[color=silver][b]Present day... late Friday night... 13 Carlisle Avenue...[/b]
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/e7OuGHi.png[/img]
[sub]A [@BrutalBx], [@LovelyComplex], [@Aces Away], & [@metanoia] Collaboration
Featuring: [color=wheat][b]Antoine "Beau" Beauregard[/b][/color], [b][color=gold]ReyRey Gonzales[/color][/b], [color=DC143C][b]Mordechai Boaz[/b][/color], 
[color=fe6f5e][b]Penelope James[/b][/color], [b][color=e62020]Jade Taylor[/color][/b], [b][color=f5d42e]Sonny Cernis[/color][/b], & [color=b3e7f4][b]Xavier "Prof." Booker[/b][/color][/sub]
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[indent][color=wheat]“Put the gun down, Reynaldo!”[/color] A soothing, booming voice called from behind the gang. Entering from the shadows, his own pistol raised, Beau moved towards the assorted group of his former students. [color=wheat]“You know how much of a headache you’ll give your old man if you go down for these kids? Huh? What about your sister? Ain’t she got enough heartache right now?”[/color] The teacher slowly moved his way in front of his students, the two weapons in play now aimed between R2 and Beau respectively. [color=wheat]“It's a tragedy what happened to Miss Davies and it’s a tragedy what happened to Decker, let’s avoid more bodies if we can. We’re gonna walk away now and this is night done, savvy?”[/color]

[i]Goddamn Beau.[/i] Rey didn’t like him. He never liked him even when he was a teacher. So holier than thou. So damn hard. He hated him but he’d be damned if he didn’t respect the man. Beau’s word held a lot of weight with Big Papi Rey; R2 wasn’t sure why his father held the man with such esteem but ReyRey would never go against his old man, at least not in this particular way. Lowering his gun, the serpent ruler turned his back to the crowd, his eyes locking onto the shed where he had beaten Charlie all those years ago.

[color=gold]“Get these kids outta here, Beau before I change my fucking mind. All of them”[/color]

Beau kept his finger eased on the trigger as he turned his head ever so slightly to the group. [color=wheat]“Kids, go home. You did what you set out to do. Go be there for each other, tonight. You’re gonna need it.”[/color]

Taking the man's dismissal to heart, Sonny and Prof quickly grabbed Decky by his jacket and dragged the shaking man back to their previous spot behind the group, and once they had got him there he shook their hands off with much less vigour than the last time.

[color=dc143c]"Get the fuck off'a me, you shady assholes,"[/color] he growled half-heartedly, his eyes distant and still filled with tears. His whole body was shaking with fear rather than rage like ReyRey's had been, and he felt like shooting whatever it took into his veins to get this night out of his head. Even the arrival of Beau to save the day hadn't broken him out of the blank state he'd fallen into the second ReyRey had replied to him.

[color=f5d42e]"We're sorry Mob,"[/color] Sonny said, having more understanding of just how much ReyRey's words towards the former corner captain had affected him. [color=f5d42e]"if ya'd said anything else I think he actually might'a shot ya. We were just lookin' out for ya."[/color] he then crouched down, continuing to meet Decky's height as the other roughly slid down to the ground with his back against the fence. Prof took up the spot next to him, and suddenly Decky was feeling suffocated. The world seemed to tilt on its axis and he was having a very hard time breathing all the sudden, the air tearing through his throat like he was trying to swallow sandpaper.

He had been so stupid. 

[color=b3e7f4]"Come on, twerp,"[/color] Prof spoke up after another silent exchange between him and Sonny. [color=b3e7f4]"let's getcha home and you can get your rest."[/color] he hadn't even gotten out half the sentence when Decky shook his head vehemently before letting his face fall into his arms, his whole upper body basically propped up by his knees. Sonny gave a nervous little hum before resting his hand on the back of Decky's head, wincing and giving him a forlorn look when the other simply flinched and shrunk away again. Sonny hadn't seen Decky like this since they were kids, before ReyRey had come into the picture and given the broken boys meaning and a chance at a future. Another look at Prof had the two exchanging grimaces.

[color=f5d42e]"Mob, come on, the Edge is just a few hundred feet away, let's go-"[/color] he'd grabbed one of Decky's hands to try and pull him up, but the slightly larger man lashed out with his hard earned speed and shoved him away, causing Sonny to over balance and fall back on his ass.

 [color=dc143c]"No!"[/color] he yelled, uncaring of his noise level as he glared at his friends through red, glassy eyes. [color=dc143c]"'M not goin' back there, I'll go back ta sleepin' on the fuckin' streets first!"[/color]

[color=b3e7f4]"Don't be stupid Boaz, y-"[/color]

[color=dc143c]"The [I]fucking streets,[/I] Xavier."[/color] he hissed sharply, chest heaving and glare leveled on his two friends.

