coming off as a stud. But for the record, I wouldn't hate for everyone to think I settled with you."

[kitcruz]

None of it was out of character for him so he didn't expect Nixon to be surprised, but he was making an effort to be more responsible. It was Tahani he worried about, since he'd earned enough of her trust to be part of their kid's life. He didn't want to lose that over some dumb shit he'd done finally catching up to him. "Yeah and if you bailed me out every time I did somethin' stupid you'd be broke." He cracked a smile back at Nixon then shrugged. "A few to you maybe. I know, but I didn't want T freakin' out. Probably should've told you earlier too, I might've made a deal with the devil." Dramatic yes but Kit was just joking around now, since they'd established this was business as usual for him, and he reached over to take the joint back from Nixon. "I said I'd work for them, like same type of shit I used to do for Damo. Doubt they'll go for it, they all hate me and I think they like kickin' my ass too much."

[nixon-peters]

"I wouldn't bail you out every time you did something stupid, but now I have a little bit more of an incentive." That incentive being Zara. He didn't enjoy being on the receiving end of her disappointment. "Yeah well she's gonna freak out even more once she finds out you lied. And she will find out. It won't be from me, but we both know keeping secrets around here is next to impossible. You just made shit about ten times worse for yourself on that end." He grimaced knowing he was bound to catch heat for it if it came out he knew anything about it. Thankfully Nixon was used to playing dumb. "You really think that's a good idea, man? Being the bottom guy in a group of guys who might actually hate you seems... rough. And that's not even touching on your family."

[tahani-parkinson]

She should have been used to it by that point, that Nixon wasn't the deadbeat people expected him to be and his family were incredibly helpful. Dare she say loving, even. The situation she'd come from was hardly so supportive, her own parents somewhere between neglectful and predatory in the way they'd only seen her as useful because she'd been modelling since she was a child. Part of her wanted to push through the fatigue if only because it was all part of her extroverted nature to want to be out and about. Then she leaned into the open towel and rested her head on his shoulder and it was over from there. "Okay, maybe we stay in... but no entertaining yourself. It's my turn to have you all to myself." Not that she was genuinely jealous of the children, but it was nice to be with him without small voices demanding their undivided attention. "What if we order in and finish that show we started before Viper refused to settle the other night? Just aim for a small victory, you know?"

[nixon-peters]

Nixon wrapped his arms around her, tucking in the corners of the towel as best he could before he ran his hands over the material to help dry her off without jostling her too much in the process. "Fine. You can entertain me." He sighed heavily as if he were doing her a favor. "Sure. But if you crash within the first half hour you're running the risk of waking up on the couch alone. I don't think I can watch you drool through a few episodes without judging you and your choices, even if it's just a little bit. But I promise I won't tell everyone else that you've finally settled down. I don't know if you would make it if everyone found out you weren't actually cool."

[kitcruz]

"Just checkin'," he said with a shrug. While he didn't always trust Nixon to keep a secret, he trusted him to not cause any unnecessary friction between him and Tahani, knowing he'd rather not involve himself in their dynamic. "If he'd only have me, nah, it's- I borrowed some money, greaser money, back when I skipped town and I been tryin' to pay it back." And by 'borrowed' he of course meant stole. Even at his lowest he let his pride get in the way, and he still wasn't sure he was asking for help, just letting his friend in on his situation. "It was all fuckin' stupid, that's why I did Panic, and I haven't said anything 'til now 'cause I thought I'd get out of it. And I wasn't in an accident, case that wasn't clear."

[nixon-peters]

Nixon's forehead crinkled as he listened. He wouldn't have put it past Kit to try screwing with him for some reason or another, but Nixon knew his friend well enough to understand this was exactly the type of situation he would land himself in. It didn't make sense to him, but it was so Kit. The only way Nixon had ever seen him learn anything was when he fucked around and found out. "You know you have a rich friend, right?" He pointed towards himself, his smile growing once more. "So what? They beat your ass because you owe them a few thousand bucks? You didn't have to lie about something like that. I mean, it's not cool but I doubt it'll be the last time some goofy shit like this happens. It definitely isn't the first."

