SHARK

Mini Series

Part I- Simply Not Here

Part II - Some Video Tapes

Part III - Utterly Insane

Part IV - Feed Me Stray Cat

Part V - Glitter and Violence

Part VI - That Subtle Off-White Coloring

Part VII - Good Boy!

Part VIII - Mergers and Executions

Part IX - This Confession Has Meant Nothing

Part X - This is Not An Exit

Visual

Moodboard Inspo

Partner in Crime by @/justrainandcoffee

Chanel Slaughter

Aesthetic Review

Lawrence's Light (by @/justrainandcoffee)

Vengeance of Mine (by @/evita-shelby)

Perfect in Blood (by @/jelly-rei)

Blurbs and One Shots

Are You Afraid of The Dark? by @/zablife

The Tape by @/zablife

Devil in Disguise by @/peakyswriting

Related

Shark's Halloween Event (Hip to Be Scared focused)

Criminal Review

Amos x Heaven Masterlist ♥

General Kirigan x OC!Reader Masterlist ♥

2020

The stove was on waiting for the kettle that Rose had on the kitchen counter, but she was lost in her thoughts looking at the fire. The blue flame dancing with the breeze that entered through the small window the kitchen had, mesmerised her. Rose, for some odd reason, found it fascinating like if she hadn't seen the same flame before. If it wasn't because still had some common sense, then she could have touch it.

How big a fire could be?

Rose blinked twice and finally put the kettle on the stove and her mind went back to her usual self. It was like she had been bewitched by some dark spell and was finally free. But she didn't think about it, unaware of her thoughts.

Once the tea was ready, she let the mug warm up her hands. Her house looked horribly empty without James in it, and he had been there less than two weekends. The first Saturday when they met, go to drink something and then he left her in her bed because she was too drunk to even remember what she was doing. Then, the last Saturday when he was stabbed and even when she was mad at him, had to do something to help him and finally two days ago, on Sunday, when they got married. Was it too fast? Maybe. But Rose didn't regret it.

James was a dangerous man. He had killed more than one person but when he looked at her Rose felt something she hadn't felt before. And it was exactly that what she missed in that moment: his company, his body next to hers, the way she felt loved and paradoxically, also felt safe in the arms of a criminal.

"Always try to find a good man, Rosie," the voice of her grandmother sounded in her head. Well, she had failed her Bubbe and not just with her husband, but also her life. Rose knew she was nothing but a failure, so, did it really matter who her other half was?

Her thoughts were interrupted when saw her father coming to her house. She sighed. She felt alone but the company of him wasn't what she wanted. Rose peeped through the window and he waved at her, he had a cake in his hands.

"I thought that we could have tea together. Like old times."

"Before you abandoned us, you mean?"

"Yes, Rose. When you were a kid and loved me. It's been a long time since we share something. What about having a nice moment with your father? Because I'm your father, whether you like it or not. I bought the cake I know you like: apple and cream."

The woman nodded and offered him a chair. In part felt pity of him, he wasn't a bad man but she thought she couldn't forgive him, but at least she still spoke to him contrary to his brother Samuel that even blocked his number. He was getting old, too, every day seemed he had a new grey curl. Rose could see how during rainy days walked slower than usual, despite everything he was her father and she hated how easily he got under her skin, like when was a little girl and he was the super dad that could do everything.

"This is good," she said eating a slice of cake. "Is it from the bakery in front of the synagogue?"

"Yes. Mrs. Rosenberg said that it was the last one she had for the day. We're lucky."

"Good for us. How's work?"

"Not bad, not good either, but it's fine. I saw Christine the other day, she told me you didn't went to yours. Is everything fine?"

"Christine should watch her ass instead of mine. No, it's not fine. I'm tired of that garbage. I think I prefer to stay here and then sell them online. Some people know me, I can make something good of it."

"I trust in you, sweetheart."

"You shouldn't" she thought.

The conversation went towards politics, how the new Prime Minister in London was ruining the nations and Scotland's brexit. USA's new president—

"Do you want more tea?" she asked pointing at the kettle but her father took her hand before she could get it.

"What's this, Rosie? A wedding ring? Rose?" Samuel tilted his head at the same time she moved her hand away.

"It's nothing."

"Rosie. Rose, you're not like this. That's a wedding ring! When did it happen? Did someone force you? Your mum knows?"

"It's nothing, I said! I'm 32, papa! I'm a woman, not your little girl anymore. I don't have to ask permission to do my life."

