[center][color=dimgray][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/210822/bae6ad1908cd951ed3824653daeef2cb.png[/img]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/b6QvTyj.png[/img]
[img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/210822/a92eef2d39f25ade83dcc19dd46dba6f.png[/img]
[sub]An [@Aces Away], [@LovelyComplex], & [@metanoia] Collaboration
Featuring [b][color=#DC143C]T[/color][color=#E12341]h[/color][color=#E73247]e[/color] [color=#F25052]L[/color][color=#F85F58]o[/color][color=#FD6F5E]s[/color][color=#F96153]t[/color] [color=#F1473F]T[/color][color=#ED3A34]r[/color][color=#E92D2A]i[/color][color=#E52020]o[/color][/b], once a loved [color=D3D3D3][b]quartet[/b][/color], with the [color=FF7F50][b]littlest warrior[/b][/color] beside them[/sub]

[b][color=#DC143C]_[/color][color=#DC153C]_[/color][color=#DD173D]_[/color][color=#DE193E]_[/color][color=#DE1B3E]_[/color][color=#DF1D3F]_[/color][color=#E01F40]_[/color][color=#E12141]_[/color][color=#E12341]_[/color][color=#E22542]_[/color][color=#E32743]_[/color][color=#E42944]_[/color][color=#E42B44]_[/color][color=#E52D45]_[/color][color=#E62F46]_[/color][color=#E73147]_[/color][color=#E73347]_[/color][color=#E83548]_[/color][color=#E93749]_[/color][color=#EA394A]_[/color][color=#EA3B4A]_[/color][color=#EB3D4B]_[/color][color=#EC3F4C]_[/color][color=#EC414D]_[/color][color=#ED434D]_[/color][color=#EE454E]_[/color][color=#EF474F]_[/color][color=#EF494F]_[/color][color=#F04B50]_[/color][color=#F14D51]_[/color][color=#F24F52]_[/color][color=#F25152]_[/color][color=#F35353]_[/color][color=#F45554]_[/color][color=#F55755]_[/color][color=#F55955]_[/color][color=#F65B56]_[/color][color=#F75D57]_[/color][color=#F85F58]_[/color][color=#F86158]_[/color][color=#F96359]_[/color][color=#FA655A]_[/color][color=#FB675B]_[/color][color=#FB695B]_[/color][color=#FC6B5C]_[/color][color=#FD6D5D]_[/color][color=#FD6F5E]_[/color][color=#FD6D5C]_[/color][color=#FC6B5B]_[/color][color=#FC6959]_[/color][color=#FB6858]_[/color][color=#FB6657]_[/color][color=#FA6455]_[/color][color=#FA6254]_[/color][color=#F96153]_[/color][color=#F95F51]_[/color][color=#F85D50]_[/color][color=#F85C4F]_[/color][color=#F75A4D]_[/color][color=#F7584C]_[/color][color=#F6564B]_[/color][color=#F65549]_[/color][color=#F55348]_[/color][color=#F55147]_[/color][color=#F45045]_[/color][color=#F44E44]_[/color][color=#F34C43]_[/color][color=#F34A41]_[/color][color=#F24940]_[/color][color=#F1473F]_[/color][color=#F1453D]_[/color][color=#F0443C]_[/color][color=#F0423A]_[/color][color=#EF4039]_[/color][color=#EF3E38]_[/color][color=#EE3D36]_[/color][color=#EE3B35]_[/color][color=#ED3934]_[/color][color=#ED3832]_[/color][color=#EC3631]_[/color][color=#EC3430]_[/color][color=#EB322E]_[/color][color=#EB312D]_[/color][color=#EA2F2C]_[/color][color=#EA2D2A]_[/color][color=#E92C29]_[/color][color=#E92A28]_[/color][color=#E82826]_[/color][color=#E82625]_[/color][color=#E72524]_[/color][color=#E72322]_[/color][color=#E62121]_[/color][/b][/color]
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[color=silver][indent]Decky stared up at the ceiling of Beau's garage from in between Jade and Poppy, his heart and mind still in turmoil. Somehow though, he felt an odd calm falling over him the longer he heard Jade's even breaths, felt her chest expanding telling him [I]she was still here[/I]. All he could think about was that the last person he trusted that held a gun on him was Charlie, and while ReyRey had waved his gun around Decky before, it had never been pointed [I]at[/I] him. ReyRey's words had been echoing in his head all night and that mixed with the older man's actions had had Decky practically mute the whole walk to Beau's. But now he was with his girls. Well, his Southie girls, because he actually had others to think about now too. With that in mind, he sent off a quick text before he twisted his head a bit to look down at Poppy on his right and saw that she was still awake despite her silence. He wanted to talk about Hard Times but at the same time...he might not even be able to. He still couldn't even say his damn name out loud. He gave himself another second to reply to his text from Allegra before turning his attention to her and garnering the will to speak.[/indent]
[center][b][color=azure]____________________________________________________________________[/color][/b][/center]
[indent][I][u]To: Bambi With a Gun
12:19AM

Hey…
I need to see you guys.
Can we do a vid call soon?[/u][/I]

[center][U][I]From: Bambi With a Gun
12:21AM

Of course, we'll call in the morning. but for now get your rest.
Nochada Buena.[/I][/u][/center]