Silence fell between them as they sat at a stalemate, Sonny and Prof refusing to leave Decky to the streets, and Decky refusing to be under the roof of someone that just destroyed any confidence he had had left in himself. His parents had used him too. In different ways, for different people and reasons. But he had thought once he became a serpent he was done being a puppet to be passed around at someone else's whim. ReyRey had hugged the boy more than anyone else after Danny and Sonny, he had consoled him when he broke down and Decky had felt safe and loved.

And it was all a lie. He'd been locked in another room under someone else's roof, only ever let out when it pleased his owner. The room was just so much nicer he had never noticed.

[color=gold][I]you’re a tool just like the rest of them. you’re a tool you’re a tool you’re a tool.[/i][/color]

[color=dc143c]"Just another fuckin' tool again, huh…"[/color]

No matter how much more Penelope could say to ReyRey, deep down she knew none of her words would reach him. As everything escalated around her, she could feel that fire dying out. The fire that gave her so much courage to break the silence felt non-existent at this point. She had her moment and even though her words didn’t come out as well as she wanted them to, she said enough for the night. When R2 chimed in, all she could feel was immense hatred for the man. The new revelations from Decky and Jade… well, that broke her heart. 

Maybe she didn’t know Charlie as well as she thought she did. The spite turned into hurt and she realized something about herself. She saw R2 as the easiest person to blame for her guilt and lack of attentiveness to Charlie. ReyRey manipulated Decky and he pushed Jade between a rock and a hard place. He was not a good person and nothing would change her mind on that matter. Even so, as much as she wanted to tell herself he was the villain in this story, deep down she blamed herself wholeheartedly. 

Saying he was more wrong than her was an easier pill to swallow than the truth. Really, did it matter who did what? People were dead and they couldn’t make that go away. Charlie, Allison, Maxine, Danny Boaz, and so many more. No one could turn back time. These unsolved mysteries… would the truth actually accomplish anything or would they just give this town its final blow? 

With watery eyes, she wiped the tears trickling down her cheeks. When she saw Beau, her heart stopped. She couldn’t believe this man was risking his life for such broken people. He cared so much about them… and she didn’t understand why. They weren’t his children. They only gave him grief. He’d go miles for them, but who would do the same for him? She would never understand Beau… all she could say was she knew she loved him dearly, like family, and so did Charlie. In all honesty, Penelope believed that would be the death of him… he was too good for this town.

Good people don’t last long here.

Turning to look at Jade, Penelope reached and grabbed her hand, interlocking her fingers with her best friend, [color=fe6f5e]“If you’re to blame, so am I.”[/color] Blaming people was easy, finding where you went wrong took strength and Poppy knew she had a part to play in this, like everyone else. She saw Charlie fall apart behind closed doors, yet selfishly kept that to herself. There’s so many times where she should have handled herself better. There’s so much she knew, that she could’ve let someone else know but didn’t. She could never be mad at Jade. She could never be mad at Decky… they were all children. 

They didn’t know better. 

Gently, she started walking, hoping Jade would not pull away from her. Part of her expected it because of where Jade was emotionally. If it did happen, Poppy would let her go but she held her as tight as she could to show her she wasn’t alone and that she [i]shouldn’t[/i] be alone. None of them should.

To think all this time… Penelope took Jade for granted and had no idea this was one of the things she was bottling up inside of her. Making a beeline through the small crowd, Penelope could see Decky on the ground, his back against the fence, with Sonny and Prof beside him. Prof was crouching and it seemed Sonny had tumbled back on his ass. 

Choosing not to pop their bubble, staying a distance away, Penelope offered her free hand to her other best friend, ignoring his “protectors”, [color=fe6f5e]“Want to take a walk?”[/color] She softly spoke, hoping Decky felt like he had power over his own choices, not aiming to take that away from him. Weakly, she smiled at him, understanding if this is where he felt he needed to stay. If this is where he felt more safe and home at, beside his serpent friends, she would understand. 

Decky's eyes landed on Poppy's outstretched hand and his heart clenched. He'd just admitted to being one of the people that had to beat Charlie, to being the core of his Serpent problems by following everything ReyRey said. Poppy [I]loved[/I] Hard Times, she always had, so how could she be reaching out to one of his tormentors right now?