"Obviously not. But this is a huge surprise, Rose, what are you doing?"

"It's better if you go, dad," she said, standing up. "I have things to do. I enjoyed the tea time and the cake but I'm going to ask you to leave."

Samuel nodded and went to the door, but stopped before opening it "I just want to know that you're safe. That whatever that ring means, brings something good to you. I hope he treats you well, but it hurts that you're not trusting me, Rosie."

"It's not that I don't trust you, but I know you won't understand."

"Of course, I don't! I saw you this last Saturday morning and you looked sad, but you didn't have any ring. Today, three days later, I found you with this. Despite you underestimate me, that's a wedding ring."

"Go home, dad. It's not your business."

"Maybe, but if something happens to you I'm going to chase that fucker to the end of the world. I'm being sincere, Rosie, I don't know what are you doing but I don't like this at all. My only daughter got married and not just kept it away from the family but is denying it at all costs. What do you want me to think?"

"Nothing. Just keep your nose away from my life."

--------

"You need to do something! Didn't I prove for the last year I'm worth to be outside?"

James had smoked three cigarettes since his lawyer arrived around half an hour ago. He was losing his patience but was trying to control himself.

After trying all morning Monday to contact him, that Tuesday night Royce finally came. It was a good guy and professional, but sometimes James felt was a bit passive when was about his clients, like him.

"I'm a married man now! I want to do the right things, I want to have a better job, I want to give my wife the life she deserves. Goddamit! I'm not asking to go outside to get fucking high in some street corner!"

"I agree that you proved yourself to be responsible and I told you last year that it's going to help you to reduce your sentence and it's true. But trying to go out that easily, isn't that simple."

"I just want go home with my wife. With Rosie. What else do I need to do? Let's be honest, from the very beginning the sentence was completely unfair because my lawyers were useless. They just patted my back and continued with their lives. Fuck both of them. I was 18, Royce, 18! I was the victim there, that fucker that ruined my brother's life and mine too! And now you're telling me, after being here for 15 fucking years I can't go outside and be a husband and a good citizen? Fuck you!"

"No, James, I'm trying to say that it'll take time. You and your wife will have to be patient. I'm working on it. I'm going to speak with the judge, the general attorney. I'm going to advocate for your case, but don't think it'll be in three days. Tomorrow your wife is going to visit you, enjoy that time with her until next Saturday. What I can do is telling your employer you're not going to work with him anymore. Maybe she can get you something so you don't have to spend 10 hours in that shithole you have been working. If she takes the responsibility for you."

"That's something, I guess and yes, she will."

"I'm at your side, James, just bear with me while I to arrange everything, ok?"

James nodded. It wasn't the answer he was expecting to hear but he also knew it didn't depend on the lawyer. He put the rest of the cigarettes in his pocket and let the guard escort him back to his cell. He plopped down on his bed once was locked in again and took the photo that was on the wall. He had taken it last Sunday before the wedding. Rose was smiling at him in her kitchen and the sunlight was reflecting on her hair. In his eyes, she looked extremely adorable in that moment and couldn't help but immortalised it. He printed in a simple paper, with the basic printer she had but it was enough and he treasured it.

"No good news, I guess."

James shook his head even knowing that from where his cellmate was, couldn't see him, but the silence was enough. James and Amos knew each other to the point of understanding the silent messages the other was sending. Von Thorne the other prisoners call them and some guard, too. Always together. One because consider the rest less than a worm and the other because distrusted them and preferred solitude or the company of the only friend he had since was a teenage boy. Some tried to tease them, some in harmless ways but others, like a gang formed by fascist scum accused them of being homosexual in a derogatory way. They didn't reply, the accusations didn't matter to them, what mattered was who was saying that. The leader died of internal bleeding not longer after. A bacteria, they said. Maybe. Or maybe was the crushed glass mixed with his dinner.

Amos was the first person, not counting Doctor Carter, to know about the wedding between Rose and James. If his friend had said that killed a man and ate his brain like it was soup it'd have caused less impression on him than the news about the unexpected wedding with a girl that James barely knew. It was an stupid decision, Amos correctly said, because it was. Stupid and reckless. James didn't know her, he didn't know her family, her backstory, her beliefs. Amos said James was thinking with his dick, not his mind. What if she was using him? What if it was just a fantasy? Divorce was always an option but why would he choose go through that, instead of stepping back and thinking things twice? But either way, it didn't matter anymore, it was done. James Thorne was now James Coldwell and he seemed to be truly in love with the girl that had met in the café the previous weekend.

