YOU WANT IT DARKER.

Sasha Elaine Jones. 29. Detective at Kismet Harbor Police Station.

[sashaxjones]

THE INTRODUCTION.

NAME: Priscilla Cage ALIAS: Sasha Elaine Jones NICKNAME: Cilla, Pris, Sash, Little Bird (by Cael) AGE: 29 RESIDENCE: Cresthill Meadows, Kismet Harbor, OR OCCUPATION: Detective at Kismet Harbor Police Station FACECLAIM: Willa Fitzgerald

tw: death, mafia

THE BASICS.

DATE OF BIRTH: 28th December, 1996 HEIGHT: 5'4" HAIR COLOR: Blonde (dyed) EYE COLOR: Hazel PLACE OF BIRTH: New York City, New York GENDER / PRONOUNS: Cis-Female (she/her) SEXUAL ORIENTATION: Bisexual ROMANTIC ORIENTATION: Biromantic RELATIONSHIP STATUS: Single POSITIVE TRAITS: ambitious, eloquent, intelligent NEGATIVE TRAITS: impervious, calculating, aloof SPOKEN LANGUAGES: English, German, Italian, Chinese ALLERGIES: - ILLNESSES/IMPAIRMENTS: Only one functioning ovary due to bodily trauma

RELATIONSHIPS.

FATHER: Maddox Cage MOTHER: [information redacted; deceased] SIBLINGS: None COUSINS: None PARTNER: None EXES: None CHILDREN: None FRIENDS: Cael Montgomery ANNOYANCES: None PETS: A 7 year old German Shepherd/Tamaskan Dog mix named Doc

THE STORY.

Born as the sole heir to a dark dynasty, a long standing line of mobsters, shrouded in the shadowy dark of New York City's underground, the expectations for Priscilla Cage were set high from the very start. Wanting his successor to be a worthy one, for them to uphold and carry the family business on with pride and sharp expertise, Maddox brought his daughter up with a tight set of rules and a stern hand. It was only countered by Priscilla's mother, the polar opposite to her husband. Her mother was caring, a nurturing presence who wanted to shield her daughter from the evil that clung close. She was unwilling to accept that her daughter's fate had been decided, even before Priscilla had taken her first breath.

Hers and Maddox' marital life was far from a peaceful one. Denoted by explosive fights, manipulation and the cruel threats that loomed within their home, void of the cozy comfort that one could seek refuge from. The woman tried her best to shield young Priscilla from the nasty words and unyielding darkness that rattled the family's foundation, though to no avail. The older the girl became, the more she took to Maddox a little more with each day that passed. Priscilla's mother soon found herself frightened of her daughter, only aged seven. A child should not speak the words of a monster and in a desperate attempt to save her child from her husband's grip, she homeschooled Priscilla, prohibiting her from making friends, learning of the world and its beauty, beyond the walls of an empty home and a world no child should be a part of. Unknowingly, she only helped Maddox succeed and caused Priscilla to gravitate even more toward her father.

When Priscilla reached the age of fifteen, her mother's fright turned into sheer and blinding panic. It was a meager attempt at what she believed was saving her own life by attempting the commitment to the most cardinal of sins. Water splashed from the bathtub and littered the tiles of the bathroom floor with shallow puddles as Priscilla frantically tried to free herself from her mother's grip. It was Maddox who saved his daughter by sacrificing his wife with perfect aim. After that, fate took its course and Priscilla stepped into the ranks of her father's organization.

In an attempt to better aid Maddox in concealing his business and diverting authorities, Priscilla became a police officer and worked her way up into the rank of a detective. The NYPD homicide devision offered her just enough input and distraction to keep her appeased. During this time, she came across the case of Cael Montgomery. She wrote to him, tirelessly and patiently, until one day, she received a letter from within the walls of Riker's. A friendship ensued, a bond that persists until this very day.

