Aces Away

Edenridge

Collab with @BrutalBx
Mentioned: @Prosaic

Mordechai came back to about ten minutes later, draped across Sonny and feeling...well, warm. the next hour or so was spent talking to the crew and telling them what he'd been up to the past 2 years. He wasn't surprised to hear that drug sales have been up, that tends to happen when towns suffer tragedies and the shooting wasn't even the first. Everyone here was so happy to see him, and he didn't even realize how much he missed the Family that came with the Serpents. Eventually, after several more shared blunts and a few shots of alcohol, Sonny got his attention by waving his phone around.

"Hey Mob, I told Rey Rey you were back! He wants ya ta come ta the Edge an' say hi." Sonny told him. That reminded Mordechai that he was waiting on a text from Nolan, and he quickly pulled out his phone for a glance. With a bit of regret, he realized he had let his phone die again and couldn't see if Nolan had replied. He slipped his phone back into his pocket and smiled at Sonny.

"Sure Sunshine, I'd love to see Rey Rey. I'll have to charge my phone when we get there, yeah?" He allowed Sonny to pull him up and out of the house. Before leaving, Sonny stopped at the door and kissed two fingers before touching them to a photo on the wall almost subconsciously, and Mordechai looked up in confusion before feeling his heart stutter. "What…what's this?" He asked while wincing at how strained his own voice sounded. Sonny looked at him and his eyes softened at whatever he must have seen on Mordechai's face.

"Sorry, I guess we didn't think about that. We put him up after the funeral, and we show him love every time we leave. It's sorta become a ritual for us." Because on that wall was a picture of Daniel Aaron Boaz, the frame well worn from touch but the glass still shining and well maintained. He took a moment to compose himself and let the fist sized lump in his throat calm down.

"It's awesome you guys," he said quietly in the heavy silence, raising his own two finger kiss to the frame."Thank you." Sonny gently tightened his grip and started pulling again, and they walked together down the street to the Edge of Sin, knocking against each other and laughing while the tears dried in the breeze.

Sonny pulled him through the doors that he once used to burst through with confidence, and his first breath was like breathing in a new life. Or rather, an old life that he'd missed like...like a brother. He'd brought Danny here to clean them up after another attack from their parents so many times he'd lost count. The girls that weren't working yet or were on break loved talking to him and coddling him, and every Serpent treated him like a little brother, getting Danny accustomed to affection and touch in a way Mordechai never would have been able to do alone. He tightened his grip on Sonny's hand as the other man pulled him to the back doors that led to Serpent Business, and he didn't even hesitate to pass the threshold.

And there, in all his scars and glory, was Rey Rey Gonzalez.

Circling a bloodied and beaten up gang member like a shark eyeing its victim, Rey Rey held a mask aloft with his hand “When I was kid, my Papi always used to take me back to Mexico. Normally he had some business with the cartels down there so he’d leave me with my Uncle Pedro…” As he spoke, the leader of the Southside Serpents caught sight of a figure in the doorway, one he had not seen in two years.

Licking his lips, he continued “He used to take me and my cousin Rico to the Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre and I was enamoured. The Luchadores were flying everywhere, their costumes were colourful, it was like real life superheroes, yet it wasn’t until I went home with my old man that he dropped some knowledge on me..” Throwing the mask onto the lap of his tied up compatriot, Rey Rey sucked the air through his teeth and threw off his leather jacket. ”He taught me about the history and the power of the mask. A Luchadores mask is his identity, his lifeblood, it’s what makes him, him. They wear them in public to hide their identity but that was their mistake. You see, that mask you have in your lap belongs to El Cuerno...the Hunter...my grandfather. You probably wonder why I’m telling you all this…”

Rey Rey took the Cuerno mask back into his hand and slipped something out of his back pocket. ”It's simple really…” Placing the object into a slip on the mask, Rey Rey donned the hood and his dark, remorseless eyes went feral “I wanted to give you some culture before I kill you.” Within seconds, Rey’s head came crashing into the defenceless face of the tied up man. Over and over again he smashed skull against skull, holding the poor saps head in place with his increasingly bloodied hands as he opened up all kinds of wounds upon his victims' visage.

Finally coming to a halt, he spat blood through a hole in the mask and darted his wild gaze over to Decky. “You still got it in you Boaz?” Reaching behind his desk he tossed Mordechai a baseball bat. “Or have you gone soft?”

"Fuck, have I missed watchin' you work." he replied breathlessly, pausing a moment to look at the bat before gripping it tight in his hands. He knew he didn't need to ask what this guy had done, Rey Rey always had his reasons behind things and it never was very smart to question it. Mordechai used to have a little give with his loyalty and status in the hierarchy, but he wasn't fool enough to think he could push at all after having just returned. He approached the bloodied man, who had amazingly retained consciousness throughout the beating. He looked the man dead in his swollen eyes and tilted his head, completely disconnecting from his emotions in the way that made him so valuable as a Corner Captain and sometimes Enforcer. It's not like he had Danny to worry about anymore, he could give into his baser instincts without risking losing his little brother now."Yeah Rey Rey, I think I got more'a it in me than before."