[Right][I][u]To: Bambi With a Gun
12:21AM

A Gute Nakht[/u][/I][/right][/indent]
[center][b][color=azure]____________________________________________________________________[/color][/b][/center]
[indent][color=dc143c]"Pops?"[/color] Decky asked quietly, almost afraid to break the silence. [color=dc143c]"Do you wanna...meet my friend and kids tomorrow? I don't think,"[/color] he bit his lip, once again feeling selfish for asking for his friends by his side when he hadn't done the same after the shooting. He'd just taken off. But...he really couldn't do this alone, and Chaim looks just like Danny did as a baby so maybe it would make Poppy feel a little better too. Every time he looked at the boy it was like he had gotten a bit of his baby brother back. Maybe she needed that too. [color=dc143c]"I don't think I can explain this alone."[/color]

At first, Penelope did not respond. Her body was slightly turned away from Decky, not intentionally, but because she was stuck in her own imagination. Completely and utterly exhausted, yet unable to sleep, her mind wrestled with the good times she and her friends shared in this room. She was staring in the darkness at a memory of Charlie reading a book in one of the fold up chairs that surrounded a small game table. The place where Decky taught her how to gamble for the first time. The place where they played that stupid oreo challenge. The place they had both philosophical conversations and intense arguments. The place where they were happier. When everything was simple. The place where they could be a family together. 

While the image of Charlie’s ghost ate at her on the inside, she gradually registered Decky’s words, only delayed by a few seconds.Turning her frame fully toward him, resting her hand on his chest, she lifted her head slightly to peer down at him.[color=fe6f5e]“Your kids?”[/color] she wordlessly said back. 

There wasn’t much light to show Decky’s features, but she could make out where his eyes were and his lips. It felt like only yesterday when she found out Decky had left town without a word and yet, all that, all that pain and shock she went through, didn’t matter. Penelope could feel how thin he had gotten. She had noticed fresh track marks on his arms when he gave his jacket as a gesture of comfort. She could hear in his voice how much he needed her. This was such a bittersweet feeling. Charlie's letters brought them back together, all grown up and more damaged than before. 

Trailing her hand up, she rested it on his cheek and whispered, [color=fe6f5e]“You won’t be alone.”[/color] After a calming, deliberate break, she continued, [color=fe6f5e]“I would love to meet them, Decky.”[/color]   

He sucked in a sharp breath, throat closing around his next words. Poppy was the first one to use that name on him after ReyRey. He hadn't heard that name for almost two whole years, having severed ties with it when he left. Sure, the nickname was used by damn near everyone close to him that wasn't a Serpent, but it had always been the nickname [I]Danny[/I] gave him, and to be hearing it- knowing it would never leave his little brother's lips again, knowing it was the last thing to tumble from his mouth before Charlie shot him- it was torture. He may [I]feel[/I] like he's reverting to Decky, but he'd long since buried him.

[color=dc143c]"M-Mordechai, j-just call me Mordechai, [I]please[/I],"[/color] he stuttered out after finally releasing his breath. He wrapped his arm around Poppy and hugged her close to his side. [color=dc143c]"Only the baby is actually mine, but Legs' daughter started callin' me papa so it stuck."[/color] He let a small smile come over his face as he thought of his own little family. He looked down at Poppy as she nestled down into his chest, head rising and falling a bit as he breathed. [color=dc143c]"Thank you, Pops."[/color]

He let his head fall back onto the pillow, letting his eyes slip closed as he finally relaxed.

Instead of responding, Penelope kept quiet contemplating his request to call him a name he used to never like being called. Clearly, times had changed and none of them could go back. She knew that… she knew they could never go back… she knew she needed to let go… but she didn’t want to. The moment she let go would be the moment Charlie disappeared and that feeling she couldn’t bear. She couldn’t bear losing him again. Even if right now he was only a memory, she wanted to cling to it for dear life. That’s all she had left of him and she just wanted it to stay. 

She wanted him to stay.

Finding Jade’s hand in the dark, resting her hand on top of it, Poppy’s breathing steadied. [color=fe6f5e]“Don’t thank me…”[/color] Her words were inaudible at this point, and could hardly be heard, especially to the barely conscious. [color=fe6f5e]“... I didn’t do anything.”[/color]  

Jade lightly tightened Poppy’s hand.[color=e62020]”Being here isn’t nothing.”[/color] She’d say in a low voice. The kind of low voice that gave the impression she was too mentally drained to speak any louder. As she mustered all the strength she could, Jade turned her head to the right, looking at both of them. [color=e62020]“And you don’t need to thank her.”[/color]

[color=fe6f5e]“Jade… I’m pretty sure Mordechai passed out.”[/color] Poppy didn’t realize Jade was even up and wondered how much of the conversation she heard. Did she hear how the nickname Decky stings for their friend? Did she hear he had a child? Did she hear the tone of Poppy’s voice and how something as simple as ‘I didn’t do anything’ had layers of meaning? Like how she couldn’t save any of her southie family. 

Instead of saving them, Penelope watched them embrace their demons or worse, go straight to the grave. Maxine. Danny Boaz. Charlie. She was useless and tonight confirmed how little she did for anyone she loved. All she wanted was to be with Charlie and still to this day, all she could think about was him. What was wrong with her? 

Burying her face in Decky’s chest, Penelope squeezed Jade’s hand and pathetically whimpered for Jade’s ears only, [color=fe6f5e]“I miss him.”[/color] 

Those words echoed into her head like a gentle whisper that brought a soothing calmness to the storm raging inside. The blonde terror didn’t look at her sister and she didn’t turn her head, yet words slipped out so low that the only person who could hear them was the one they were meant for - just four words: [color=e62020]“I miss him too.”[/color]
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