[color=f5d42e]"We don't need your help Sweetheart, Mob's just fine with u-"[/color]

[color=dc143c]"Shut the [I]fuck[/I] up, Sonny."[/color] Decky growled shakily, the lack of personal nickname making the other man rear his head back as if he'd been slapped. Prof, seeing this, put a steadying grip on Sonny's shoulder before whispering into his ear so low no one else could hear. The usually comedic man's face twisted up something awful as he switched his gaze between a shaky Decky and Prof at his ear. Lip wobbling for a second before getting caught between his teeth, Sonny took Prof's offered hand and let the older man get up, pulling him with.

[color=b3e7f4]"We'll be here, when you need us."[/color] the chemist offered soothingly before leading a lost looking Sonny out of the yard and towards Edge of Sin.

Decky, finally able to breathe, began to reach his hand out to Poppy's before pulling back with a whimper. 

[Color=gold][I]you’re a tool you’re a tool you’re a tool[/I][/color]

[color=dc143c]"Do you really want me anywhere near you right now?"[/color] he asked in a tiny voice, barely louder than his heaving breaths.

[color=fe6f5e]“Yes,”[/color] Penelope said matter-of-factly. Watching her friend retract his hand back, all she could see was a scared child. It wasn’t an unusual sight for her. When you come from the southside, most battered, broken, and burdened individuals have this soft, vulnerable facet residing in their soul. Some chose to hide it better than others, some, like now, had no willpower to keep fighting the pain. [color=fe6f5e]“Believe it or not, I need you right now and I think you need me too. You’re my [i]friend[/i], actually no, you’re my [i]family[/i] and…”[/color] 

She thought back at all the unsaid words between her and Charlie. As she stepped forward, releasing Jade’s hand briefly, bringing herself down to his level, her eyes red from fighting back the tears, she spoke in a hushed, warm tone, [color=fe6f5e]“... I want you to be okay because I fucking love you.”[/color] There was a pause after that, because up until this point, she never said those words to Decky, ever. She never got the chance to say those words to Charlie either.  

Penelope was someone that showed her affections through actions, rarely words, but in this moment she felt like he needed to hear it. He needed to hear that at least to someone he meant something more than just… something disposable, something to use, and something to abuse. [color=fe6f5e]“I don’t care if you’re fucked up. I’m fucked up too! But wouldn’t you say it’s better to be fucked up together?”[/color] She playfully stuck out her tongue, really trying to emphasize that she wasn’t mad at him. 

She couldn’t be.  

[color=fe6f5e]“Now come on, Decky, let’s get out of here. You, me, and...”[/color] Penelope glanced back over her shoulder and smiled at the blonde vixen who had been there for her through thick and thin, [color=fe6f5e]“... Jade.”[/color] 

Decky let out a wet chuckle, shoulders relaxing from where they'd been hunched up to his ears. It was a line Poppy had used a few times when they were younger, and Decky would always reply that the fuck ups had to stick together. It was bittersweet to hear the lines again, especially without Hard Times' reaction thrown into the mix. They used to cheer and fist bump like the stupid children they were afterwards, and those lines usually precluded either a southie slumber party or them all getting into trouble as a group. Sometimes it was both in one night.

Well, this night was certainly trouble, and it looked like his Street Angel wasn't going to let him sleep in the streets any more than Sonny and Prof were, so there's probably a sleepover in his future as well. This time, his hand made the full path to fall into Poppy's, and he gripped it as tight as he felt he could without crushing her. She helped him to his feet, but he didn't let go of the small hand in his grasp.

[color=fe6f5e][I]I want you to be okay because I fucking love you.[/I][/color]

God, was it really that easy to say? Or was it really that hard? She'd never said it before. Always showed it, of course, much like Decky himself she was one for action over words. But she also knew when words were necessary much better than Decky did. His attention turned to Jade, the girl having practically faded into the background with her silence. 

He wasn't the only one that had been holding in a lot about Charlie Decker. He hadn't even been in Edenridge at the time, him and most of the Haze/Carlisle crew had been in Juvie or the Massachusetts Correctional Institution, but Jade had literally been [I]right there[/i] and been unable to do anything to help Charlie from his fate.

Just like Decky had been powerless to help Danny in the end.

[color=dc143c]"Hey, Harley Head?"[/color] he paused, flexing his fingers around Poppy's hand while he waited for the blonde to look at him. [color=dc143c]"I... I'd really like ta have ya both with me...tonight...if, uh…"[/color] shame clogged his throat and he looked down at his feet. Just because Poppy had said she needed him, said she loved him, didn't mean Jade felt the same way. She might absolutely hate him even if she does claim blame as well. Blame's not evenly distributed, and Mordechai Boaz did a hell of a lot more than just stand by.

