[color=d2b48c][center][sup]A [@BrutalBx] & [@LovelyComplex] Collaboration[/sup]
[img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/220325/fe84a2b594bceed81a773fe104b354d2.png[/img]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/sEuEC8F.png[/img]
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[indent]Finishing her expresso, no longer with her partner-in-crime across from her, Kylee patiently waited for the two men to get settled in. Going in her purse, she took out her sunset orange lipgloss and mini compact mirror. Applying it while glancing over, she surveyed their gestures, mannerisms, and expressions. While she couldn’t hear what they were saying, she was pretty good at reading lips and based on Clay’s wide mouth talk, Kylee gathered he was being interviewed, but why? Why him? 

Taking a moment to pucker her lips, Kylee observed her face, every detail, from her eyebrows to her cheekbones, and smiled to herself. Whether people wanted to acknowledge it or not, she was deadly and Roddy himself believed that she was a woman with no halo, with the gift of soul sucking. Still, he saw beyond that and heard her desperate melody to find closure and to be free from her own chains. He saw the good, when no one else did.  

Her ruthlessness was the reason why she found out the truth, but there was still so much heart in her. So much hope to unravel the truth, for better or for worse. So much she wished she could do but was limited by the barren halls and barren hearts of her house. Closing her compact mirror, she glanced over to the table once more and let her gaze watch the back of Wesley. 

As she put her belongings away, she wondered who he was as a person and if he would give her a chance. She knew it was too early to entertain anything with him, or even lust over him, but there was something about him that was magnetizing. She knew Mr. Silo was in over his head. Not only did he want to look into the many ghost stories of her town, but he also wanted to find the perpetrator behind Charlie Decker’s letters. Their first meeting on Dawn Patrol wasn’t the most ideal, with him putting her father on blast, but she hoped she could redeem their tense moment on air by welcoming him wholeheartedly to Edenridge. 

Without further ado, Kylee stood up, knowing she gave both reporter and copper enough time to order their drinks and get comfortable in their seats. Passing Beau and waving at him dearly, Kylee steered her way through the cafe and to their booth, coming behind Wes. Clay and Ky met each other’s gaze before she announced her presence, [color=a95963]“Oh hey! What’s going on over here, Clay? Not talking Mr. Silo’s ear off about craft beer or all the women you flirt with, huh? Made any progress with Cat? I bet not, she’s a married woman after all.”[/color] Teasingly, Kylee winked at the young cop, before crossing her arms and bringing her playful gaze to the reporter. 

[color=BCDD81]“Listen, I’m wearing her down, ok?”[/color] He looked to his new curly haired companion, who looked puzzled. In prototypical Clay fashion, the young cop was one hundred percent clueless as to his cousin’s friend's intentions. [color=BCDD81]“If it’s a loveless marriage, is it really a marriage? Think about that Grimmy.”[/color]

[color=a95963]“Ha, you don’t stand a chance,”[/color] Kylee said matter-of-factly.  

It was God’s honest truth that Clay Costigan was not the sharpest tool in the shed; he was a pretty boy who got by on his looks and effortless, wholesome charm. Yet it was also true that underneath his Farrah Fawcett hair (which most definitely could not have been a EPD regulation haircut but was still absolutely amazing) Clay’s instincts were second to none. In testing, he had scored in the 98th percentile and was considered the top of his class at the academy. Behind the goofy exterior, he was a highly capable and extremely dedicated police officer. 

Clay had known Kylee for a long time; he had watched her play Scooby Doo with Roddy when they were kids and she had grown into a strong, fierce and beautiful young woman. It was a shame she so desperately needed to get involved in everybody’s business; in this town jr was probably going to get her in trouble, then again, she was the mayor's baby daughter. The way she had presented herself to them, the make up and the look on her face; she was here for work, that much was obvious but there was something else, something Clay picked up on immediately. She was here for the reporter, in more ways than one.

