Re: Sleeping Beauty, or the story of how hossy dumpty had a great fall thanks to that andrew douche. [Hoss/Haze/Andrew]

by **Ceara** Tue Oct 09, 2012 10:23 pm

Ceara accepted the gauze and bandages and began to dress the wound as best she could without hurting him in the dim light. “Which gang?” The girl froze, pausing for a moment before she continued.

“…Solstice.”

Andrew nodded, twisting around slightly to address Hoss. “I’m in. You saw I could be of help. I want in.” Her lips pressed together in a firm line, pulling a bit harder on the bandages than necessary. That was exactly what she didn’t want to happen.

“Sure thing.”

She looked over her shoulder to glare at her partner. Ceara didn’t want to have to go through the fear she experienced tonight over and over again every single time her cousin went on a mission. No, he really couldn't join Solstice. Her mouth opened to tell the other two just that but she hesitated, because that would kind of make her a hypocrite. If their roles were reversed, she definitely wouldn’t not join just because Andrew told her not to. So she shut her mouth, chewing on the inside of her cheek, and stepped back when Hoss told her to move.

Ceara listened to Hoss talk to her cousin, silently agreeing with him. If Andrew really was going to be recruited, he needed to get back at Hoss for his shoulder, so they could trust each other. It was a good idea, and it was just an added bonus that she could watch Hoss get punched, though she really wished she could do it herself.

Stepping completely out of the way, she snorted. “Why can’t I hit you? I mean, after all you’ve done to me…” she said, only half joking. She still hadn’t forgiven Hoss completely for leaving her on the train.

by **Andrew** Wed Oct 10, 2012 12:49 am

At least Hoss had finally stopped whistling. Andrew didn't normally mind it, but the same friggin' tune got to even him after a while. And he couldn't help letting out a soft grunt of pain or stop the wince as Ceara gave a sharp tug to finish tying off the bandage.

He blinked, tensing a little when his cousin stepped aside for the older man to take her place. It wasn't too surprising since he had not only threatened to kill Andrew, but actually stabbed him as well, even if it had been partly Andrew's fault. "Clear the air and even things out"? What? He wanted Andrew to punch him?

"I'm not going to --" And he kept talking, even throwing in a suggestive, half-flirtatious look. "I don't punch p--" This time it was Ceara cutting him off. Regardless of saying that he wanted to join Solstice, he really didn't like fighting. He'd much rather avoid it. And wait. "All the things he had done to her"? What the hell did she mean by that?

Andrew just glanced between the other two, expressionless, before he focused on Hoss. "Fine." And with a quick movement, he lashed out, kicking the taller man in the gut, focusing the blow in his heel. And when someone who runs everywhere kicks you, it hurts. That made them a bit more even than punching Hoss would have since most of Andrew's strength was in his legs rather than his arms.

"Now, what was that about you doing stuff to my cousin?" He wanted to know just in case he had to hit Hoss a second time. May as well get everything out of the way now, right? That way there weren't any hard feelings later. It was all in the spirit of fostering trust after all.

by **Hoss** Wed Oct 10, 2012 9:45 pm

“Why can’t I hit you? I mean, after all you’ve done to me…”

"Because you gave your free hit to a waitress." He told her matter of factly before turning back toward Andrew. He seemed to be disapproving of the idea but truth be told he wasn't going to take no for an answer. Even if the guy wasn't one for hitting he'd be damned if he was going to just go through all this with some shitty rivalry and a bad first impression that had him thinking he could potentially kill an ally. He was smarter than that, the only reason Andrew got stabbed was because he was acting decisively and quickly. It was protective, but it was pretty thoughtless at the same time.

"Fine."

The kick slammed his heel into Hoss gut. The hit had managed to bring about a good deal of pain as Hoss doubled over and fell to the side onto his knees before coughing up at the ground. "Now, what was that about you doing stuff to my cousin?"