It was Cael's trace that she followed to Kismet Harbor, or so the original version of events goes, for those who dared to pry and ask. In truth, it was, once more, a calculated and strategic plan, manufactured by the one in command. Maddox wanted to expand the business and Priscilla followed - or rather led the way. Moving into the small coastal town in Oregon, her forged documents, her beloved dog ( a present given to her by Cael ) and a new name in tow, Priscilla, who now went under the alias 'Sasha Jones' settled in the quiet town years before her father's eventual arrival. Once more fulfilling her role as his second set of eyes and most trusted ally in a town she despises for its uneventful humdrum life.

Upon first meeting her, the calculating inner workings she carries are hard to overlook. Rarely carefree, Priscilla, now Sasha, longs for the thrill that had kept her entertained underneath the bright lights of her hometown. Everything Kismet Harbor lacks, she searches for in the wrong places. She'd always been eloquent, almost appearing older than her age and her intelligence should not be underestimated. Cold and aloof, she had mastered the art of tricking people into buying into her role of an adjusted human being, kind enough to not unsettle the housewives and insurance agents, when underneath the sharp, silver-tongued and detached woman, lay something much more sinister.

[arlocontreras]

Arlo's eyes shifted from the forest ahead to the blonde as she questioned him. He hadn't realized at first how wide his eyes were, but as he shook his head he couldn't help but chuckle a little. "Dear god no it's not a threat." he stated. "Wasn't trying to curse you with a bad omen either, just saying what I've always heard." he admitted. "I can't even say that it wont be me. Honestly it's likely." he added again, this time with a shrug. Not that he wanted to be the one to die; the comment had just been in jest anyways. "How do you even think that sheep got over there? You don't think the poor thing escaped from one of the farms nearby do you?" Anyone that would ever be fortunate enough to have a conversation with Arlo Contreras would likely think the male had some form of ADHD with how sporadic is conversations could be, however, that was just how he was sometimes. "And more importantly how do we get there to help it?" @sashaxjones

[sashaxjones]

A lone sheep, idling in front of the forest's vast expanse with its looming darkness and eerie shadows painted an ominous, yet beautiful image. It was a look of suspicion that Arlo received. Arched brows, the most subtle tilt of her head and Sasha had ne mere thought that circled around her mind. If he only knew. "I would imagine that it takes more than the spreading rumor's of an old wives tale to curse someone." Honestly, it's likely. Now it was a furrow of her brows that altered Sasha's expression into something mildly curious, something inherently intrigued. "What makes you say so?" It made her wonder which things slumbered below the surface of the man she faced. Hazel eyes wandered across his face, trying to read him like an open book. Loose assumptions were all that she could string together at this point in time, vague ideas gathered in irritating uncertainty. She swallowed. "Escaped through a hole in the fence and went for a little walk, perhaps." For a brief moment, she glanced toward the sheep as she spoke. "Or it fled from the cruel fate of being the center point of a ritualistic sacrifice that was supposed to take place in these woods last night." Sasha shrugged. "Either or." With one more look at Arlo, silence grew, an extended pause, void of words, before she spoke up. "Don't look at me, I'm from New York City. I have no idea how farm animals work." @arlocontreras

[wyattxwheeler]

"Ten minutes is a long time in my book," he teased, only giving Sasha a hard time because that was the nature of their relationship. "That's absolutely enough time for me to development abandonment issues." He teased, the corner of his mouth tugging upward. "For the record, Hawkins is definitely going to find out. I think that's just my civic duty to let him know," he nudged Sasha gently with his elbow. "Only five times? That's got to be a pretty light week for you, no?" His brow raised in a playful manner. @sashaxjones

[sashaxjones]

A perfectly arched brow was raised as the sole response toward Wyatt's statement. She knew it was a small jab, words of teasing origin and it was the sole reason a smirk's ghost continued to hover above full lips. "You'll live," she deadpanned, turning her gaze briefly and just long enough to take a look around. "Civic duty, huh?" Sasha's head snapped back toward Wyatt, her smirk now adapted to something almost devilish. "In New York we call that a snitch." She shook her head at the nudge of his elbow and she almost found herself enjoying the lightness. "There have been worse weeks for sure." She nodded. "It feels good to be back in business. That might be it." @wyattxwheeler

[wyattxwheeler]

starter for @sashaxjones

location: wingman's pub

Wyatt was on his second beer of the evening when someone sat down next to him. "About time you showed up." The banter came naturally between him and Sasha. "I was starting to worry that you were going to ditch me and leave me here to drink all by myself." Wyatt clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "Not that I'd blame you, honestly." He teased, nudging her gently with his elbow. "You end up getting the rest of the paperwork done?"