Looking at both Decky and Poppy, Jade felt conflicted. There was hesitation in both her gaze and how her arms clenched closely to her chest, her fingers bent and balled into weak fists. They were shaking and she only bit her lip to hide the fact she was on the edge of...something. [color=e62020]”I can’t..You shouldn’t..”[/color] She struggled to even get a solid thought out. Despite what they said about who was or wasn’t to blame, that didn’t change who Jade was blaming most. She looked away from them and down at the ground and said, [color=e62020]“Why don’t you guys hate me? You should hate me. You shouldn’t want anything to do with me.”[/color]

[color=dc143c][I]"You?[/I] Fuck, J,"[/color] Decky croaked out, running his free hand through his hair in nervous habit. [color=dc143c]"you didn't fuckin' do nothin' wrong. You tried ta protect,"[/color] dammit, he still couldn't say his name out loud. The hesitance was obvious and he licked his bloody lip for another second of time. [color=dc143c]"him. All you did was try ta protect him. I [I]beat[/I] him. I [I]hurt[/I] him. Outta the three of us, I'm the one that shouldn't be here."[/color] he gave her a small, shaky smile, swallowing past the lump in his throat.

[color=dc143c]"You tried for him. It's more than I can say for what I did. Don't push that aside like it don't matter."[/color]

[color=e62020]“And look what that got him? He was beaten and I didn’t do [b][i]anything![/i][/b]”[/color] For a moment, Jade stunned herself at how loud she spoke, her voice cracking from the intense emotion she was feeling. And because she didn’t hold anything back, she felt her entire body start to break down, streams of tears flowing down her eyes. She tried to shake it off, but that didn’t help anything. Just like she didn’t help Charlie when he needed her most. 

[color=dc143c]"I…"[/color] Decky didn't know what to say to help her. He [I]never[/I] knew what to say to help someone, but it felt a lot worse when that someone was breaking down right in front of you and all you could do was lose your voice. With panicked eyes, Decky looked over to Poppy for help.

Well, no help coming from there, Poppy herself was silently crying from her spot next to Decky, and the man found himself gripping her hand tighter. When she noticed him looking at her, though, her face was almost immediately covered up again, so once more all he could see were her sunken and red rimmed eyes.

Jesus, he really needed to get blitzed.

[color=dc143c]"I...w-we...it's still- fuck, Harley Head, I don't know what the fuck ta say. I got no thoughts in my head but my failures and puppet strings but I know that I need y'all and I'd be terrified all fuckin' night not knowin' if you were safe. I just need a fuckin' Southie Sleepover an' sorry if it's selfish but I just can't keep functioning for more than maybe an' hour or so,"[/color] he gave her a broken stare and reached his free hand to her. [color=dc143c]"can we figure out where we're goin', an' can we all do it together? [I]please[/I]."[/color] the last word broke from his lips like he was calling for a lifeline, all croaky and shaken. He didn't know any other thing he could do to get through to her.

[color=e62020][i]Fuck.[/i][/color]

The way she felt like such a failure, she wanted them to say that to her. At least then it would make it easier for her to just...walk away and retreat into the hole that she was in before. That hole that had the scent of burnt wood from all the bridges that were set ablaze in the past two years -- hell, maybe it all started five years ago. But between her seeing Poppy cry and Decky practically begging for that sleepover, she didn’t know what to do. What was she supposed to do? Just forget the way she was feeling and go with them? She wanted them to stop feeling sad but she didn’t want to.

[color=e62020][i]I want to..[/i][/color]

She swallowed a breath in her dry mouth and sunk her head in defeat. Slow moments passed and her eyes rose up and she took Decky’s hand. Then her other hand took Poppy’s and she met both of their gazes. Though her hands were shaking, she squeezed both onto theirs almost for dear life. [color=e62020]“I’ll go. Just no more crying. [i]Please[/i].”[/color]

[sup][color=fe6f5e]“I’ll try…”[/color][/sup] Poppy inaudibly whispered back. [sup][color=fe6f5e]“S-sorry… sorry… I can’t… I... I’m... sorry... c-can… can w-we go now?”[/color][/sup] 

[color=dc143c]"Yeah,"[/color] Decky whispered, the void in his chest partially satiated. [color=dc143c]"Le-let's take a walk and then…I don't know Street Angel, your place or...maybe Beau's?"[/color]

[sup][color=fe6f5e]“Beau’s.”[/color][/sup] As much as she would love to keep Decky at her home, with it being next door to Charlie’s and her room being a disaster (filled with painful memories), she knew it would be best if they all stood somewhere they all would feel safe and away from it all. Away from their families and anything that could trigger them. 

Beau’s was their safe haven. Now and even before. He understood them even more than their own parents did. Penelope loved Beau and knew he would be exactly what the doctor prescribed. She didn’t know what she would do without him.

And just like that the trio, forever missing a link, started walking.[/indent][/color]