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CIAN KELLY

Basics Age: 40 Birthday: September 15th Occupation: Owner of Emerald Downs, Underboss Born: New York City Resides: Northside ✓   Level-Headed, Reliable, Discreet ✗   Oppressive, Insensitive, Cruel

•

Kieran smirks as Cian takes the shot regardless, downing his own in tandem. “I think Quinlan can be persuasive.” He admits before grinning, “At least to those with weaker minds.” Said with a snicker as he considers Cian’s words. He knows his cousin and brother are thick as thieves so he’s certain he’s come up in conversation as the bane of Quinlan’s existence these days. It’s not that he’s ever set out to be that, it just happens. “I don’t need to be watched. But if you wanted to report back, you can say I’ve been on my best behavior all night. Haven’t even asked for her number,” he says, nodding in the direction of a woman who was clearly on a date with someone else. He can tell that the type of man she’s with would get territorial. He wouldn’t have hesitated before but after the scuffle during the storm, he knows Quinlan’s tolerance for petty fist fights (though he stands by his actions a few weeks ago) is lower than usual. “I’d call that pretty exemplary stuff,” he snickers, taking a sip of his whiskey, washing down the acrid taste of absinthe that still lingers. “Besides, what is there to talk about besides business? You telling me Lockwood gets more interesting after a few months? I’m still waiting to see for myself.” 

“I thought the same until I’m certain he figured out my go to move in rock paper scissors so he can win every time, which means we always have to go with his ideas.” Cian laughed because he wouldn’t underestimate Quinlan. Family or not, the man was raised to be cold blooded and manipulative. “I’m not watching or reporting back, Kieran. If I was going to babysit, I’d not be sitting in a strip club doing fucking green monster shots with you.” Cian laughed louder and then clapped his cousin on the shoulder. “I actually have fun with you, is that allowed?” he then said before beginning the same old story he had said plenty of times. “We’re more like brothers than cousins, Kier. Everything you’ve done, I basically paved the damn way. I’m lucky to still be sat here with all my fingers.” he waved his other hand and wiggled the digits. “The city is fucking awful but you know what’s fun? Making the city ours. Which means, in a weird turn of events, you and Quinlan actually want the same thing. The more the city is ours, the more fun you can have. Huh?”

+ CIAN AMBIGUOUS LOCATION 

It’s late when Adam parks, checking his messages to reconfirm the address he’d been sent. The moment the text had come through, he’d known this was going to be a long night. It doesn’t matter that he’d been getting ready to crawl into bed, you don’t keep a man like Cian Kelly waiting. Adam puts on stoic face, all business, and gets his pack together, a go-bag of supplies expressly for the purpose of doing his new job. Reluctant or not, Adam is nothing short of thorough and the situation doesn’t change that. 

Baseball cap pulled down low over his head, sweatshirt hood pulled up, the CSI slings his pack over his shoulder and makes his way to the back door of the looming building. It’s not the first time he’s encountered Cian at the scene of a crime, but given the hour, he’d expected the underboss to send someone in his stead. But there he is, as imposing as ever as Adam approaches. “What’s the damage?” He asks, waiting for Cian to lead the way, rather than waste time on pleasantries. He knows he’s a means to an end, another tool in their array of useful people, so he’s just there to do his job and leave and hazards a guess (hope) that Cian is of the same accord.   @cian-kelly​

Trust doesn’t come easily or cheaply to any of the Kelly’s or even their associates. They all exist in an acidic underbelly where anyone can drive a knife in their back while shaking their hand. That’s why Cian wanted to keep a close eye on Adam, a new cleaner that had all the skills but was lacking the usual grit Cian enjoyed seeing in others. It raised warnings, if he was here against his will because those were the ones who always ended up causing problems. Cian hoped to get him on side properly, extending his company to his clean ups in hopes of forging some kind of professional rapport. “Well, this one got a little messy. Fuck knows what happened.” Cian pre-warned him as he showed the way, opening a door onto a bloody scene. “We were hoping to say suicide but...now our fella is missing a finger so...” Cian laughed as if it wasn’t somebody’s life they were talking about. The body slumped face down in it’s own sea of red. “You know how all this works by now, don’t you? We prefer it to look like death by own hands but sometimes...intruder has to do it.” he narrowed his gaze slightly as if he was trying to read Adam’s thoughts. “You can make it look like that? You know, the glass looking like it wasn’t put through on the inside and all that shit.” he laughed again. “I watch those shows when I can’t sleep.” They were relaxing.