[sashaxjones]

There was something refreshing about being off the medication, being able to go about her day again, like nothing had ever happened. It felt like she was stepping back into the version of herself, she had created for this picturesque town. "I had important business to tend to. Besides, it's only been ten minutes, so relax, cowboy." She retorted within the blink of an eye as she lowered her body onto the seat next to Wyatt. "You know I wouldn't do that to my favorite person to grab a drink with." She paused, more for dramatic effect than anything else. "Don't tell Hawkins I said that." At Wyatt's question, Sasha exhaled, the sigh deflating her body like a tire. "After contemplating to quit at least five times? Yes." @wyattxwheeler

[sashaxjones]

closed starter for: @cemrexdeniz location: the coffee carousel

"I do think there is something inherently admirable about people who do whatever they desire. Was it difficult?" Sasha idled in her seat, a little too cozily, sending blonde tendrils to softly cascade from her head and hang loose against her shoulders. Her hazel gaze had turned soft, as though melting in the warm light of a golden sun that fell through the glass window they sat next to and pooled onto their features, the surface of the table they occupied. "Returning from Italy, I mean." It reflected in the surface of their drinks and it was genuine curiosity that reflected in the detective's voice, as she inquired about Cemre's time spent abroad. If only the other knew how the question was hardly random, forged from intrigue and selfish reason alike. "Indulge me."

[arlocontreras]

✦ closed starter for @sashaxjones ✦ based on: 🐑| where arlo spreads rumors of an old wives tale

"You know -" Arlo paused, lifting a hand and running his fingers through his curls as he stared out into the distance. He was looking towards a tree line, eyes fixated on the movement he would swear he saw, but he blinked and looked back at the other for a second, the flash of she sheep he'd swear was there coming more into view. "There's this old rumor that if you see a sheep in the middle of the woods that someone is going to die that night." he spoke, nodding his head in the direction he'd been looking prior. "I can't remember all the details, but, I'm pretty sure that means your a goner."

[sashaxjones]

The woods' shadow loomed ahead, inching closer with the growing darkness amidst thick branches and green leaves. There was a comfort Sasha found in the macabre, the soiled and ugly beasts that meandered the face of this world, bearing smiles on their faces. So, when the man's voice cut through the quiet like a knife honed with a butcher's precision, Sasha's ears perked with mild intrigue. She followed his gaze and could not deny the gentle surprise that sat beside her, as she angled her head slightly. "So, is this a bad omen," she began, hazel eyes peering up at the man through a veil of thick, dark lashes, "or a threat?" Her voice was smooth as silk, smooth as ever and she studied his features and Sasha thought she understood why Gabriel had dated this man. Then, she looked back to the sheep, which had stopped in its track. And in an instant she knew why she had always been fond of sheep. @arlocontreras

[sashaxjones]

closed starter for: @gabrielxpierce location: cedar grill & lounge

The glass in front of her had long stopped being about the drink, the amber liquid that had sloshed and at the ice cubes and had licked at the container's cold walls. It had been emptied some while ago and now, it occupied her hands, gave her something to study that was not him. Hazel eyes peered through a thick veil of long, dark lashes. Gabriel maneuvered the bottles behind the bar with an effortless ease that belonged there. She liked to tell herself that the tension between them was a product of alcohol and proximity. A personal weakness, a soft spot for strays. "You know," she began, the same instant Gabriel came close enough to hear her words, spoken by a voice smooth and unhurried, "for someone who pours drinks for a living, you spend a surprising amount of time ignoring your customers." A twitch of her brow was as much of a shift in her expression as he would receive. "Or is this your strategy?"