[color=E9F4C9]“Actually,”[/color] Wes finally chimed in.  [color=E9F4C9]“I’m just speaking to Clay here about the current drive for funds within the emergency services here and if he thought that had any impact on the crime rate here.”[/color] The reporter took a sip from his black coffee before turning to look at the newcomer.  [color=E9F4C9]“You look nice.”[/color]

[color=a95963]“Aw shucks, you flatter me,”[/color] Kylee giggled before gesturing for Wesley to scoot over in the booth so she could join in on the interview. [color=a95963]“Oh interesting. I’d love to know about Clay’s perspective on this matter too.”[/color] With gentle force, she went to sit next to the reporter, allowing her body to touch him ever so slightly as she moved into the bench with him. [color=a95963]“Please, show me what it takes to be a good reporter, Mr. Silo.”[/color] Kylee brightly beamed, inserting herself into their business without permission. 

With a flush of heat on the nape of his neck, Wes moved as Kylee had requested and interlocked his fingers together across the table. It was game time, Wesley, don’t fuck it up.  [color=E9F4C9]“So, Clay; Mayor Grimm is currently in the process of driving a heavy campaign on funnelling funds into the police and the fire departments but had been struggling to raise the funds through our links to Boston government. They say he’s got another plan in place, something more local. Have you heard anything about that?”[/color]

Clay ran both his hands through his luxurious locks of hair whilst leaning back in the chair. [color=BCDD81]“Well I hear we may be getting some new hotel? Maybe he’s gonna use that tourist dollar to help pay us? I don’t know that’s a bit beyond my pay grade.”[/color]

Wes made some notes in his notepad, glancing at Kylee for a second before he continued. His line of questioning was based around her father; he’d already made mention of him in a previous encounter and that didn’t go so well.  [color=E9F4C9]“Clay, let’s not beat around the bush. Where are the police in regards to the investigation into the ongoing letters being sent to Edenridge residents based on notes from the journal of one Charles Jay Strongbow Decker?”[/color]

[color=BCDD81]“Well shit,”[/color] Clay immediately began to think back through his Swiss cheese memory. Chief Broadus had literally sat everyone down in the meeting room the other day and presented a PowerPoint on how to answer this exact question. The Charlie Decker investigation was a sensitive matter and so far had been confined to Edenridge and Pinehurst only. If it got out to the greater New England area and made national headlines, they’d all be fucked. [color=BCDD81]“You should already know, Wes, we can’t speak about an ongoing investigation but what I can say is that we’ve made some significant strides.”[/color]

[color=a95963]“That’s what they all say when they have no fucking idea.”[/color] Kylee chimed in, as she graciously accepted the water being delivered by a waitress. Mischievously, she smiled at Clay, knowing exactly what she was doing. [color=a95963]“If you’re onto someone, it’s probably some stupid red herring or an easy scapegoat. Things in Edenridge aren’t that simple.” [/color]

The mayor’s daughter took a generous sip of water before glancing at the reporter, happy and in the moment, no longer brooding over Roddy’s departure, [color=a95963]“I’m surprised you chose Clay over Mr. James. Him and my father go back. I don’t know the details, but I’ve seen them talk to one another and I’ve also seen Mrs. James go into my father’s office on numerous occasions. The vibe they give is not business associates. It’s definitely [i]family[/i]. Hell, I could ask daddy for you. If anything, he’d want people to know.”[/color] As she finished her last sentence, she gave Clay a challenging gaze, as she placed her cup on the table.

