RESONANT BODY .

"that you are." eddy nods, almost in an approving way, still quite impressed by her read on him. he pulled the cigarette to his lips again, taking a drag as he looks acorss at her. noting the crossed arms. pulling it away he smiles. almost laughing at the thought of giving bash his karma. "exactly. i'm sure it would have come for him eventually, but i got a little inpatient." eddy shrugs tossing the cigarette to the ground and stamping it out "yeah we usually get a certain type at those times." he muttered, not entirely sure what he meant by that, genuinely not wanting to offend. his smirk grew into a wider smile when she spoke again. "i wouldn't be apposed to it. i'm used to getting looked at, so feel free, that's all im saying."

WHILE EVE HAS NEVER sought anyone's approval -- even certain direct superiors, she can't lie that she feels almost vindicated. " i try. " the woman takes another drag, allowing the stress of the day to roll off her shoulders. there was so much on the line. so many people were relying on her to find something the cops missed. " so you consider yourself the judge and the jury then. " eyebrows raise with interest at the mention of a certain type appearing at the gym in the late hours of the night. quite frankly, she just didn't like the energy certain people brought into the gym. thus, she always hoped to avoid them. " what, huh? brooding? devilishly good looking? " her smile is sly as the smoke dances around her. " actually, going to add an addendum to my read: humble too. " of course she's still smiling in all good fun. " but hey, if you're used to it... maybe i will. "

while she didn't know daisy personally, she had seen her around. that was it. hearing that her brother had been the one to find her, it was all starting to make sense why he hadn't been getting that much sleep. hell, if she had been in his shoes, she probably wouldn't be getting much sleep either she hated that there wasn't much she could do in this situation. "talking about it can help." she pointed out. which she knew he was doing just that. not talking about something could only make things worse. something she had learned the hard way months after being taken in by her adopted family. "a cup of warm milk with a hint of cinnamon though could also help." she noted. something that had helped her years ago. "my adopted mom first gave me that my first year with them. and it did help me sleep."

THERE IS NOTHING HE can do to forget what he had seen that day. what had started as an attempt to bring himself back to life after a night at the bar had quickly become something so much more terrifying, something so much more heartbreaking than he had ever expected. considering how much violence he had endured and committed at his own hands, it was nearly overwhelming to him -- his shock over how much it was affecting him. he had never met the girl before. but, there had been a split second when he had thought it could have been one of his sisters. because in that moment it had hit him: that girl could have been somebody's sister. someone who mattered to someone, like his sisters mattered to him. " i know. just... for a split second, i thought she was one'a you. " he whispers, nearly choking on his final statement. " might have t'take y'up on that. better than starin' blankly at the knicks. i don't know a damn thing 'bout basketball. "

OF COURSE, WITHOUT QUESTION, despite being as devoted to soph as he is -- the cole family is as deeply intertwined with his own as one can get. he would to anything for any one of them, come when any of them called. " what, think i forgot y'name or somethin'? i ain't no stranger t'gettin' hit on my head -- but i ain't that forgetful. " the smile on the outskirts of his words is an attempt at a reminder that he is in fact joking. he was no stranger to working with terrified clients. from terrified teenagers to parents who wanted to match their children -- he had seen it all. but then there were the outlaws somewhere along the midwest back when he was an apprentice, those that almost acted like they felt not an ounce of pain. he places a hand gently on his shoulder in understanding. " look -- i get it. 'course it can be me. we can look at my openin's -- i'll even give ya the friends 'n family discount. let's go to my studio so y'can flip through my books. maybe seein' my work will give ya a better idea of what y'may want? " at the mention of numbing cream, he gestures to the little retail area near the desk -- containing products designed specifically for aftercare. one such item was numbing cream. " basically -- y'shave the area before, and you would put it on a couple'a hours before y'come t'see me, with it all wrapped up in saran wrap like'a pastry. prolly wouldn't take away everythin' -- but it'd certainly help manage your pain, 'specially if you're gettin' a hard spot. "

Sophia was already struggling before her encounter with Bastian. Her mind was her cruelest memory and after two years of it being poisoned by Charlie, it left her mentally weak. She beat herself up. There was no sugar coating the way she felt about herself and said about herself in her own head. She tried to stand her ground, to say that she was fine and make it convincing but even Sal could see through it. But how was she supposed to tell him? She wasn’t innocent in it either, she said some fucked up shit right back to Bash. “It’s my problem to deal with though.”

Beneath the couture, Giada Santoro-D'Amiano was in fact human—painfully so. If you cut her, she bled. If you pushed her, she bent. And if you managed to slip past all those carefully sharpened edges, she even cried. Ever since Josephina’s death, Giada had been aching beneath her armor of chianti and couture. Which was perhaps why the silence sprawling throughout her estate felt so loud tonight. A silence that clung heavily to the walls and long corridors, settling into its marble bones like mourning itself had taken up residence there.