“That sounds like a glorified and expensive prank, Cian.” Quinlan answers almost immediately, without giving much thought to the proposal. He instantly thinks of it as nonsense, believing that Kieran has perfected the art of being a hindrance and chaos-induced storm all at once. “Kieran is smarter than he acts, that’s half of the problem. He will probably know within seconds that something doesn’t feel right. Besides, he’d probably become the lord of the prison’s black market and we’d have a whole different problem to try and fix.” Quinlan wants to laugh at it but he can’t find much amusement to the story, it feels too realistic to be funny. “Let’s not talk work anymore, I planned this night so we can get drunk and laugh about the things we used to. Whatever happened to that pretty journalist, hm? Did you invite her?”

“Prank is an immature way of putting it. I think it’d scare him into shape. It would have done me if I was younger, thinking my family weren’t going to be a cushion for me to fall on.” Cian could relate to Kieran in many ways and maybe Quinlan would listen one day. “You see it as a problem but you have to admit, it would just be new business for us.” he added, knocking back more of his drink before he laughed. He then slapped his cousin’s shoulder, cackling with expectation. “That’s what I like to hear, last time I saw you drunk was at Christmas. I like drunk Quinlan. Your eyes stop doing the scary thing.” he poked fun, knowing he was lucky to be able to get away with it. The mention of Soraya made him hum, sitting back in the seat and throwing his arm across the back rest. “I invited her so let’s leave it at that. I doubt you want to open the can of date worms, Quin. Your taste in women is...strange.”

•

Sure, she thinks sarcastically as he follows her. “Oh right, that makes more sense than you watching me,” Juliette deadpans, shooting him an annoyed look before smoothing her face into that pristine visage she presents to the world. “I’ll have it before lunch time. How about that?” she promises with a tight smile, just to one-up him. They used to be friends, back in the day. But along with the divorce came the truth that everyone in Quinlan’s life was beholden to his whims. Cian could’ve led, she’s certain he knows that too, but the fact that he’s fallen in line just proves to Jules that he’s another one of Quinlan’s lackeys that she refuses to be. “True, but it’s important for members to be invested in the health of their organization. I know this,” she gestures around them at the race course, “is your little pet project but if you actually ran a business, you’d understand why that’s a good thing,” Jules says sweetly. She knows her role in the organization as capo is secondary to her role as CEO of Lark Technologies and the considerable connections and resources she brings with her. “If I’ve got your permission, then yes, it would. Hopefully my worries are for nothing but I’d just never forgive myself if I wasn’t extra vigilant. Only trying to protect our family, of course.” She’s always hated how people referred to the mafia as a family.

“Whatever you feel capable of, darling. Don’t want to give you extra stress.” Cian said back to her quickly. He knew Quinlan was more cut out for this type of thing. Cian preferred to just tell someone to shut up and Quinlan did all the fancy metaphors and coded language. He wondered what Juliette and him ever even talked about, or if they managed to even talk at all without needing a decoder or translator. “Tell me more how many businesses you’ve ran or just took over after someone died?” there was no such thing as a lowblow in Cian’s world, he’d pick up whatever game Juliette put down and sabotage it into an argument quite happily. He ranked her, so he could do what he wanted. Within reason. He cared more about pissing Quinlan off, truthfully. Cian’s amused smile faded and it was obvious by the furrowed brow that he didn’t believe a word she said, and he didn’t engage in cat and mouse games. Not often, anyway. “You know I’m not Quinlan, right?” he said blankly. "The fancy words don’t do anything but make me hate you. You can do what you feel is best as capo. That’s your call. But you’re not family Juliette. You just have the name.”

