Worry turned into annoyance when she realized the person she’d bumped into was her brother, who was obviously faking an injury to stress her out. She was naive, but she knew what to expect when it came to Everett and Jacob. “Idiot. Serves you right for sneaking up on me. Don’t think I don’t know what you were up to,” she told him with narrowed eyes as he pulled her in for a hug, therefore squishing the pot she had worked for hours on. “Careful with the costume! It won’t stay awesome if it has an Ev shaped dent in it.”

“I think it would be even more awesome if it had an Ev shaped dent in it.” Everett smiles down at his baby sister, really pleased to see her. She was one of the few people he missed when he was away. “What? What was I up to? I’m offended you think I was up to anything other than wanting to say hello to a stranger who looks exactly like my sister.” 

He keeps smiling. “How are you doing?” 

⁂

“Hm?” Rosemarie has to wrack her brain to find his meaning, physically feeling the answers like puzzle pieces click together when she remembers the costumes. “That fight must have happened while I wasn’t looking.” She frowns, hoping what the man says isn’t true. “This priest, describe the priests eyebrows,” she requests casually, eyes narrowed with familiarity.

“And I’m an angel, can’t you tell?” She brushes her fingers across the home-made hallow above her head, turning her back to him a moment to flash elegant, blush pink wings. Though regarding the rest of the costume, it’s essentially frilly lingerie, and Rose wears it with pride. “Seven years, you’re not a murderer are you?” She asks with mirth, inching back for affect. 

“The priest’s eyebrows? I dunno. Eyebrows. What the fuck else do eyebrows look like? He was pretty frowny I guess but other than that.” Everett downed the rest of his rum and coke in his red cup and threw it to the floor, not really caring about littering. 

He studied the woman carefully, eyes lingering probably a little too long before he nods. “Ah yes, an Angel. Would that Angel be Lucifer or are you more of a Michael type?” Everett laughed. “If I told you what I was in for, I’d have to kill you.” He was joking, and winked at Rose. 

“So what are you supposed to be again? I’m 90% sure I recognise it but I have been in prison for 7 years so jog my memory, would ya?”

“Professional opinion? Just attempted murder, can’t be arson if you didn’t start the fire,” He’s less of a stickler for the rules when they weren’t the sort that would require his line of work. If Everett wanted to go flamingo flaying, that was some law-man’s problem. 

“Don’t think this one in particular’d be the most appetizing. He’s been maturing for about fifty five years, which is a little too long for my tastes,” He pauses to drink some of his beer, his next question almost sincere. “What dumbfuck let you out, Fisher? Or is this party going to end up broken up ‘cause you’re on the lamb? Ain’t nothing to me either way, heads up would be nice though.” 

“If I started the fire, then?” Everett suggested, pulling the lighter from his pocket. “Just, you know, went up behind him and lit the thing on fire? It’s probably very flammable.” He was mostly joking, of course; Everett didn’t exactly feel like getting locked up for murder. “I could even represent myself in court.” 

Like that went well last time. 

“Hey I served my time and got out for good behaviour. It’s not my fault the justice system is so fucked up they let you out for pretending to be a good boy behind bars. Let me tell you, you should be locked up for that awful costume you’ve got on. At least draw some fucking cat whiskers on your face or some shit.”

“An abandoned house, drunk folks, fire, fireworks and a party on Halloween have historically always been a great combination,” Dallas bemoans, stood where he could usually be found – by the fire. He pries off the cap of a beer bottle with the end of his lighter, flicking it in the grass as he looked towards the abandoned house from where he stood in the backyard. 

“I’d bet ten dollars easy that Thanksgiving’ll come early when the Flamingo ends up face first one of these fire pits and gets cooked.” 

@slchat​

“D’ya think it counts as arson or attempted murder if I go up and push the flamingo into the fire myself?” Everett asks, several beers deep now and really not caring if he ended up back in jail. At least for the night. “Never had flamingo before. Maybe it’ll taste good.”

“Who the fuck let you out?” Jacob asked. It was a joke, except for the fact that it absolutely wasn’t. Jacob had known that Everett was scheduled to be released from prison soon – good behaviour or whatever – but Everett had never given a firm date, or a time, or a place. He hadn’t given any indication whatsoever that he’d be showing up, bag in hand, like he was fucking staying. 

Jacob turned slowly on his heel, watching as Everett made himself comfortable on the couch. “What the fuck, man?” He asked, blinking at his brother in disbelief.  “I called you like three days ago and you told me you didn’t know when you were getting released. What the fuck are you doing here? I could’ve fucking picked you up, or cleaned up or some shit.” 

Everett wouldn’t care if his apartment was messy, Jacob knew that, but still, he hurried forward to start cleaning shit off the coffee table – soda cans, the remnants of ground weed – just regular adult stuff. “You should’ve told me.” 

And everyone thought Jacob was the disorganized one. What a fucking joke. 

“I wanted it to be a surprise.” Everett gave his brother a shit-eating grin and kicked his legs out onto the coffee table. “You gonna offer me a beer or some shit or am I gonna have to get it myself?” 

He watched his brother clean up, really not caring if the shitty apartment Jake called home was tidy or not. It was better than prison. Most things, if not all, were. Something caught Everett’s eye, though, and he got to his feet, walking over to a set of golf clubs that stood in their bag in the corner of the room. Letting out a low, impressed whistle, Everett picked up one of the clubs and inspected it.

“Didn’t know you played, Jake.” He looked over at his brother. “How much did these set you back? You rolling in it now?” Everett rolled his eyes, waved his hand at Jake. “Yeah, yeah, I should’ve told you but I’m here and now you have a roommate. Me.”

Oasis Apartments looked like an utter shithole, but he found that he seemed to do well in shitholes. 

With a rucksack full of his things, the only things he owned, Everett made his way to the apartment he knew Jake was living in and knocked on the door. When it opened, Everett spoke.

“Hey Jakey boy!” He grinned. “How are you doing? Can I come in? Thanks.” Everett pushed his way into the apartment and looked around, dropping his bag on the floor and jumping onto the couch, relaxing back and looking at his baby brother.

NAME: Everett Matthew Fisher AGE: 37 BIRTHDAY: June 3rd HOMETOWN: Chicago, Illinois GENDER: CisMale ORIENTATION: Heterosexual PROFESSION: Unemployed, former Lawyer

BULLET POINTS:

Oldest Fisher sibling. Jacob and Remi are his younger siblings.

Growing up, Everett liked order. He followed the rules and did everything to the best of his ability. He was smart and had ambition

Everett has strong morals and does what he believes is best which is ultimately his downfall

Went to Harvard Law School and passed the Bar first time, landing himself a job at a prestigious law firm in Boston, MA aged 25

 Got disbarred aged 28 after getting himself involved in some criminal activity in order to further a case along, i.e. he bribed and threatened plaintiffs to try and win cases and impersonated other people (see: Alan Shore, Boston Legal). 

Everett moved out west and ended up in California and became involved in crime

Was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment at California State Prison Los Angeles County for charges including identity theft, assault, grand theft auto and possession of class A drugs

Served 7 years and has recently been released. Upon hearing his family are in Silver Lake, Everett moved there and is now crashing with his younger brother in Oasis Apartments

Has absolutely no idea what he’s going to do with his life - probably just go back to crime