[kitcruz]

Ironically him and Tahani were closer than they'd ever been, since they never did much talking when they were together. Their relationship was weird, definitely unconventional, but it seemed like they'd finally gotten the hang out of it and co-parenting. He flipped Nixon off as he let him inside. "If she really wanted to she would've done it already. Went to the ER, sat in there for fuckin' ever and they didn't give me any of the good shit. Thank you." He plucked the joint from his hand and tucked it behind his ear for now, having Nixon follow him to the back. His place was a shitty one bedroom apartment on the south side but it was on the first floor with a yard, important for the dog he'd got with Z a few years ago. It was his dog now, he'd fully accepted that, and Zara renamed her after she decided Dr. Pepper was, in her words, something a baby would come up with, so now she was Phoebe. "I gotta tell you something," he said once they were outside and smoking, Kit passing him the joint after he'd hit it. "Stays between us though, like T can't know about any of it."

[nixon-peters]

"She can show mercy when she wants to. Besides, then she would have to explain to Zara why her dad started walking with a limp." Nixon's eyebrows furrowed but he didn't press the issue. Though he'd never heard of someone getting into a motorcycle accident and not being given something decent to help them with the pain. "The fact that you think you have to say that at all is offensive." He rolled his eyes, though that didn't stop him from reaching out for the joint once it was offered to him. He had no idea how Kit, Phoenix, and Lennon managed to land themselves in half the situations they did, but he would've been lying if he said he didn't enjoy it. The messiness of it all had kept him entertained for years. "What's up? You and Phoenix finally decide to take things to the next level?"

[tahani-parkinson]

"Mm, yeah, that's why you were white as a ghost at the hospital," she teased, always ready to hand it right back to him. Seriously though, there were going to be no more accidents. She loved her baby girls but given her apparent abundance in fertility she wasn't about to let there be any risk. Call her selfish but her career meant too much to her to give it up for full time motherhood. "I'll stop if you stop," she sighed at the feeling of his hands on her, then put half a breath of space between them as if that was going to help. "Bare minimum would be calling the nanny in on her day off," she called after him. "You're a good father Nixon, I won't hear otherwise!" When he got back she was still in the shower, mostly just standing under the water and zoning out until she saw his silhouette in the doorway. "Sorry, I think I fell asleep standing up..."

[nixon-peters]

It didn't take long for Nixon to wrangle Zara, Viper, and what they needed for his mom's place. To say he was thankful for their help in things was an understatement but every time he tried to thank them he was shut down with a 'that's what family is for' line that he'd never really bought into up until that point. They had always been close and they'd done everything they could for him financially his whole life, but this was something different. When he returned a half hour later he wasn't sure what he'd expected but seeing Tahani practically dead on her feet caused his eyebrow to rise. "Seriously, we don't have to go out. If you want to take it easy and get some extra sleep I won't judge." He grabbed a towel of the rack, holding it open for her casually. "I can entertain myself for a few hours."

[kitcruz]

By the time Polo was finished with him Kit forgot it was his day with Zara and he was obviously in no condition to take her now. Tahani, understandably, was blowing up his phone too, so he gave her a call back, told her he'd been in a motorcycle accident and he broke a few ribs (true, he was pretty sure, as he hadn't gotten to a doctor) but he was fine. He apologized for flaking and said he probably wouldn't be able to watch Zara for a bit, as he was pretty banged up and didn't want her seeing him like this. Whether Nixon bought all that he didn't know but they made plans to hang out a few days later. "I look like shit, I know," he said as he opened the door, then stepped aside for him to come in. @nixon-peters

[nixon-peters]

Nixon tried to stay out of things when it came to Tahani, Kit, and coparenting. It was bound to end with him pissing one of them off, and if he could avoid the issue completely he would. He didn't enjoy being dragged or iced out from either of them for not being on their side so it was easier that way. "Sure, but I'll remind you anyways. You look like shit." He grimaced, eyeing Kit as he moved past him into the home. "It's probably for the best. If you looked any better T might actually cut your dick off. Now she can't without looking like a monster." He reached into his pocket before he held out a joint for Kit. "I figured if you went to the hospital they probably gave you pain killers already, so this is my get well soon gift."