[gabrielxpierce]

"Yeah I guess. First I saved them from certain death and now I'm saving them from existential crisis, I suppose." Gabriel grinned, knowing there were other things that he could've said to phrase how his profession wasn't helping those who had trouble limiting their alcohol intake. But at least he was having fun doing what he loved, right? "I never said I made the right choices, now did I?" He fired back, a sly grin resting on his lips. It was her words that followed next that had a chuckle fall from him. A sharp inhale was taken, slightly mudded by the fog that clung in the air between them. "I can tell you're going to have a very influential role in my life, all right." It was just the question whether it would be a good one or a bad one, but he wasn't objecting either way. "For now? Going to change my mind, are you?" @sashaxjones

[sashaxjones]

A charmer. Sasha, not for the first time, wondered how much closer she was willing to look, when Gabriel spoke. How much longer she was willing to entertain his company. The beads of sweat glistened on his skin and it took her a second too long to move her gaze from the nape of his neck back up to catch a gaze, matching the shade of the ocean on a summer day. "A real hero." Her words were a low mumble, aimed at no one in this space claimed by the two of them. Her smile was faint and sat lopsided and loose on full lips, glistening through the sauna's steam. Her cheeks, by now, were painted a blush hue and she was glad, she could blame the heat. And her smile became crooked, dripped with unabashed amusement and a chuckle was dangerously close to crawling from her lips, which however remained tied with silence. For a moment, she pondered accepting the revulsion that tagged along, a feeling of nauseating disquiet for being like this in his presence. Care-free, careless, unsettled. "For your sake, I hope that this will not be a bad thing." If he only knew. "I would never dream of it." @gabrielxpierce

END.

[zoexhawkins]

Zoe had always allowed others time to speak, to gather their thoughts as they needed to. Even perps, never speaking over them (at least not at first) or before they would become belligerent. So of course she would afford the same opportunities to her fellow officers and did not blink an eye as she waited for Sasha to speak. " I know but still," the thought of what the other went through sucked, and made her sick; especially as it had happened in their small town where most if not everyone was safe. "That's one downside of this profession," putting yourself in harm's way without a second thought, running towards danger instead of away from it. She had seen it first hand numerous times, and even had done so herself. Lifting a shoulder lazily, "eh I don't know. Maybe before getting married and having kids I might have, but now? Not at all." Her parents were here, her eldest brother had passed here and was buried here; she'd miss it all too much. She tried to stifle a smile as she could see Sasha trying not to either, which then made it even harder. "Good, and I better be," she warned her, putting on her toughest cop expression, and linked her oink with the others. "Can't break a pinky promise." @sashaxjones

[sashaxjones]

There were times Sasha felt glad to have Zoe. There were times when she despised the senior detective's sole presence. When she spoke about her colleagues, the term 'vampires' was not too far fetched. Refraining from entering thee light of day, hunched over desks and an abundance of paperwork, they ran on stale coffee that had turned cold some hours ago. Somewhere in the office a phone rang, but Sasha's sole focus was bestowed upon Zoe Hawkins and the words she spoke. For a singular instant, Sasha tried to imagine her as a mother and a wife. What she was like with her children and her husband and came to the conclusion, it did not fit the image of Zoe, which she had painted in her head. Another shrug rolled her shoulders, nonchalant and almost as if she didn't mind. In response to her partner's answer, Sasha hummed. "I see." And she struggled to relate. Had it not been for her father and Cael, she might have never set foot in this town. Though, slowly, very slowly, she thought Kismet Harbor might be more interesting than she'd initially thought. And when Zoe linked her finger with her own, a smile that bordered on something authentic crossed her lips. "Never." @zoexhawkins

END.

