closed starter with: oisin and whoever <3 (@oflicnhearts)
setting: the ball, at the bar
Oisin liked champagne well enough. One glass was fine, even a little pleasant, but he wasn’t someone who could drink it the whole night, going on and on about effervescence and notes of stone fruit, or whatever he was supposed to be tasting. What he really wanted was some disgusting, cheap beer that would go through him like water. Bud Light, PBR, even a Coors Light. That’s it. That’s all he wanted. He waited for the bartenders to get through the queue, finally bored enough to strike up a conversation. “I’d offer to buy you a drink, but if you want it anytime soon, I think it might be quicker to jump on a boat back to the city and stop at the first bar next to the pier.”
francis had been trying to be civil with the man since he learned about the breakup. francis couldn't resort to his usual tactics to keep people away from nan since they were coworkers and he needed oisin on his best behavior regardless of what happened. though every day he felt his patience wear thin every time he remembered the look on nan's face --- they moved in and moving fairly smoothly and now -- nothing. though nothing truly registered on francis' expression , just a smile and the occasional jab. " yeah -- just me , the big brother of the girl's heart you broke , " he grinned before lightly shoving the other. " joking. " but not really.
brow arched before he shook his head , " no -- though most people take the opportunity to just act like someone completely new. might work out for you -- maybe trying out someone who doesn't smoke , " shoulders rose in a slight shrug. there was another joke there but he figured he would take it easy on the other. " didn't you tell me last week you were trying to quit ? "
Oisin faltered slightly, taken aback, but knowing it was reasonable, if not entirely fair. It was hard to tell where it all began and ended with Francis. They didn’t stand on solid ground, and he knew that, but he couldn’t stop approaching him like they were. Ever the optimist, ever the fool, etc. “Yeah, I mean, it was mutual, sort of. We’re still on good terms, mostly,” he mumbled, not wanting to brush over it like an asshole, not wanting to dive too deep into… all of that.
Oisin took a beat, cringing at the direction of the conversation. “Well, yeah, I did probably tell you that last week, and it was definitely true. Still is. It’s all kind of… a lot in there. Just wanted to dip back into old habits for a bit of comfort.” He shrugged, already look for an out, knowing his discomfort would be too obvious if he left now. It was a bit late to be concerned about Francis seeing him uncomfortable, though- even behind the mask, he was sure it was written all over his face. “Suppose getting some air will have to do. Reset the brain, take a few deep breaths. But why’ve I found you out here, all alone? Up to something nefarious?”
He's her tried-and-true, her strength and stay. She understands the center of gravity and the way the world turns, by how Oisin exists within it. She adored the boy he was, loves the man he is, and will forever be tethered to him. All positive things, until his smile lingers in a way that fills her with guilt. Unrequited and awkward, she does what she always does - glides over the very real facts of the matter.
"You don't need to do that." Amelia defers, avoiding the lingering sweetness in Oisin's words. Instead, replaces it with the balm of familiar care; "Besides, I bet you've been all suited up the last few days. I'll cut you some slack." Breslin's press conferences, the number of photographers waiting outside city hall (some from Channel 212)... It's high exposure, and he has to carry it. "Is this the part where you dodge my offer to babysit your fish?" Oisin knows her and her own packed agenda enough to know, it's as good as a death sentence.
"I can handle it." A pause, then a flicker of something vulnerable as she gestures in the air. "You know I can handle it." She's weathered worse, more personal, more troublesome. "And, besides, it's a nice break from the fluffy, socialite pieces my new owner has me running. So," she pops her lips, and for once navigates away from work. "I'm all yours." A twinkle in her eye, as she places a hand on his arm. "I missed you these last few weeks."
“Obviously, you don’t get fish food duties. He doesn’t trust anyone but me, it’d freak him out to have another hand feeding him.” His eyes lit up in jest, and he shifted his weight toward the back of his chair. “I need a reason to go home, anyway. I’d be too tempted to sleep under my desk and keep a change of clothes in my drawer. Actually-” he raised an eyebrow, tilting his head to the side. “Maybe you need a fish of your own, something to get you out of the office. They can be cousins.”
“Of course you can handle it, but are you alright?” His eyebrows creased in concern, and he leaned back in towards her, trying to hide the masquerade crowds from what was starting to feel like an intimate conversation. And then- the touch. Just a gentle, comforting hand on the arm. Oisin lingered in it for a moment, before sense came back, causing him to overcorrect. His hand shot back defensively.