[tahani-parkinson]

If someone had told her a few years back that in the near future she'd be head over heels for Nixon Peters, that they'd have a child of their own, that she'd never doubt that choice for a second... Well, she probably would have laughed. Not that it changed the way she loved Zara, not even close, but there was something different in the way Viper had entered their family. Completed it. "Nine months of carnage to my body just to be able to call yourself a DILF..." she laughed. "Fair though, fatherhood looks fine as fuck on you, daddy." Number three was a ways away, that was for sure, but it meant something to her that he was so invested. She wasn't used to that and it low key had her melting over him more than ever. No wonder every other woman he came across was doing the same. "Okay," she nodded, first pressing her forehead to his, then a kiss to his lips, "I appreciate you."

[nixon-peters]

"Carnage has never looked so good." Nixon groaned as he knocked his hips against hers. As much as he liked to tease her he couldn't see either of them being the type of people who ran around with a herd of kids trailing behind them. Especially ones who couldn't take care of themselves. He still enjoyed his private time too much to even think about losing more of it. "Don't turn me on if you're seriously trying to get me moving here. It's bullshit." He huffed, squeezing her ass once for good measure before he dropped his hands back down to his sides. "Yeah, yeah, I know." For all their bickering and teasing he'd never once not felt it. She had a way of making him feel appreciated without needing to say it out loud, though he did enjoy the reminder. "I'll be right back." He pressed his lips against hers a few more times in a row then stepped towards the door. "Try not to have too much fun without me or I'll think twice before I do the bare minimum again."

[tahani-parkinson]

"More important than his child?" Tahani cocked her head with attitude and scoffed, "he better be dead in a ditch." She knew Nixon was trying to remain impartial on these things so she tried not to make it any harder on him... most of the time. At the end of the day it wasn't any of their egos that mattered, it was Zara's happiness. At least she had one man in her life who had yet to let her down. "I didn't mean that," she clarified, pouting stubbornly. Funnily enough she probably got along better with Kit now than she ever had, now that they were basically tethered for life. Still, he didn't hold a candle to her happiness with Nixon and she really hoped he knew that. "Your mom it is. I just need one day of silence. Two kids was a way better idea on paper, I'm exhausted."

[nixon-peters]

When she put it like that there really was no way of arguing with her without digging his own grave in the process."I know. A ditch is way too shallow and Z would cry for weeks. Then you could really kiss your quiet time goodbye." He whistled softly under his breath before making the sound of an explosion. He still didn't fully understand how their relationship worked but he figured he never really would considering he'd never been in their position. He wasn't forced into a situation by accident after a bad decision. Nixon knew what he was getting into. He was exactly where he wanted to be with who he wanted to be with, and he'd known that long before she'd gotten pregnant. It was part of the reason he'd been so open to the idea before it even happened. He'd wanted to tie himself to her with the forever sort of link he'd heard her complain about before, and maybe if he was lucky he could change her opinion on the baby daddy issue. It might've been easier just to get her a ring but he liked the idea of something permanent between the two of them. "I don't know. I'm actually kind of living for it. You have no idea how many times I've heard the word DILF recently, and I get to call myself a daddy. I've been waiting for this for years. I actually thought we were about to start working on number three." Nixon tried to keep his face serious as he slid his hands along the back of her thighs. "I can handle packing a few bags and chauffeur duty. You take a shower or a nap or whatever it is you need to do and I'll drop them off. Then once I get back we can do whatever you want."

[tahani-parkinson]

"I don't know, it just feels weird. He doesn't go radio silent because he knows I'll bust his balls." And god was she going to whenever she found his sorry ass. Now she had to tell Zara her father was a no show and she hated seeing her baby disappointed. "Maybe I'll call Dulcie, see if the can take the kids... I was looking forward to a quiet day with you. I can cancel the lunch reservation and we can just hang out by the pool with the girls?"