IT HAD BEEN PERHAPS the last thing sinéad lynch had expected when she had arrived in california -- for her life to have become so clearly separated into two timelines: before giada, and during her. for a woman who had once been so fiercely independent ( and she still was, telling herself that her own self-preservation would be the only thing she'd have as long as she was on this turning world ), never had she anticipated to be so consumed by another human being. the very moment she had heard, giada had been her very first call. she is her very first thought in every choice she makes -- every destination she moves towards.

francis slipped into the seat across from sinéad, half empty cup of coffee pushed to the side. he leaned on his elbows, chin propped up on his palm and his fingers pressed to his lips. the woman in front of him was one of the few people who understood, right at this moment, what was going on inside of him. she was not santoro blood, but she might as well have been with how closely linked she was to the family. "peachy fucking keen," he repeated her words with a forced smile. "but you know what would make me feel even better? if you could tell me that you've seen any of my siblings around recently. i didn't think to take a headcount this morning, and now i'm just nervous."

SINÉAD IS NO STRANGER to death. in fact, despite her stature in high society, she is certainly not afraid to dirty her hands with blood -- and pulling the trigger of a gun is reflexive now. and yet, despite having initially aligned herself with the santoro's as a business decision -- each and every one of them had become so much more than that. she had been taught very early that even your own flesh and blood are at times blind to your sparkle. when sinéad? she was blinding. even if the lynch family had more money than god, the loyalty and dedication she felt to the santoro family was worth more tha any amount of money could possibly buy.

"I come bearing gifts." In one hand, a glinting bottle of Chateau Lafite Rothschild Pauillac, circa 2010, dangles by the neck. In the other, a charcuterie board packed with sliced meats, imported cheeses, dried fruit, and a few dark-chocolate delicacies. "I took it upon myself to declare we deserve a little pampering. I mean, after all the endless turmoil, what good are we if we're not at our full potential?"

RARELY EVER DID SINÉAD ever admit this not just out loud, but to herself -- but the woman saw a lot of herself in one miss sawyer devereux. some may say that's a bad thing, that she's the devil -- but no. what sinéad sees is a woman who is strong, incredibly secure in herself without any sign of deviating. and that? it's a beautiful and rare thing, which deserves to be nurtured. perhaps the only time the underboss possesses a single maternal instinct in her body.

"I didn't mean to scare you." Brooklyn said softly, "My mom always said I needed a bell or some shit." She laughed softly. She had a way of sneaking up on people; she was light on her feet. If she weren't wearing heels, you probably couldn't hear her coming. Brooklyn was dressed down in her usual outfits. She had on a thin spaghetti strap tank top, no bra, yes, the piercings are showing, and a soft pair of PJ shorts that hugged her ass nicely, with a little bit of cheek falling out. Granted, she didn't think anyone would be here. "That was nice of you. She's been looking a tad rough the past few days." Brooklyn was sure others had noticed. Brooklyn felt her cheeks heat when Angel called her pretty. "It was just getting a little load in there, I was trynna sleep, so I figured I'd take a walk. I'm not in the dancing on tables mood."

" SCARE ME? NAH. CALL it a pleasant surprise. " angel hums, wiping their hands on their apron -- while they will their eyes not to appear hungry. they could be respectful, even if the thoughts swirling through their mind like a tornado are far from it. they settle with their tongue coming to rest in the crevice of their left cheek as their only reaction for a moment, leaning against their latest project. " it's a good thing in this life, i think. y'can strike when they least expect it. " pretty and deadly, as angel had come to learn in their time, were more than just a lethal combination. as much as they pretended to be all tough, those were the kinds of women that haunted them. left their mark more than any ruby red lipstick ever could. " can y'blame her? she's got lots t'be worried about. we all deserve a break every now 'n then. " besides, as their vice president, she needed to keep her head in the game. but, angel had noticed some interesting glances exchanged between her and their road captain as of late. " oh? somethin' on your mind? " they question. perhaps it was time for them to lock up for real anyway -- considering their actual hours were long over by now. soph wasn't the only one that needed to keep their head on straight. " i've got a good set of ears. or so i've been told -- when i'm choosing to use 'em. "

location: any neutral location

ANGEL HAD ONLY BEEN making an attempt at being a good samaritan -- which they rarely ever made the conscious effort to do. the shoes looked expensive, far too much so to be ruined by tripping and falling over their laces. thus, they remove their headpones from their ears -- the sound of coffee shop chatter filling their ears and replacing the amyl and the sniffers that had been at top volume.

eddy stood and listened to the girl, a sort of dorky smirk across his lips, he was impressed, he had always thought he was good at reading other people but the detail this girl came out with was unmatched. nothing he could pick up on, even to himself. "pretty fucking close." he shrugged, not giving too much away "wasn't doing it for cinematic effect, just wanted to give that bashy bastard what he deserved" his smirk grew, thinking about it all again "i call bullshit on you guessing my job though, must have seen me around the gym?"