[knoxwallace]

Knox wasn't fully willing to let his guard down and buy in to the possibility that the woman on the other side of the table was actually looking to help him, but the fact that they at least would take the logs to look over had to mean something. It was a chance, a small thread to tug on that might keep him from any further trouble with this. His hands clenched together tightly and loosened again, a rhythmic pattern that was keeping him from spiraling out about his current circumstances. "Great. Okay. I'll bring the logs, you bring the beer, we'll make a night of it," he popped back, the cheeky smile that followed not quite as confident as it usually might have been. As much as he wanted to exude some level of confidence here, it was hard to hide that he was rattled by being brought in for something that he wasn't at all a part of. "Well, I hope you find something soon, detective. I'm not too keen on being a part of this picture, I'm afraid," he stressed again, his eyes narrowing in on the clicking pen in her hands before the sound faded off. Taking her words to be a dismissal of sorts, he shifted back, chair scraping across the ground with a loud squeal as he stood up and offered a hand out towards Sasha. "I'm sure this would have been a pleasure under other circumstances."

@sashaxjones

[sashaxjones]

There was a sour taste that flooded her tongue and clung to the roof of her mouth. His attempt at humor earned a solid breath, a huff that was dangerously akin to a suffocated chuckle. Her smile turned soft, as though Sasha found amusement within the syllables of a flat joke that made her wish to burn the place where he sat to the ground. "Let us not get ahead of ourselves." The words she spoke were firm, unwavering and unaccepting of any objection. She now harbored a definite certainty that this man was not just a small-time crook, but a complete and utter tool. "Understandably so." The tilt of her head appeared kind enough, almost caring and Sasha sighed. "It is a process and sometimes it pulls in the wrong people before it settles on the right one." She paused, readjusting her smile. "But I can assure you, it does find a way." To say it sounded like a threat would be an overstatement, but Sasha believed Knox would get the hint. Slowly, she got up, just a half second after he did. For a moment, she looked at his hand before taking it. Her handshake was firm and she had her fingers curled around his for longer than ultimately necessary. "Under different circumstances," she repeated his words, her voice low and almost absent-minded. And then, her gaze cleared. "Get me those logs and we will go from there." A beat. "I'll expect to hear from you." Another smile, much too kind for a sterile place like this and Sasha let go of his hand. "Wouldn't want anything unclear to start taking shape in the meantime." @knoxwallace

[maddoxcage]

Maddox instilled a lot in his daughter, one of those was how to carry herself. Confidence, no room for doubt, not allowing anyone to walk over her or try to put her in her place. Even in their world, they would still talk down to women, respect them less. Being his daughter benefitted her, but he wasn't going to coddle her and hand things to her on a silver platter. Luckily for his daughter, she'd always transcended beyond his expectations in that regard. So when she told him that her head was still in the game, she didn't waver, and Maddox noticed. "Good." He said after a while, eyes piercing hers as if reading her thoughts. "Get healed, get strong again, and then I'll have more intensive assignments, but for now, feel free to hound Wallace, make him think the law is on his tail." That way, paranoia would spread. "And if he then still hasn't given me what is mine, you go for his sister. The documents you got me on his family rendered some .. interesting things." @sashaxjones

[sashaxjones]

Priscilla rarely reflected back on her childhood. Rarely found herself wondering just what would have happened, had she not come to follow in her father's footsteps, had denied the role of his successor. All she knew herself to be now, all of what she was, was nothing but a logical consequence. Inevitable. There were few things that kept her steady, that kept her running. Her father's pride was one such thing. As frightened as many were of Maddox, Priscilla never wavered beneath his cold glance, those piercing eyes that she'd inherited. She locked her jaw as her father's voice ricocheted from the walls surrounding them. The impulse was not enough to tear her expression into a smile. It was a twitch on the corner of her lips and she bowed her head in the most minuscule way. It was almost unnoticeable as a shadow, almost sinister overcast her features. "It will be my pleasure." @maddoxcage

[zoexhawkins]