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ ˳༄꠶ ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

                            The pet name caused Soraya to snap her glance from the computer, knowing intrinsically who it came from. There was no rose-tinted glasses where Cian was involved, his presence always giving her a bittersweet nostalgia. “Morning.” she answered sullenly, sliding her chair to the side so they could speak. Keeping everything strictly business was much easier, for her part at least no matter how much charisma Cian could muster. “Disappointing? I kept to the facts, but I guess I can see why you and your cousin wouldn’t like that.” Soraya spoke calmly, watching the coffee cup get pushed closer to her. “Is that how you want to be remembered when your time comes, Cian?” she asked, taking the envelope and scanning through it. “By your mistakes?” the journalist clarified before looking up at him. “Although, you probably don’t see them as that, huh?”

Cian laughed, not for any other reason than to fill the small office with an uncomfortable energy because nothing Soraya said was comical. “Time comes for all of us, Sori. And in the end, no one remembers us anyway.” he said bleakly but with utter seriousness. “We’re trying to prevent people from pointing fingers in the wrong place.” Cian added, watching her look over the file before he gently reached up to close it in her hands and have her undivided attention. “Think of it this way, princess. If people think we did it, they’ll come for us. If people think something else, you’re saving a lot of lives.” he let go after and crossed his arms. “I never said anything about mistakes, Soraya. Business is business, for all of us. Even you.”

@sorayakhan​

“Morning, princess.” Cian drawled as he approached Soraya’s office, just like he always did. It was more common for somebody else to deliver the work but Cian enjoyed making the appearance himself. He never waited for her to invite him either, taking the seat opposite her and sliding over a take out coffee he bought for her. “So, thought we could talk about last week. The little story about that biker, kind of disappointing.” he began, but he didn’t show any frustration in his tone. “Think it’s better if you do a new one, you know? More information found, bring up his criminal history.” Cian explained, tapping the envelope he put on the desk that contained everything. 

His head cants to the side as Cian speaks, features expressionless as always as a million thoughts cross through his mind. The idea isn’t a new one but Quinlan discarded it a long time ago, knowing that Kieran would manage to be more of a problem if it ever happened. Quinlan laughs slightly, following the toast and sipping the whiskey. “And then what?” he offers Cian to do a little more brainstorming. “He’d find a way to make sure we knew that we made a mistake Cian, you know that as well as I do.” he laughs despite no amusement being genuine. “Drastic is good but not to the point where it makes things more difficult for us. I suppose I could make Juliette constantly follow him everywhere, he hates her and she hates him. Be like two little horror dolls running in a circle. Each other’s nightmare coming to life.”

Cian sighed at the obvious reply from Quinlan, to make him think deeper but that was why they worked well together. Cian could push Quinlan to consider more brutal choices and Quinlan could offer other approaches, sometimes there were disagreements but they usually were settled fairly. They’d never tell anybody else, but sometimes a quick game of rock paper scissors decided many fates for the organization in choosing who’s idea to follow. “Have you ever considered that helping him clear up messes is what makes him think he can keep making them?” Cian laughed, but he knew it was only because Quinlan cared. Sometimes caring was a weakness, though. “Can’t we shock him?” it was a true suggestion even though Cian was laughing. “Set him up on a job, you know? Fake cops, fake arrest. Make him sit his ass in jail and not bail him out until he admits he needs to grow up?”

+ CIAN EMERALD DOWNS

“Oh, no need to shadow me, Cian. I’m just doing my rounds.” Juliette all but waves him off as she walks around Emerald Downs. As capo, she was in charge of keeping tabs on money and affiliates while supervising loan sharks and other associates, all of whom could be relied upon to be found at the racecourse. “You’ll have a full scale report by end of day. Scouts honor,” patronizingly said as she holds up two fingers in a mock solute and leans in slightly. “But uh, real quick. I heard something quite interesting…Cade Wolfman is on our payroll? Is this a temporary thing or are we now in the habit of taking The Keeper’s leftovers? Just checking.” She says it with the warmest smile which still fails to reach her eyes. @cian-kelly​ 

“As am I, you won’t even know I’m here.” Cian laughed forcibly as he followed the hindrance. “It’d be better if I could have it by lunch time.” he then suggested coldly and sarcastic, not deviating or making it any less obvious that he was lingering to watch her. Trust was a big thing in their world and while it was in Juliette’s best interest was to remain loyal, Cian always thought she would be better placed elsewhere. Like a dungeon. The Kelly smiled back at her question, nodding as if he had every intention to answer. “You don’t need to worry about things above your paygrade, Jules. Better to focus on what we expect from you so it’s done well.” he suggested with an uncaring smirk. “If you want to keep extra tabs on Cade then you can, will that ease your mind?”