"Royce told me that for now the only thing he can do is authorise me to leave that shitty job I was forced to take. I need to do something, clearly, but maybe Róisín can help me with that."

"What happened with your money. Your brother has it, right? The half of it belongs to you legally, James."

"Jay has three boys, Amos, he needs it more than me."

"Bullshit. I understand that his sons are his priority, but one thing doesn't erase the other. With at least a quarter of that money you and your wife can live quite well for a long time, or until you can find a proper job."

"I can't take the money out of my nephews."

"Yes, you can and you should. You can even take legal actions if he doesn't cooperate."

"Are you listening to yourself? If the relationship with my brother isn't bad, then I'm going to bury it completely if I do that."

"When you were alone like a street cat was one thing but it changed, Andrew, you have someone in your life now. Like he has. And despite what happened Jared Walsh was your father not the father of the kids because they have their own daddy and he should provide for them. If you want my serious opinion, it's this one. I still think that your marriage was something rushed and dumb, but it's done and like I said, I'm happy for you. If you want to do the right thing now, go to your brother and ask for your part. He had been living like a king while you were here after freeing him from the fucker that your father was. It's only fair, James, think about your woman now, not his family."

"The thing, Sasha, is I don't want my father's fucking money."

"Maybe. But you need it."

--------

That was only the second time Rose went to prison to visit him. The previous Wednesday was when she told him that didn't want to do anything with him that could go and fuck himself. Ironically, today was there as his wife.

Again had to pass through the metal detector, had to deal with cops looking into her bag searching for potential guns, weapons or drugs she could carry with her. As if she was so stupid to do that.

James was already there, along with other prisoners and their families, when she crossed the door. Suddenly was like her day, and week, had changed completely.

He ran to her, taking her in his arms and kissing her so passionately that both almost fell on the floor. They stood there, with their foreheads together, with her arms playing with his hair and his holding her next to him.

"Ketzele…"

"Róisín, my Róisín. I missed you so much."

"I missed you too, love. How are you?"

"I'm better now, Rosie. Come, let's sit here."

They shared coffee she brought in a thermos and although was served in one of those white plastic glasses the prison had, it tasted really good. It had a bit of whiskey, something he really appreciated.

He told her about the news his lawyer gave him and both celebrated the fact they will be able to spend time together as they wanted to and if having a job was one of the conditions they gave him to be outside Mountjoy, then she offered him to work with her. Selling dresses wasn't something James ever expected but it was a job and a legal one and no one could say a shit about that. Maybe taking photos of her creations and then posting them online could be part of it as well.

"My father knows," Rose said in one of those moments they found between words and kisses. "I didn't confirm him anything, but he knows. He saw the ring."

"What did he say? Maybe you should've taken it off."

"Why? I don't want to! But I didn't consider the chance that he was going to spend a tea time with me. I didn't think about until was too late."

"Does he know about me?"

Rose shook her head. "He's not an idiot, he knows I'm married now but has a lot of questions. I believe he thinks someone forced me."

"But I didn't, did I?"

"Of course, you didn't! I'm going to talk to him, but first I needed you to know it. Because weekend is coming and if he sees you around the house, he will ask and he'll need to hear from you. Like he said, I'm his only daughter."

"I guess that's my duty as your husband. It's okay, love, talk to him. I'm a big boy, I can face the consequences. I love you and I want him to know that."

"I love you, too. I can't wait until Saturday to be with you. This is getting impossible to bear with and it's only our first time as a married couple."

"I can't wait to be with you, either. I'm going to bother my lawyer, again too, until they let me out. Worst fuckers than me are free. It's my turn now."

"Let's hope they can hear you, Jamie."

Half an hour was all they got during the week. That's the time prison allowed its inmates to see their beloved ones and it seemed to be a cruel joke. This time, however, maybe because they weren't controlling or because they didn't care, they could spent fifty minutes together. Fifty minutes they craved a lot.

They said goodbye that afternoon, with a long bittersweet kiss and the promise of seeing eachother again that Saturday at 7am.

Ignoring the sadness of leaving her husband behind, Rose went first to her synagogue in search of some peace. Hearing the prayers murmuring in Hebrew, the sound of the footsteps people coming in and out of the temple, the smell of the incense gave her calm that not even in her house could get. It brought her memories of when she was a kid and all the family, except Louis because he wasn't was born, went to their favourite synagogue in London and then they went to a restaurant to enjoy some food. Or to the park where she and Samuel could spend hours playing and running until they fall asleep in the car when all were returning home.