“Yeah, Amelia, I’ve missed you too, but-“ He shook his head, avoiding eye contact. He wanted to stand, wanted to leave, but he couldn’t. He could jump ship with anyone else he dared get close to in this life, but for some unidentifiable reason, he couldn’t do that to her. “You can’t say I’m all yours. You know what that sounds like, what that means,” he stammered, feeling silly. Should’ve just let it lie, should’ve moved past it. Maybe he’d had a bit too much champagne, maybe the pretty lights and lilted conversation got to him. “You brought someone with you. I don’t know why you’re wasting your time over here with me. I don’t need your… comfort, or whatever,” he said, lying. A small, forced, polite smile was plastered on his lips. "Go... dance. Drink. Have fun."
closed starter: with oisin and francis (@dadivosos)
setting: just outside the doors to the masquerade
Oisin kept his head low, walking along the perimeter of the event, slinking off to a small enclave nestled near the entrance. For the past month, he had tried half-heartedly to stop smoking, committed to limiting himself to the occasional cigarette he’d bum off a stranger or a friend, and he needed one now more than ever. It felt demeaning to beg for one, but he'd told his mom he'd quit, and didn't want to keep lying to her about it when he talked to her on the phone.
He wandered up to the masked man, not bothering to look up at his face. He was bad with names as it was- add in a masked stranger, and he didn’t stand a chance. But there was something about the way this man stood, the way he held himself. It was too familiar, and it put him too far at ease. He glanced up at his face, confirming his suspicion. “Oh, shit, Francis?” Oisin settled back onto his heels, slipping his hands into his pockets. This was the best-case scenario, really. “Or am I not supposed to say? Is it supposed to be some secret? A guessing game at the end, and whoever gets the most people correct wins a prize?” He grinned over at him, fighting the urge to remove his mask now that he was among friends. “You got any smokes on you? If I win the game, I’ll share my spoils.”
closed starter: with oisin and nan (@nanxschaefer)
setting: the mayor's office
The afternoon heaved on, sending Oisin toppling from task to task with frenzied forward motion. His to-do list had evolved into something of a hydra, with each completed goal somehow sprouting forth two more additional jobs, and he was starting to feel the pace of the day wearing on him. He turned a corner, looking up from an email on his phone just in time to see Nan entering the office. If he’d been even the slightest bit quicker, he might have been able to backtrack around the wall and avoid interaction, but it was too late. They locked eyes, and he pushed the corners of his mouth upward.
Oisin cleared his throat, briefly rubbing the back of his neck. “Hey, Nan. You look really nice this morning.” Oh? Now, why would we say that, Oisin? What’s wrong with you? He cringed, and his chest tightened. He thought she should be cold to him, wished she would be, but knew she wouldn’t be. It wasn’t in her nature. It was something he’d admired about her, before. “Here to see Francis, then? I can go get him for you, let him know you’re here, if you’d like.” Anything to get out of this.
"I ordered for you." Amelia says as soon as he slips into the corner booth with her. Their tried-and-true spot, halfway between Channel 212 and City Hall. An old haunt from their NYU days, made better by the menu prices that never tick up and the familiarity of Linda the veteran waitress. "I even went a little crazy, and ordered the cheesecake for us to share." Rich, in both make and additional $5 price, but it's Amelia's version of 'luxury' to splurge on it for them. Everything she's ever had, she's shared with Oisin; her heartache, her successes, and now the change in her bank account.
What's the point of selling your soul, if you can't take care of the people you love?
"I'm guessing Breslin's got a packed agenda." Usually, she's fishing for intel. In this case, however, it's a color of concern. "Have you been home at all?" For better or worse, she's kept an eye on Oisin's studio from across the hall. Careful as she observes his few comings-and-goings since the latest scandal broke.
After any given meeting with Amelia, he was forced to ignore an incessant dragging, tugging feeling in the pit of his stomach. He’d gotten better at ignoring it, or blaming it on acid reflux. It plagued him, made him wonder why he put himself through it- but he’d never miss a meeting. He’d never screen a phone call, would never leave a text unanswered. They were old friends. And that’s just what old friends did, he thought. They endured despite the aching.
“I’d have worn a nicer jacket if I’d known you’d be sweetening me up.” Oisin smiled as he sat, sinking into the foam of the booth. He’d have to take an antacid for cheesecake-induced heartburn later, but that was alright. “No, uh, not really. I stopped a few hours ago for a shower. Had to feed the fish, grabbed a granola bar. But it’s been….” He half-laughed, half-scoffed. “Well, I don’t need to tell you about late nights.”
He settled back, looking at her thoughtfully. "You doing alright? News has been a little heavy lately. Murder and all that. Hope you're taking more breaks than just getting occasional cheesecake with me."
SPOTTED: oisín DOHERTY in new york city! heard the TWENTY-SEVEN year old belongs to THE CONTINGENCY as a POLITICAL INSIDER. word on the streets is that they can be HOPEFUL, but they can also be STUBBORN.
the basics
Name: oisín doherty
Nicknames: ois (osh/ush), ozzy (not crazy about this but too non-confrontational to say anything), doherty
Faceclaim: paul mescal
Gender: cis-male, he/him
Sexual Orientation: bisexual, biromantic
Age: 27
Birthday: july 14, 1998
Occupation: executive assistant to the mayor
Affiliation: the contingency, political insider
Marital Status: single
Pets: dog person but doesn’t have the time, so he got a goldfish and named him fido.