"Shoulda… kept.. that… a secret," Hoss managed to get out as he let his insides return to normalcy. No longer was he plagued with a need to hurl but he still had a dull ache in his gut that made it hard to stand up completely. He raised up and turned to look at the two. "I left her on a train once, I grabbed her ass when we were under cover, and quite frankly I've had impure thoughts about her. That said, you had your hit and you don't get another without reciprocation. You do however have complete freedom to hunt down any cousins I have hidden in the woodworks and bang them in revenge. Go nuts."

He grinned. "Seriously though, keep the cousin thing a secret. Keeps the big wigs from using that relationship as leverage against either of you."

At least he was being honest with the guy. As honest as he could possibly be and still he was keeping back quite a bit if he really wanted to get into it. He had managed to save her in some ways, just as she had saved him. They worked together quite well on that mission and kept each other from getting killed. She had managed to get him smacked but this guy had no right to hit Hoss because of something he did to Haze. No, quite the opposite, Haze had a right to hit him. Which as Hoss clearly stated earlier, she had done via proxy.

by **Ceara** Wed Oct 10, 2012 11:11 pm

"Because you gave your free hit to a waitress."

“Pfft. That’s not fair, she slapped you like a pansy.” She said, watching Andrew sink his heel into Hoss’ gut with mild amusement. That hit had to hurt, coming from Andrew.

“Now, what was that about you doing stuff to my cousin?” Ceara flinched. She had to give him a serious talk/beating for his loose tongue; he couldn’t go around saying shit like that, especially now that he was in Solstice.

"Shoulda… kept.. that… a secret. I left her on a train once, I grabbed her ass when we were under cover, and quite frankly I've had impure thoughts about her. That said, you had your hit and you don't get another without reciprocation. You do however have complete freedom to hunt down any cousins I have hidden in the woodworks and bang them in revenge. Go nuts."

She scrunched up her nose in slight disgust. It wasn’t as if Hoss was unattractive, physically at least, but it was still disturbing for her to hear him say stuff like that. Plus, you just don’t say shit like that in front of a girl’s overprotective family member. “If you’re gonna count it like that, then I still have two hits, one for leaving me on the train, fucking asleep, the other for setting a damn exhibit on fire and somehow fucking dragging me into it.” Oh no, she wasn’t bitter at all.

She then turned back to Andrew, a small frown tugging her lips down. “Are you sure about this?”

by **Andrew** Thu Oct 11, 2012 12:58 pm

Andrew reached out with his uninjured arm and caught Hoss around the bicep, helping him stand straight again. "I'm not a complete idiot. I can see she trusts you. Now I find out if I can." Because, even with their similar features taken into account, the cousins still looked different enough that people wouldn't figure they were related. Andrew had no intention of mentioning their relationship again and he knew Ceara wouldn't. If it got out, it would be because either Hoss said something or someone figured out who they really were.

He looked at Ceara as he let his hand fall again. "After all of that, you still haven't broken his leg or jaw or something? You must like him," he said with a teasing smile, content to pretend there wasn't any sort of problem, and ignore the comment about screwing some random person - he did that enough as it was. It wasn't that he would do any of that crap, but if he had, she would have hit him. That she hadn't hit Hoss... Did that mean she only tolerated Andrew? He pushed his smile wider, made it look more genuine. Now wasn't the time to think like that he knew, even with that urge to run starting to creep in again.

“Are you sure about this?”

He sobered a little, taking the distraction offered. "I'm hyperactive, not flighty. Yeah, I'm sure." He looked between the other two. "For the record, I'm not throwing myself in front of anymore trucks. One of you can do it next time," he said with another grin. Nevermind that he knew full well he would if he needed to.

by **Hoss** Sat Oct 13, 2012 1:30 am

"Pfft. That's not fair, she slapped you like a pansy."

"You say that, but you weren't the one who got slapped." He grinned, amused by the way the conversation was going. In the end she still claimed that she had a free hit or two on him but it had been too long anyway. "Just get me back later sometime. I don't think you'll enjoy it as much if I see it coming anyway. No killing or maiming though, just innocent pranks and jokes and a little bit of pain."