Quinlan listens to the cousin who has more experience with outlandish behavior. His own idea of acting out was drinking too much and spending too much, but Quinlan can’t ever remember a time he’s ever caused any issues beyond that. Not as many as Kieran has. He lets out a soft laugh, rubbing his head. “Probably was real, you’re right.” he grins, holding out his empty glass for a re-fill while Cian has the bottle. “We hardly talk, Cian. Not without there being some kind of disagreement happening when we do.” he exhales, looking Cian over. “He can, he has all the potential and more. I don’t know why he throws it away. And he doesn’t ever tell me there’s a reason either…I think he just…hates it.”

Cian didn’t think he was good at this sort of conversation, his technique could be described as brutal but maybe it was needed. He never thought his ideas could be harder in comparison to his cousins, but Quinlan had always tried to jump through hoops to save Kieran drastic consequences. “Cut him off.” Cian said, handing back a full glass to Quinlan and meeting his against it before drinking. “Temporary strip him of the title, stop all information getting to him. Bank cards cancelled. Make him earn something.” It was an archaic opinion but everybody else earned places with hard work and it gave them more pride for it too.

“No one’s forcing ya, Cian,” Kieran goads good-naturedly, all the while passing his cousin the drink expectantly. He prefers hanging out with Cian to his brother these days. All Quinlan can seem to talk about is how Kieran’s pissing everything away and doesn’t he care that this could be his? He was perfectly content in New York before one little mistake set off the fire alarm and now everything he does is under scrutiny by his brother. Jesus, he can’t even sneeze in Lockwood without Quinlan knowing. “Fuck the French,” Kieran agrees, holding his shot aloft before giving Cian an appraising look. “So is Quinlan too busy to babysit me tonight? He send you instead?” He may act wild and reckless, but he’s still a Kelly and he picks up on more than he lets on. They all do.

Cian laughed, knocking back the shot with a slight grimace. His intense party days were long over and he doubted he’d be able to keep with the younger years Kiran had as an advantage. “You think I’d agree to babysit you?” he challenged to his cousin, tilting his head. “Pretty hurtful to assume I’d not just want to spend time with you, away from business talk and all that boring seriousness.” he added. He could see why Kieran was suspicious, Quinlan did want a close watch on him after all. But Cian would rather keep politics aside for tonight. “Or is this you telling me I need to baby sit you, in which case you shouldn’t be feeding me shots because I’ll be the one needing it.”

closed starter quinlan’s home with @cian-kelly​

A little bit of Benny Goodman on the speakers and Quinlan is a happy man, along with his glass of whiskey and a chain of cigarettes. He misses being able to share this kind of time with his brother, but he is in a constant suspicion that Kieran would find a way to make a quiet wind down into a raging party. “Some poor girl probably has his attention, until another one does.” Quinlan laughs to their cousin as the topic remains on Kieran for a short while. “These days I don’t even bother asking him to come for a drink, I had a dream the other night I offered him one at the shop- he spiked it and tied me to the desk chair so he could raid the safe.”

“Always a girl.” Cian used to comfort his cousin by saying Kieran would grow out of the mischief, or get bored of causing constant fires that needed to be put out. Just like he did...but Kieran then approached the age Cian was when he got his act together. Then he surpassed it. And he no longer had much comfort to give. “Sure it was a dream and not the after effects making you think it was a dream?” Cian laughed even though he sounded serious as he poured himself another drink. “Maybe he just doesn’t want to be a part of it. Ever had that talk? Be a shame though. He can make people pay up fast.” 

@kieranxkelly​

“Absinthe. Jesus Christ. I’m not twenty anymore.” Cian laughed when the server brought over the drinks that quite obviously Kieran had decided they’d be enjoying. He had a lot of time for his younger cousin, even though Kieran seemed to be using up every single life raft that the Kelly ship could offer. He just needed someone to not judge him, that was Cian’s take on it. “You need a bit of water, apparently. Activate the green fairy it’s called. That’s how the French do it.” he mumbled like a sour old man as he peered at the shots. “But, how do I say it nicely? Fuck the french.”