For as hardened of a detective that Zoe was, deep inside of her she cared. She cared for every single person that walked through the streets of Kismet; whether or not they were a friend, family member, colleague, or even someone who committed a crime. She just nodded and let it roll off her shoulders and back, "it's okay," waving her off and understanding. No need for apologies especially after what Sasha had gone through and Zoe didn't worry too much about the snap. "I want to say yeah, but still. It shouldn't have happened here," and she had felt horrible about it, even more so as it happened to her partner and that she wasn't there to help. Growing up in Kismet, Zoe had always had an idyllic sense of the town but as she grew up that had changed. It drastically changed when she went into law enforcement, seeing the underbelly of the town she called home and how it was indeed just like every other part of the world. As Sasha sighed, Zoe's face drooped, a slight pout forming. "Okay fine mocktails for now, but as soon as you can...you and I are grabbing actual drinks." @sashaxjones

[sashaxjones]

Hazel eyes peered up at her partner and Sasha swallowed. The bitter taste of coffee still lingered on her tongue, though her cups contents had turned cold a while ago. She nodded, a quiet appreciation for the understanding shown by the senior detective and Sasha couldn't help but imagine Zoe in the streets of New York City. She would have carried herself well, she believed and the thought was enough to almost miss the words uttered next. "It can't be undone." She rolled her shoulders, the shrug came idly, almost dismissive. "We miscalculated the risk and I would rather pay the price myself than let it destroy a family." How noble of her. She could almost hear her father's scoff. If it hadn't been Wyatt, her decision might have been a different one. Her care for the man and by extension his family, as genuine as it was rare. "Have you ever thought about leaving?" Now, as she looked at her partner with an open expression of sincere curiosity, Sasha truly wondered how fulfilling it was to spend one's entire life in a small town like this. And then, seeing Zoe's pout, a smile threatened to ease her expression and it took her a handful of seconds before she chuckled. "You get the honor of sharing the first actual drinks with me, once I fully recovered." She held out her right hand, her smallest digit extended. "Pinky promise." @zoexhawkins

[gabrielxpierce]

"I most definitely am." Gabriel let out a laugh, not even wanting to repeat what they had said that evening that made him cross the line. The fact that he had, had already spoken volumes about him. He usually wasn't the kind to let himself go, didn't care what others thought of him, but for some reason this had. "I suppose, I used to be a firefighter back in Seattle. So I guess helping people was my shtick. Now I just pour drinks." Which he didn't mind. There was something exciting about it. As if he were a chemist but with ingredients that made partying people happy. But nothing so fancy. "I doubt that'll be good for my health, for I'd never leave." And he took dehydration quite seriously. Still, there was something about being told that his company was welcome. In a world, especially his, with so many uncertainties, he could at least trust that. "Then I will take it as such." He told her. "You're not so bad yourself." Definitely easy on the eye, but he would refrain from such commentary. @sashaxjones

[sashaxjones]

The tilt of her head indicated something not much unlike curiosity and, strangely enough, a severe lack of surprise. "A firefighter?" One brow raised as her smile turned lopsided and shifted into a humorous smirk. Strangely enough, she could see it. Her eyes narrowed, long lashes framing hazel eyes as she held Gabriel's gaze. "Helping people suits you. Even if you do it differently now." Even she was unsure whether her words held truthful intent. Her response had come fast, easy and she had not thought twice to speak her thoughts aloud and it was the first time that it occurred to her that Gabriel Pierce could become a personal problem. Even more so after his words filled the hot air, rose up alongside the steam in the sauna and Sasha felt a bead of sweat trickling down her arm. "That sounds like a health concern and an incredibly ill-advised choice." A smile tugging at the corner of her mouth as she paused. "Which, for the record, I would not absolutely discourage." There was a softness to this moment and she felt uneasy, a nervousness that slowly began to itch underneath her skin as she kept her eyes on his without ever wavering. Not bad. It was almost enough to elicit a huff from her but all she did was lean forward, ever so slightly as though to provoke him. "I'll take that." Another pause, deliberate. "For now." @gabrielxpierce

[zoexhawkins]

As good of a detective that Zoe was, she couldn't figure out what was going on with her partner. Though she knew better than to push her, never wanting to get on hers (or anyone's bad side at the station). As Sasha shot her a lopsided grin, Zoe shook out of it, and handed her the file.