He was starting to feel better as he let himself relax a little bit, listening to the boy talk a little bit about how he might be able to trust Hoss. He grabbed his arm to support him a bit and even said that Ceara liked him. Well wasn't that interesting? Little Ceara had a crush on Harvey, perhaps? He had a shit eating grin from that statement but didn't let it hold much water.

After the guy reassured his cousin that he was alright and that one of them could jump in front of a truck next time Hoss merely patted the guy's shoulder. He lit up a smoke and turned on his heel, heading in a different direction. "I suggest we don't stick around the mission scene. Who knows how the second team did with their half, we might have company if we stick around. Besides, I think I can hear sirens in the distance. Someone might have seen the fire and called for help."

The fire wasn't even alive any more, the last of the gas having burnt out leaving small fractures in the concrete and the smell of burnt gasoline. Even as far away as they were, being downwind had left a nasty scent in the air. Hoss' smoke helped to alleviate that for him at least, finding his cigarette to be a much sweeter burning than the gasoline had been.

"Haze can fill you in on the rest. Later!"

He raised his hand with a single wave without bothering to turn back, burying his washed hands in his pockets.

by **Ceara** Sat Oct 13, 2012 5:38 pm

Ceara gave the both of them a flat stare, simply blinking. No. Just… oh god, no. She had a sudden urge to smack both of the grinning idiots over the head. She couldn’t even guess as to how Andrew came up with the notion of her liking Hoss, but it was stupid as fuck. She barely tolerated the asshole, really.

"I suggest we don't stick around the mission scene. Who knows how the second team did with their half, we might have company if we stick around. Besides, I think I can hear sirens in the distance. Someone might have seen the fire and called for help. Haze can fill you in on the rest. Later!"

She nodded. He was right, there was a faint wail of a siren some ways off, but they still had to get out of here just in case. “See you, Hoss,” she muttered at his already turned back before facing Andrew again. The girl frowned slightly, wondering if he was still mad at her for not telling him about her involvement with Solstice. Gesturing in the general direction of the building where this all started with her head, Ceara silently asked him if he wanted to go with her. She had to pick up her hammer, anyway.

by **Andrew** Sat Oct 13, 2012 7:29 pm

Andrew blinked at Hoss in confusion. What the hell was that grin for? And why was his cousin looking at the both of them like they were idiots. Well, to be fair, she usually had that look in regards to Andrew, but that didn't mean it wasn't a little odd. He hadn't done anything to deserve it this time. Maybe she didn't like Hoss all that much? They seemed to get along well enough anyway.

And yeah, that was true, they needed to get moving. He nodded to Hoss as the other patted his shoulder. He still wasn't too happy about the events of the night, and definitely needed to think through some things, but he just knew shit was going to be interesting from now one.

He turned to look at Ceara and nodded in response to her silent question. It was the best time for them to figure out where to go from here, instead of letting it linger and fester. He tugged the spare shirt on, using only his good arm, and set his bag on that shoulder as well. He was careful to hold his hurt arm close to his chest so as not to accidentally jostle it as they walked.

He watched her pick up the hammer once they got to that alley before breaking the silence, voice subdued. "I'm surprised you didn't argue with me over joining."

by **Ceara** Sat Oct 13, 2012 9:17 pm

Andrew following behind her, Ceara walked back to the alley besides the building in silence. She fought the impulse to fidget at the awkwardness between them. Honestly it wasn’t supposed to be like this; she was the quieter one, while her cousin was the type of person to chatter and not let a heavy silence settle between them. The girl had opened her mouth several times, about to say something, anything, to break the tension, but at the last moment decided against it. Sighing, she bent down to grab her hammer.

"I'm surprised you didn't argue with me over joining,” she heard him finally speak from behind her.

“You’re your own person. It’s not my decision to make, really.” The silver-haired girl straightened up, setting the weapon over her shoulder. “Besides, I highly doubt that, even if I protested, I could change your mind. Am I happy with it?” She grimaced then, thinking back at the panic she felt when she thought he was injured. “No, but what can I do?”