[color=BCDD81]“You’re teasing me, Kylee, and I don’t like it.”[/color] Clay smiled back at the younger woman. He knew there was no real malice behind her undermining of him. She was always a firecracker, even when she was a tween hanging in the Callahan garden with the shaggy haired one. [color=BCDD81]“You wanna throw barbs? I can tell Wes here about your gown mishap at your spring formal! Oh yeah, Robo Rod told me all about it.”[/color]  He folded his arms, leaning back into his chair as he did so. [color=BCDD81]“He chose me, dearest Kylee, because I’m impartial. The fact that your daddy has those familial relationships with other officers, no matter if I respect said officer or not, can lead to complications.”[/color]

Wes hung his head slightly. Maybe this whole thing was a mistake. These people. This town. There was a whole lot of history to unpack here, lots of stories woven into the fabric of space and time like dust particles in a beam of sunlight. No. That’s why this was important. All these connections are what made the truth and the story worth telling. 

 [color=E9F4C9]“I think we can help each other. The three of us,”[/color] The reporter began.  [color=E9F4C9]“We all want the same thing, to help, to heal and to serve. Why not team up? Clay you’ve got an in with the police. Miss Grimm here has heavy ties to the street and to the mayor's office and I have a particular set of skills of my own.”[/color]

[color=BCDD81]“Ok Neeson settle down.”[/color]

Wes shot a look towards the young officer.  [color=E9F4C9]“Shut up, Clay. I’m being serious,”[/color] He leaned forward, lowering his tone somewhat.  [color=E9F4C9]“Together we can really help this place. Expose the person behind the letters, finally get rid of the damn Serpents, the Angels, all those animals that hold this place under their thumb. We can do this together.”[/color]

Oh boy! A project. Kylee loved projects. Especially the kind of projects that involved an investigation, a massive amount of secrets, and a hot reporter. She knew he was in over his head but hey, if he wanted to take her down this rabbit hole, she would join him without any hesitation. Hard crush much? Yeah, but unfortunately he was thinking more about the story than the girl sitting right next to him.

[color=a95963]“This sounds like it could be one hell of an adventure!”[/color] The mayor’s daughter gleefully cheered. She looked at Clay and intentionally started to talk with her hands, [color=a95963]“What do you say, officer?”[/color] 

This was an intriguing prospect. Clay was a believer in the judicial system and a believer in his fellow boys in blue but despite his usual tomfoolery, he was no idiot. He was well aware of the inbred corruption in the police force, the mayor's office and basically any other possible figure of authority that existed or ever had existed in Eden stemming back to Nathaniel Carlisle in the sixteen hundreds. It was a flawed and broken system. Perhaps they could change it? He always wanted to, it was his goal since…

The moment Kylee had said officer, she [i]accidentally[/i] swiped her cup of water off the table and onto Wes’ lap, soaking him. [color=a95963]“Oh no!”[/color] She grabbed a few napkins off the table and immediately started patting his lap, [color=a95963]“I’m so, so sorry. Clumsy me.”[/color]

Immediately Clay’s train of thought was broken as Kylee spilled her drink. The man they called McDungus broke into a wide, goofy smile before a small chuckle escaped his throat. [color=BCDD81]“Great start to a new venture guys.”[/color]

Wes’s face turned beat red as he felt the beautiful girl's hand on his lap, edging ever so close to his… [color=E9F4C9]“OK!”[/color] He sprang up to his feet and began to dry himself off with his hands. His eyes briefly locked with the brunette’s…God she was beautiful….no, business.  [color=E9F4C9]“I’m just gonna…well…yeah, I’ll be back.”[/color] He turned to walk away and tripped over a chair. Luckily the reporter didn’t fall and managed to course correct towards the bathroom of Rochambeau.  [color=E9F4C9]“Think about what I said!”[/color] He called back.

[color=BCDD81]“Smooth moves, Grimm.”[/color]

[color=a95963]“I know, right?”[/color] Kylee placed the wet napkins on the table, her face beaming with excitement. After all the sadness she had experienced with her best friend, this was a fantastic change of pace. For better or for worse, Wesley noticed her and she couldn’t be anymore happier. 