There was a mutual respect for one another, Zoe always respecting Sasha. And never doubting her knowledge on in the field either, though the two did disagree on things. As did every partnership in every police force. "Of course I do," she shot her a wide smile before softening and lifting a shoulder, "Touche. Exciting as it may be, I was definitely worried for my partner you know." She let that last part slip, always trying to remain stoic and poised at work when she could. "Wings and cheesecake it is. Are we feeling anything else? Seriously, treats on me." @sashaxjones

[sashaxjones]

Her partner's concern landed softer than it should have and Sasha accepted it. Responded in kind by easing a little into her chair and letting her expression grow more tender. "I figured." Her smile turned almost apologetic. "Sorry about that." She paused, her eyes shifting down toward the file before leaning above it, however not before looking up at Zoe one more time. "But I guess that comes with the job. I just didn't think I'd find myself in that situation in a town like this, to be honest." Which was not even a lie. Had this happened in New York City, nobody would have had a reason to be shocked. How ironic that it was in a quaint, small town on the coast of Oregon, that Sasha had been struck down like this. And when Zoe repeated that it was her treat, Sasha looked up and it was something that bordered on disappointment that crossed her face before she sighed. "Man, what I'd do to grab a drink with you, but you know .. Meds and stuff, so mocktails will have to make do." @zoexhawkins

[gabrielxpierce]

"They were asking for it." The moment he said it, a furrow creased his brows, then turning into a mild distaste for such a juvenile response and there was an instant regret that came along with it. "I actually don't know what that was." He told her in all fair honesty. It was almost scary how she was able to pluck a thought deep from his brain without as much as any effort being necessary. At her question, he let out a breath, sinking down lower until he felt his shoulder blades press against the warm wooden panels. "Honestly? Probably not." Gabriel spoke, trying to recollect if he had ever told her about what had happened to him. At this point he felt like she knew all there was to know about him regardless. She truly was an enigma. "So.. I should steer clear of the sauna from now on then? Is that what you're saying?" @sashaxjones

[sashaxjones]

Quietness was the blanket she wrapped herself in as Gabriel spoke and it was sincere curiosity that shimmered in her eyes. Those hazel eyes that were now practically glued to his, as though to study the hue of blue of his irises. Sasha knew she grew a certain fondness for Gabriel Pierce. A fondness she knew better than to feed with each conversation she engaged with him. A fondness that was driven by intrigue and so far, she had only unearthed some details about the man opposite her. Actively refraining from digging too deep into his past, she knew it was just a matter of time until she'd dive further into a man's past. Gathering intel was her forte, had always been something she excelled at. Why would it be different with him, she wondered. Tilting her head further as he spoke, her eyes narrowed slightly. "Maybe you are giving them too much credit, bad boy." Her voice was smooth as silk when Sasha's smirk turned wicked, almost devilish. "You don not particularly strike me as a naturally hostile person, if I may say so." He seemed sweet, genuine. It was difficult to imagine Gabriel turning violent at the flip of a switch, for no solid reason. And Sasha knew that for such acts, his reasons had to be greater, much graver than hers. And she shook her head, her smile softening around it's edges. "No," she spoke eventually. "You are a free man. You may frequent the sauna however often your heart desires." For a moment, she wondered if her next words were a good idea. "Besides, I don't mind your company, Gabriel." A beat. "And that's a compliment." @gabrielxpierce

[tomasxcooper]

He smiled as he looked at her, Tomas was the type to talk to anyone and at times not shut up if he didnt think about it. "We do our best," he smiled at the kids. "I started out as a foster on my own before I met Jet. He started off once we were living with each other." Since Tomas couldn't do it if Jet didnt get his paperwork. "Kids are just all great to me. " he loved kids of all ages, but did tend to like the younger ones the most. He sighed, "Sorry," he was sure she didnt care about his past and his kids.