[nixon-peters]

"I don't know, maybe something important came up and he forgot. He'll probably text you later. It's Kit so I wouldn't worry too much." Nixon shrugged one of his shoulders noncommittally. If he didn't have to take a side between Tahani and Kit, especially when it wasn't something major, he wouldn't. Trying to do so in the past always landed him in hot water with one of them or the other, so the safer option was to let them sort things out unless he was dragged into it. "Or we could call my mom. She's been talking about taking Zara out for mani pedi's again for so long I honestly started tuning it out. I think she's taking this whole grandma thing in stride. You might have to pry Z away from her at the end of the day though."

[tahani-parkinson]

"Babe, have you heard from Kit? He was supposed to take Z today but he's not answering his phone... That's weird right?" Tahani leaned against the kitchen counter, checking her phone for the hundredth time. "I mean, he was normal last time I saw him. Has he been normal with you? You don't think he ran again, do you? God, I'll kill him..." @nixon-peters

[nixon-peters]

"At this point you might just want to slip an Air Tag in his pocket. Or con him into sharing his location when he's drunk." Nixon rubbed the side of his face. "I don't know what normal is for the two of you but he wasn't high when I saw him if that's what you're asking. He's probably just busy helping Lennon shine his balls or something."

[carrolllennon]

"Fuggos? Now you're making shit up. There's no way something like that exists. They just keep complicating things, don't they? It used to be so simple." He teased. "Damn, don't fuckin' sugarcoat it, Nix." Lennon was aware that he was closer to thirty than he was to his twenties now. Had you asked him a few years ago, Lennon would have never imagined he would live to this age. Addiction was a disease that had him one foot in an early grave. Another tragedy wasted youth and was a cautionary tale of failed potential. "Honestly? I haven't." It was the first time in a long time that Lennon had been honest not only with his friends but with himself. He had evaded getting too deep the last few years. It was easier to keep the people he cared about most at arm's length. Save them from the inevitable. Now that there was a future to live in, Lennon didn't know what he was doing. He was aimless, taking life day by day because that's all he could do.

"Look, I appreciate the effort, man, but we gotta be honest here. Guys like me don't make it out of Rosewood. I'm not some underdog success story in the making. Those were nice dreams when I was younger, but the reality is, it doesn't matter how good I am. I'm a risk no one wants to take a chance on." The basketball rolled to his feet. Lennon picked it up, and all of a sudden, the weight of it was heavier in his hands. "I had a ticket to Columbia. Writing. I was gonna be some big-time author. Make my ma proud. I threw all that shit away. The bowling alley isn't forever. It's just a stepping stone. A humiliation ritual most days, if I'm being honest. I don't know what I'm gonna do, but I'm figuring out what to do with this second chance."

[nixon-peters]

"If you wanted someone to sweet talk you you would've went to Phoenix." Nixon had never been the type to hold back on what he was thinking, especially when it came to the boys. He treated them all the way he wanted to be treated, even if it meant stepping on their toes. But Lennon had always been different than Kit or Phoenix. He was always the one Nixon had expected to go the farthest if he would stop getting in his own way. He'd thought the two of them would move from high school to college ball, and when that ended maybe they'd be lucky enough to get drafted to the same team. Or at least to play together again at some point to become one of great duos people talked about. They could go down in history together. It was a lofty dream, but something Nixon had held onto longer than he probably should have. He'd held on to until that moment, if he was being honest with himself. He'd never stopped believing in Lennon and what he'd thought was his dream despite everything, But based on the conversation it was clear that maybe it wasn't something he wanted or believed in anymore.

"You could be." Nixon shrugged one of his shoulders, attempting to keep his disappointment from showing on his face as he let the conversation drop. Just because Lennon fucked up didn't mean it's all over. Not by a long shot. But Nixon didn't plan on pushing the subject. "Whatever. What about your notebook? You still doing that? The last time I checked, you don't have to go to an Ivy League school to become a writer. You just... you know, pick up a pen or whatever. That's gotta be one way to kill time while you're waiting for the senior center to hand in all their crusty shoes. "

[joshuaballsett]