By the time Rose left the temple was dark. She stopped at a kosher restaurant and bought some food for the night, then instead of going to her house, went to her father's.

"I want to apologise for my behaviour yesterday," she said when he opened the door "can a dinner make up for it? I have peaches for later, too."

"Are you trying to bribe me?"

"Always," she replied and the man chuckled.

"Get in, my levunale."

"I'm coming to talk about this," Rose added raising the finger where her ring was.

"I figured it out and I'm going to get upset."

"I hope not," she admitted, but the truth was she was terrified of his answer. For some reason, even when he didn't deserve it, she still tried to impress him. She wanted to prove him that was good and the unknown response about James was killing her.

"So tell me, who is he?" Samuel asked once they put the plates aside. By mutual agreement, they didn't talk about it during dinner and just watched an old show made in the 70s.

"His name is James. He took my name… our name, but because of me you know? He's James Coldwell but in the papers he's Thorne. He's 33, Irish and catholic."

"James Thorne? The James Thorne?" He interrupt her and his daughter nodded, but didn't look at him. "The patricide. He's in prison, isn't he?"

Rose nodded again. His father looked at her and then stood up to walk around the kitchen where they were. "How it happened? Did he pressure you? How did you end up involved with a criminal, Rose?"

"I knew him in a cafe, near my job. He is… he's sweet, papa, do you know the horror his father put him and his brother through? Since he was almost a toddler! And his mother, that piece of shit, allowed it! He had enough, he was only a boy. He didn't deserve 25 years! You know better than me how this fuckass system works, you taught me that! So fuck the penalty system!"

"He killed a man."

"Because he fucking deserved it. Any adult that abuse physically and mentally of children deserve that. James is a good man and he loves me, he never pushed me to do this. He proposed to me and I agreed because I'm in love with him. Isn't that enough?"

"Idealistically speaking, maybe. Real life works different, Rosie, for fuck's sake. How are you two going to build the relationship? How about the future! When is he going to be allowed to be outside? Is he going to live here?"

"Yes. He's going to live here with me. His lawyer is trying to get his release. He's a good photographer, I'm going to make the impossible to get him a job. Papa, please, I'm not saying you should be his friend but at least try to listen to him, okay? Eat something with him, if you want. He loves me, believe me."

"Does your mother know?"

"No one knows but you. If Sam knows…"

Her father nodded. "Okay, I'm not going to say a thing until I meet him but this can't be our secret and your brothers and mum need to know."

"It's a deal."

"Did he respect you?" Samuel finally asked and he saw her daughter's eyes shining. If he had to be honest with himself, he had never seen Rose like that.

"You don't know how much," she replied sincerely.

.

When Saturday finally arrived, they didn't waste time. Once they were in her house, after Rose picked him up from Mountjoy, the bedroom was the only place they wanted to be in.

Now, in his arms, sweating and trying to catch their breath everything made sense for them, even if the rest of the world didn't understand it.

James rubbed his nose against her hair feeling that perfume he had missed so much. He realised the moment he met her, that it was a love bordering on the obsession. They kissed again, they made love again. And again.

Only when they didn't have more energy, only when their bodies and souls were momentarily satisfied, they got up to have breakfast.

The stove was on and Rose found herself again observing the flames, while preparing the tea.

"Do you know what?" She said, "I'd burn the world for you, ketzele."

☀️ Agony Auntie

Touble in paradise? Aunt Nina’s listening. Ask her for relationship advice over a fresh lemonade. (If you think it’s going to be good advice, think again).

☀️ Little Tourist

Send Nina a “🍋” and she will take you to a place in Sicily she associates with you.

☀️ Let’s talk

Ask something to a Ferrante of your choice — or any other HBS character. It can be anything, a fact, an opinion, etc. If you don’t have a specific question, ask for a random fact.

☀️ Omertà

Share your deepest, darkest secrets with Papa Ferrante. He’s a man of honour, he won’t tell anyone.

☀️ Spill the tea

Spread gossip about the other guests (and pray they don’t find out).

*As always, this will be open for the whole month. You can participate either with your OCs or as yourself. There’s no limit of any kind, you can send as many of these as you want and with as many as OCs as you want. Flood my inbox.

Also shoutout to @zablife for suggesting Nina giving relationship advice, cause I feel like it’s going to be hilarious.