withdrawn

          it was a constant pull and tug, him trying to be a better man. as much as he knew whatever efforts he gave would end up being bullshit, there were certain opportunities he couldn’t pass up. helping dakota back to headquarters instead of barging back in was one of them. leaving his brother in the dust was another. for fuck sake, he had broken adrian’s rules for the asshole, only to have the man throw the past back in his face. even when he did try, even when he did care, it all crumbled into shit. “ yeah, you can go ahead and get the fuck out. ” he hisses, making a hand motion toward the door. “ here, while you’re at it, you can have your knife. it was lodged into my fuckin’ back, you piece of shit. ” he had stuck his neck out for declan time and time again, only to be lied to and betrayed. had it come to the point where he couldn’t even trust his siblings anymore?

              if she was avoiding a certain someone she probably shouldn’t have been hanging around the basement for some time. but there was a fear struck in her that remained ever since the event.  “  nothing. fuck happened to you ?  ”  she snapped back, glad that the blanket covered her injured foot. 

              COMMON SENSE       had a tendency to fall short from her as well as proven with each point the other would make.           ❝         a rookie, then.       ❞            it came off more as a question than an actual statement, as if she no longer trusted the accusations she’d make.             ❝       you’re not gonna find anything good to eat in there.    ‘nless you actually have an interest in stainless steel and jacketed lead    -     in which case        ❞            hands move to gesture towards the aforementioned fridge.          ❝         dig in, dude.       ❞           

          ⟡ “ I’VE HEARD THAT AMMO LOSES power in cold temperatures. then there’s the issue of rust. ” how does she know this ? too much spare time by her brother’s hospital bed. “ — but you look hangry and i’m sure that’s the last of your concerns. bin the gun, you can have my waffles. ”

THERE IS ABSOLUTELY    no shame in the way she reaches for the weapon,  wrapping fingers around the handles as she examines it.            ❝     it hardens the bullets.   makes ripping through flesh a lot easier and more painful.       ❞            &     then an ( internal debate )  on whether or not she should point the gun at the questioner:     NO      she decided.    lips, instead, crack open into a smile as she   places the weapon on to a nearby counter.             ❝       kidding!   it’s not even mine.    probably someone in medic who believes freezing this shit will sterilize it.       ❞  

“ironic in a speak of the devil and he shall appear kind of way. the one person who’d be offended by my geriatric comment is the one person forgetful enough to leave a gun in the refrigerator.” she waves her hand vaguely along with her brief explanation. “yes, just last saturday i tried to shank sweet gertrude down at the grocery store with the key to my ex’s apartment,” the sarcasm flows freely now that she’s settled into the conversation (and her perch on the countertop). “i wasn’t trying to get deep with metaphors and glorification there, socrates. i’m just saying it’s a pretty staple accessory for more than a few people around hq.” 

        “ yeah, reminds me of you. ” he returned, spinning it right back on declan. wes nodded, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a dog treat. “ these were supposed to fuckin’ help and they didn’t. ” even after an hour searching for an answer on his phone, duke proved to be more of a pain in the ass than expected. “ you couldn’t have gotten me a fish or some shit? a snake, a turtle? none of those things make noises. ” truth be told, it was a good thing that declan had decided to gift him a dog. duke was good at reminding wes when he needed something. if he had owned an animal in a cage, it’d be dead within a week.

                 a hand goes to pat her waistband to do a check for the gun usually housed there. a sheepish smile finds itself growing on her face as she glides past the younger mancini brother and safely secures the gun, “ oops !! that was definitely me. ”

                 clover sits at the table, as she had been for the past half hour, making her way through the bowl of lucky charms. “ i saw that in there too, ” clover supplies, legs swinging, “ wasn’t sure if that was normal or not. ”

minnie hops up onto the countertop, boot clad feet dangling freely. she leans in towards him like she’s somehow going to be able to recognize the gun’s owner just by staring at it intensely enough but then she straightens to shrug, giving up on the endeavor. “watch it end up being him that’s left it there – just for irony’s sake.” she lets out an indifferent hum before bobbing her head in a nod. “most regular people don’t leave their home without their keys and feel like they’re missing something important when they accidentally step out with ‘em. tell me people ‘round here wouldn’t feel the same way about their gun of choice –” her eyes drop back to the gun in question, “besides our forgetful friend, here.”

“Did I hear that right?” Baby raises a brow, peering away from the tabloid they’d been reading– Ok! Magizine, to be exact. They look towards Declan, splaying out the magazine onto counter, before placing their elbows on it and leaning somewhat, now slightly off the stool they’d been sitting in. “Wowww! and here I thought I’ve seen it all. Honey, someone is really gonna find themselves in a pinch without that bad puppy!” He coo’s, looking towards his empty coke can, they fiddles idly with the bendy straw in it before looking back towards the other.  “Ohhh, can you hand me another soda pop, I’d be super duper grateful.” Baby draws out words, like every syllable is sweeter than the last, as if that last drink coated their tongue with sugar. “You know maybe someone just got a bit too tipsy and forgot it in there. Seems a bit dumb tho’.” They shrug.

“don’t look at me – apparently i can’t be trusted with a firearm yet. have you questioned a few of the gangs older members? i’ve heard of people whose memories are fading putting their keys in the freezer.” her joke is probably a smidge insensitive but minnie’s never claimed to be the most politically correct person out there. besides, is there even room for being pc in a fucking gang?

               “  oh, eat a dick, declan,  ”  if she rolls her eyes anymore, they may roll right into her head. dakota opens the fridge again, grabbing the milk and pouring her a glass. ( who the fuck drank milk straight anyway ?? )  “  well, excuse me for wanting to eat a uniquely shaped cake that doesn’t look like a fucking yellow-ass butt plug with overalls on it !  ”  in an effort to calm her frustrations, she takes a swig of the milk before slamming her glass onto the counter.