Family: eamon doherty (father), claire doherty(mother), cormac doherty (older half-brother, see wc), aoife doherty (younger sister)
Residence: studio apartment in tbd
Positive Traits: hopeful, kind, loyal (or tries to be!), driven, jovial
Negative Traits: stubborn, non-confrontational, indulgent, deeply repressed, sensitive
aesthetics
Inspiration: waymond (everything everywhere all at once), peeta (the hunger games), chandler (friends), josh lyman (the west wing), fox mulder (x-files), nate archibald (gossip girl), he’s not tom wambsgams yet but give it ten years
Animal: hound dog
Tarot Card: the lovers
Zodiac: cancer
Element: water
Mineral: ocean jasper
Song: better than - lake street dive
Backstory
oisín was born to an irish father and an american mother in ballyshannon, co. donegal, ireland. it was a happy childhood, with a happy family, and a great deal of freedom, but it was cut short when he was thirteen, and grandmother in san diego fell ill. the doherty packed everything and moved to california to care for her. it was a difficult transition, but he eventually settled in, hating the heat but loving their proximity to the beach and los angeles.
when he graduated, he packed his old, unreliable honda civic and moved with his best friend to new york city, attending NYU and double-majoring in political science and journalism. he figured he’d move back to california afterwards, or even give it a shot in dublin or london, but he ended up falling in love with new york city and accidentally started to make a life there.
he was fresh out of college, struggling to find a full-time job, running out of what little money he had, and decided to take on a third part-time job with an up-and-coming mayoral campaign. he hoped he’d get some contacts and experience, but ended up impressing his supervisors and quickly climbing his way up through the ranks. by the time the election rolled around, he’d become an integral part of the campaign. he was offered a position in their administration, which he gladly took.
the contingency approaching him was…. unexpected. he wrote them off entirely, refusing to even consider it- until he found himself in a difficult position. he suddenly needed a significant amount of cash, and they were offering enough to solve what seemed like an unsolvable problem, so he signed his soul to the group, and is now dealing with the guilt that comes with it.
Wanted Connections
lots of the norm! rivals, friends, enemies, flings. fellow regulars at his favorite dive bars, co-workers, etc etc. im open to any and all ideas, and all of the listed connections are totally flexible!
the half-sibling- this will be on the main eventually. oisín’s father had a child with an ex-girlfriend a few years before he met oisín’s mother. they were never close, and only really knew of each other, because they’ve lived in new york city for most of their life. when oisín moved to new york for college, they finally got to meet and truly get to know each other, but it hasn’t always been easy. their personalities and values clash quite a bit- but they’re family, and they’re both too stubborn to give up on the other. the positive and negative aspects of their relationship have been magnified in the last year, following the disappearance of oisín’s sibling’s wife. 30+ (0/1)
the ex- oisín has been hung up on one person for the entirety of his teenage and young adult life, but he did try to move on once. i imagine they worked well together, and there was a heavy dose of love there, but it wasn’t enough to make up for his heart not being entirely devoted to them. it was relatively recent, they were likely together for a while (1-3 years? its flexible!) and did share an apartment. whether things ended poorly or amicably can be plotted! (1/1) - taken by nan schaefer
the friends- it would be fun to have a small, tight-knit group of friends! they have keys to each other’s apartments, meet regularly for drinks, and have a group chat that’s pinned to the top of oisín’s messages. they commiserate, celebrate, and support each other, but there’s always gonna be messy and complicated dynamics within the group to explore! (0/6)
the awkward one-night-stand- this would be open to any of his co-workers, or anyone he would work with on a semi-regular basis! they went a little too hard one night at a work event or a local bar, and ended up spending the night together. oops! neither of them talk about it, but it sits there like an elephant between them. (0/1)
the user- oisín can be a little too accommodating to the people he considers friends. he’s the guy you’d call to bail you out of jail, or feed your cat and water your plants while you’re on vacation. he’s reliable, but it does open the door for people to take advantage of him! and that’s exactly what this person does. they don’t necessarily dislike him (and might even consider him a friend!), but they definitely use his kindness against him when there’s something he can do for them. (0/3)
the enemy- with his friends, he’s a bit of a pushover and finds confrontation difficult. but if he doesn’t like you? good luck buddy. he probably thinks he’s taking a principled stance against who you are as a person, and he’s too goddamn stubborn to allow much grace. he holds grudges! if he’s asked to be impartial, he is physically unable to! ohhh you want a meeting with the mayor? that’s crazy because i remember that time you cheated on my best friend’s sister in june of 2021. maybe you’ll have better luck with the mayor of newark.
2087
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