Ceara fully turned around, facing him. “Are you angry at me?”

by **Andrew** Sat Oct 13, 2012 9:45 pm

Was he angry with her? A little, but it truly didn't matter all that much. He was actually more hurt than anything else. Why had she... No, he could guess why she didn't say anything. She was ashamed and afraid of how he would react. He knew what that was like, it was exactly why he hadn't come completely clean to her about some of the things he did. Hell, it was a good part of why he hadn't straight-up told her he didn't actually have anywhere to live.

Green eyes met purple and he shook his head. "No, I'm not angry. I can't say I'm happy either, but I can understand why you didn't say anything to me." His hand drifted up to his shoulder to absently cover the wound, trying not to rub it. "I just... What now?" he asked with a sigh.

If they could work through this, then he was pretty sure that they'd have a stronger relationship for it, be closer for it. He just needed to grow a pair and tell her his biggest shame, and then hope that she wasn't too disgusted with him.

by **Ceara** Sun Oct 14, 2012 1:42 am

"No, I'm not angry. I can't say I'm happy either, but I can understand why you didn't say anything to me.”

Ceara pursed her lips before they settled into a frown. Andrew had a track record of jumping to conclusions, this entire night being a good example. She could only guess at what kinds of assumptions he was making inside that little head of his.

“I just... What now?"

Yes… What now? That was a good question. They could always go back to how they acted before, like she hadn’t lied to him -well she had never actually lied to him; it was more of a lie by omission, but she still hadn’t told him the truth nonetheless. Ceara hadn’t done it intentionally though; how the fuck does one casually bring up the fact that they’re in one of the most notorious gangs in the City, anyway? It just hadn’t come up, so she didn’t talk about it. But if they did go back to the way they were before, pretending like this hadn’t happened, that wouldn’t sit well with her.

So the girl settled with just lifting her shoulders up in a shrug and gave him a soft smile. “I… don’t know. I guess… try not to get yourself killed?” Well, that didn’t come out the way she wanted to, but she hoped she got her message across.

by **Andrew** Sun Oct 14, 2012 2:12 pm

She shrugged and smiled at him. He guessed that she wanted to move on, just acknowledge it had happened, but not really bring it up. It wasn't like there was much to discuss. They both had secrets and he had gotten stabbed and hit by a truck.

“I… don’t know. I guess… try not to get yourself killed?”

Andrew sent his own tired, somewhat bitter smile toward her. "I usually try to do that. I've managed so far." And there had been a few times that he really hadn't wanted to. He really needed to figure this out for himself now though, especially this stuff with Ceara. He shouldn't be so upset since he was hiding things from her too.

He wiped the bitterness from his smile and let it widen. "I need to think a bit though, see if I can find out what this means for me. I'll give you a call later this week, okay? And we can talk then, sound good?" He really hoped that would be good enough for her, because he was barely holding it together now.

He barely let her respond, wrapping her in a quick hug, before he turned and sprinted away. He would not let her see him break.

by **Ceara** Sun Oct 14, 2012 4:41 pm

He was really upset about her being part of Solstice, or at the very least something. Andrew was trying his best to hide it under a bright smile, but his lips were stretched a little too wide, his eyes a little too bright too be genuine.

"I need to think a bit though, see if I can find out what this means for me. I'll give you a call later this week, okay? And we can talk then, sound good?"

Ceara chewed on the inside of her lip, wanting to talk it out. But he looked close to losing it, so the girl simply nodded, looping her arms around him for a quick hug. Her cousin dashed off, obviously not eager to spend much more time in her company. She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

It hurt. It hurt that he couldn't wait to leave, that he wasn't the cheerful guy he used to be around her, and that she felt that this was all her fault. Ceara knew this was going to happen eventually, him hurting her, but the knowledge didn't lessen the tightening in her chest, even a little. She closed her eyes for a moment, collected herself, and turned on her heel before heading down the alley.

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