SHE CAN SEE IT in his eyes -- the amusement. he doesn't seem like the kind who cracks easily. thus, a win is a win. manicured eyebrows raise in a trained response, one arm crossed over her chest while the cigarette dangling between his fingers. " see? told you i'm good. " the woman hums in approval, careful not to get too cocky. there's a difference between confidence and the far more self-indulgent trait. " hey, i can see that. sometimes when the universe doesn't give people their karma... sometimes you feel like you have to take matters into your own hands. you feel it often, am i correct? " it's a human trait -- everyone feels it, no matter how good they think they are. some are just better at controlling their urges. " well, i tend to be around when your coworkers are trying to kick everyone out. working out at weird hours comes with the territory. " she steps a hair closer as she listens to his next statement. " why, did you want me to look at you? "

"i know it's been a minute," she sighed, running a hand through her hair. it seemed as of late that her days had been running into one another, regardless if she was scheduled to work or not. despite that, she knew how important trying to arrange for family gatherings should be. it's what thalia was wanting and it was something that she deserved. "i am off, yes. i think she'd like that. knowing her, she probably already has a whole spread waiting for us. you should have seen the goodie box she dropped off at the hospital for me," sav paused, a faint smile forming on her lips at the thoughtfullness of her older sibling. "um, yeah? for the most part, i've been doing alright," the blonde spoke, offering half truths, half lies.

OF COURSE HE HAD noticed that his sister almost appeared to be in her own little universe. most of the greco siblings had always been that way -- but given their circumstances, he was sure there was something else going on in her head. " i was 'bout to swing by the hospital... it ain't like you not t'check in for this long. " he says, in all honesty. maybe he sounds like a concerned father -- but that is the role he was placed into. some may say forced, but he would have done anything for them none the less. " i swear to god, that woman puts some crack in her cheesecake. i could eat like... four of 'em in one sittin' without even breathin'. " he laughs. but of course, he noticed the hesitation. savannah doesn't usually hesitate in her speech unless there's something going on. " you're tellin' me the truth? " he questions, arms crossed over his chest.

Thomas stood still while Sinéad spoke, shoulders squared, expression serious in that same steady way he carried most things. Josephina’s death sat wrong in him. The Santoros had given him a place to stand when he’d had nowhere, and now one of theirs was gone. It felt personal even if he hadn’t known her close. His jaw tightened slightly at the mention of Bash being abandoned by his own people. “Maybe,” he said low. “Hard t’ tell with groups like that when you ain’t in ‘em.” He shifted his weight once, eyes dropping briefly before lifting back to her. “I don’t know much ‘bout the Riders firsthand. Mostly rumors. Folks talk different dependin’ on who they fear.” A pause followed. “But I’ll keep diggin’.” The moment she mentioned Yujin, Thomas nodded immediately. “Yes, ma’am. I’ll get with him soon as we’re done here.” There wasn’t hesitation in it, only commitment. He’d work whatever angle they needed. Watch people. Scare people. Break people if it came to that. Whatever the family required. Still, before the moment could settle fully, Thomas tilted his head slightly, in the awkward way he always was when trying to make sure he understood expectations right. “You got any limits you want me t’ stick to?” he asked plainly. “I’ll do what needs doin’.” His gaze stayed steady on her. “Just don’t wanna overstep what leadership’s wantin’.” The wording came out stiff, but earnest. Thomas didn’t fear getting his hands dirty. He feared disappointing the people who had trusted him enough to give him a chance.

AS THICK-SKINNED AS thomas believes himself to be -- sinéad can't help but wonder if the idea of belonging got to him. leaving him wondering if the mob would turn their back on him. if she was honest with herself -- perhaps there had been a time she had thought the same way too. and yet, in her years, she had come learn how to move for not just the protection of herself, but the family. and while such an assumption would lead to perhaps more visceral grief in the aftermath of josaphina's death -- but sinéad was a woman made of stone. publicly, that is. " fer a group'a bikers -- it amuses me how much some of'em cling to moral superiority. " this induces a laugh that some have described as sinister. she remembered watching many of them swarm the open bar at antonio's side, as she so often was. " always searchin' for someone ta blame. perhaps their focus should be more on tamin' their loose ends. " loose cannons were certainly far from something sinéad took lightly amongst their own ranks -- far from leading an army of overgrown children. " good. i have a feelin' they'll be endin' up at our door. better t'squash the pests before they fester. " the nod that follows is perhaps the only praise that the woman is willing to offer -- but it is also the highest. perhaps if sinéad was the one being asked -- she would have offered him a simple i trust your judgement. and yet, they had other people to think about. "Now ain't t'time ta be makin' too many enemies... but 'm sure ye knew that. if y'move through this business bein' too terrified of makin' someone angry, ye'd never get a thing done. but.... " hands clasp in front of her before resting on her desk. " i'm sure y'know just as well as i do that this vermin ruinnin' amuck through our fair city is somethin' that needs t'be squashed. "