"Oh," he looked around, having no idea what had gone on. "Nothing too bad, right?" he wanted to be sure to keep his family safe. "But you know if you check on your report, you can come join us, the card we have has lots to speak and share," he smiled, he was the type to invite anyone to have a good time. @sashaxjones

[sashaxjones]

She returned the man's smile, folded her arms in front of her chest and drew in a breath. And as the man spoke, elaborating on what she deemed to be part of his life's story, Sasha raised her brows in feigned interest. "Oh wow. That is admirable." And part of her was genuine in that statement, though her scale of respect was inherently skewed. "Like I said, I am sure they are lucky to have you." Another smile and she shifted her weight.

"Oh no. No, nothing too bad, I mean," she sighed. "It was probably just a messed up prank some teenagers played but we have to take it seriously." And at the invitation, she found herself taken by surprise - a rarity. Was this guy always this open? "Are you always this welcoming to complete strangers?" Kind of risky, she thought without any real emotion attached to the thought itself, especially given the young age of his daughter. @tomasxcooper

[knoxwallace]

Whatever small comfort should have been there as Sasha agreed with him about the picture never came. He was already too heated, too convinced that he was being set up for a fall here to think that her words mattered at all. She could say whatever she wanted, but Knox knew how he felt and right now it felt like she was predisposed against him. He couldn't blame her, but it stung nevertheless. He'd come to Kismet Harbor to escape his past, to put a foot on the right path, and instead he was finding himself constantly pulled back to the life he was trying to outrun. His hands wrung tightly together as Sasha spoke, her words bringing his rage from a boil to a simmer despite his reluctance to trust her. "I get it. I fucking get it, I know. On paper, I'm the guy you look at every time. It's just bullshit it has to be that way," he sighed out, a resigned note of frustration in his voice. Some of it frustration towards Sasha and the system at large, but more so at himself for the choices he'd made over his lifetime to make him one of those guys. Leaning into the table, Knox let his hands drop down to the surface, fingers drumming against it as the question lingered between them. He knew he could pull the records, but he didn't know what they would show. A gap here or there where he made himself a snack or stepped away for something else was now looming over him as an opening, another reason for them to look his way. His gaze flickered away, eyes disconnecting as he tried to think if there was anything he had to offer, any tidbit of information he could provide to give himself a better chance here. "I don't - no. If I had anything, I'd tell you, but I don't. Where I come from, it's better to stay the fuck out of everyone else's business." A lesson he'd always stuck to in life to keep himself afloat. The less you knew, the better. "So, I get you the logs. You can see where I was. If you want to come by my place, you're welcome any time. Come by, hang out, see that I have nothing to hide."

@sashaxjones

[sashaxjones]

Sasha's expression ceased to soften much, but something in her posture shifted. A sense of ease that set muscles slightly looser as the man on the other side of the table burned. She could only assume the turmoil of anger and frustration that coursed through his body, flowed through his bloodstream and she had an interest to keep Knox talking. To soothe him, if only in the slightest, without ever making the shift too obvious. It was a thin line she was treading, a balancing act and Sasha had learned to master it easily. To never make someone feel too secure, while keeping them partly reassured that some doors were left open for them to slip through, still. She tilted her head as Knox spoke and nodded, feigning understanding. "Okay. You bring us those logs and we will go through them." The nonchalance in her voice was blatant and obvious and the twitch of the corners of her mouth was brief but noticeable enough as her brows furrowed and a frown hovered above her features for a split second and she scribbled something down on a note in the file. "And I will take you up on that offer, Mr. Wallace." She looked up, her body motionless as her eyes shifted and took another good look at the man as she tapped her pen on the table five times. "For right now, you are not in trouble. I find something that makes sense, I will stop looking at you." She paused, the clicking of her pen fading in the quiet. "Until then, you are part of the bigger picture, whether you like it or not." Another beat and a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth and she adjusted her posture before she stood. "Thank you for you cooperation, Mr. Wallace. It is truly appreciated." @knoxwallace