Adjusting herself, she laid out her hands, bringing them up and down, imitating a weight scale, [color=a95963]“On a scale of never in a million years to he’s hard for me, just have to work my magic, what are my chances?”[/color] While Kylee didn’t need Clay’s affirmation, she still wanted to hear it. She knew regardless if her chances were slim to none she’d pursue the reporter. 

It was all rather exciting, don’t you think? Kylee hadn’t felt this excited since she and Natalia started dating. Fortunately, that ended because Natalia was a crazy bitch. Kylee knew this was different because Wes wasn’t insufferable. He was genuine and loved chasing stories - something they had in common. It wasn’t Kylee’s fault that Natalia pushed her to a point where she had no other choice but to ghost her. Boo-hoo. Clearly the slut got over it - sleeping with half of the southsiders.

[color=BCDD81]“He’s probably got his hand around his dick right now.”[/color] Clay mused before taking a sip from his drink. [color=BCDD81]“If there’s one thing I know, it’s flirting and body chemistry…wait, that's two things…point being, you’re in there Kylee. He’s trying to keep it professional but he sees you, trust ol’ Clay Costigan, he knows what he’s talking about.”[/color] Moving his now empty cup to the side of the table for the wait staff to come and collect, Clay leaned forward slightly in his chair, interlocking his fingers across the table. [color=BCDD81]“In all seriousness though, Kylee, can we trust him? He’s an outsider, he doesn’t know this town like we do.”[/color]

Wes splashed the water across his face in the small bathroom. Having dried off his tan suit pants, he stared deeply into the mirror. [color=E9F4C9]“She’s not why you came here, Wes. You read too many comics. It doesn’t just happen like that. You know what you’re here to do.”[/color]

[color=a95963]“Of course not. You don’t just make a team overnight, but hey, you and me? We can keep tabs on him and make sure he… well, he doesn’t do something stupid.”[/color] Leaning in forward, she offered her pinky to Clay, staring at him in a way that said [i]let's make an oath, right here, right now[/i], [color=a95963]“I know there is a deeper motive than chasing conspiracies and finding the truth behind it all. I know those eyes… he’ll do anything to get where he needs to go. Let’s play nice. I get some good dick and you? Well, you can protect the town. What do you say?”[/color] She pushed her pinky closer to the young officer’s hand.  

[i]A pinky promise? What were they, five?[/i]

Clay mulled or over for a moment. Rod trusted Kylee with his life, so she can’t be all show surely? There was definitely an air of her father around her and that could only work to the man’s advantage. Clay didn’t particularly like going behind Sly’s back and doing this sort of thing but desperate times right? This place was a hellhole and maybe, just maybe, the three of them could do something about it. Finally, after what felt like an entering, he locked his little finger with hers and the deal was done.

[color=BCDD81]”Let’s save the world”[/color]

Returning from the bathroom, Wes sat down at their table but was  taken aback by the sudden disappearance of one Kylee Grimm. He looked towards Clay, who had a face full of breakfast muffin, egg yolk dripping onto his plate and bread crumbs around his mouth. This guy was an animal. [color=E9F4C9]”Where’s Kyl…I mean Miss Grimm?[/color]

[color=BCDD81]”She ran off with a model to the Bahama’s. We’ll never see her again”[/color] He responded with a mouthful. [color=BCDD81]”We’re both in by the way. This thing of yours, we’re gonna help but you fuck us and anyone we care about, you’re ass is grass you hear me, Reporter man?”[/color]

With a large grin across his face, Wes felt like a small child being given a brand new toy. This was exciting. [color=E9F4C9]”That is so awesome!”[/color] After raising his hands in victory, the truth seeker began to feel around his person in search of something. The pace of his hands became more frantic before his eyes fell upon his new partner. [color=E9F4C9]”…so I…erm…yeah…I hear Clay Costigan always springs for breakfast?”[/color]

Slamming his tongue into his cheek, Clay let out a great sigh as he reached into his wallet to pull out a few dollars. [color=BCDD81]”That’s one”[/color]

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