He lined the bat up and swung out, catching the man in the side so hard the chair scooted over an inch. Over and over, he made sure he targeted the spots that won't kill you but won't let you move too easy either, ensuring that this guy has a lasting reminder of whatever Rey Rey wanted on every part of him. When Mordechai finished, he turned back around to Rey Rey with a feral grin, some blood splattered across his face. "Thanks, I needed that." He said,licking his lips and smearing a bit of the blood.

"Fuck, that was hot," Sonny breathed from his place by the door, before wincing. "Sorry, Rey Rey."

”Sonny get the fuck outta here before I kill you my own damn self.”

As the door slammed shut behind a fleeing Sonny; Rey Rey with gazelle type speed darted over to Decky and punched him straight in his bloodied mouth, sending the smaller man reeling for a moment. He tore off the lucha mask to reveal his own blood soaked face and pulled Decky into a deep, firm hug. ”Welcome home, kid,” The leader of the Serpents pressed a kiss to the boys neck as he held him close. ”Don’t you fucking dare leave us again. We’re family”

He'd swear up and down to anyone else that he was tearing up from the punch, but as he licked his bloody lip Mordechai gripped Rey Rey tight as the older man held him in his embrace, and he began shaking.

"I- I couldn't. I couldn't be here and go to the funeral and see him gone like that. I couldn't look anyone in the face when I knew I'd failed him. I was right there and couldn't do anything." he unloaded from the safety of his face pressed against Rey Rey's chest. "I'm sorry Rey Rey," he choked out, trying to hold in the sobs. "I'm sorry! I'm home now…"

Rey Rey shushed the sobbing boy and held him in silence; the only sound around them coming from the club downstairs and the rabble of ruffians planning out their daily grind to earn the gang some money. ”I got you, no blame Deck.”

A sputtering cough from the man tied to the chair awoke Rey from his momentary distraction. ”Really? You’re really going to interrupt me when you can see I’m having a reunion with my brother here? Shame on you, don’t you have a heart?” He sighed before releasing Decky from his grasp and moving over to his victim. Calmly as he began to reach into a tool box, Rey Rey continued to speak ”Lots changed since you went away young blood, you know I can’t just give you your corner back. Rules is rules. Ain’t that right, Oscar?” With a swing of a hammer he had plucked from the box, the newly identified Oscar’s knee was shattered by Rey.

Reaching once again into the tool box, he pulled out a handful of nails and laid them on the side, save one which he lined up against Oscar’s shoulder. ”Take a day or two to yourself. Spend some time with the boys, I’ll hook up with you another time to sort out what’s next for you.” He drove the hammer down into the nail and dug the rusty iron into his shoulder.

"I understand Rey Rey," Decky replied, wiping his nose with his arm and heading for the door amidst Oscar's screaming. At the threshold, just before he opened the door, Mordechai looked back one more time at his big brother figure. "Thank you. For everything."

Sonny was on him the moment he closed the door, looking a little jittery. He took in Mordechai's new bruised and swollen lip, his bloodshot eyes and tear streaked face, and threw himself on the other. Decky caught him with ease.

"He seemed pissed today, are you ok?" he asked, cupping Decky's jaw softly. Decky leaned into the touch and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath before adopting a wide smile, splitting his lip a bit more.

"I'm great Sunshine, it was a welcome back punch." he replied, dipping in for a rough kiss with the other man. When he pulled away, his blood was smeared on Sonny's lips and Sonny's pupils were blown wide.

"Y'know," Sonny said weakly before cleaning his throat. "there's a room open down the hall."

Mordechai grinned. "Well, we do need to wait for my phone to charge," he said, gripping Sonny's collar tight and dragging him in the direction of the private rooms, the other man following willingly. "How's about you give me a proper homecoming?"

Later, after both of them have been satisfied and Decky has come down from his adrenaline buzz, he finally turns on his now charged phone and checks the texts with a small frown.

"What's wrong?" Sonny asked, sitting up behind him and molding against his back.

"Just some shit going down. Apparently I'm supposed to go to the old highschool in a couple hours after having just found out about these fuckin' letters-"

"Whaddya mean letters?" Sonny cut off, hooking his chin over Mordechai's shoulder.

"I fuckin' mean what I said, Sunshine, someone's sendin' out letters with shit people shouldn't know, from something no one should have, and now they want whoever gets the letters to go to the school at 8 tonight. I don't wanna fuckin' go there," he ground out. "It was the one rule I gave Santora before coming back."

Sonny blinked, adjusting to the vague information. "So go and make it stop." he said simply, causing Mordechai's head to whip around towards him. "No seriously, listen: someone is sending you shit you don't want? Thinkin' they're all sly or some shit? Go meet 'em tonight and put a knife in their chest. At least beat their ass or somethin', that's what the Mob I used to know would do."

Mordechai thought about that as he worked his phone around in his hands. He did want to know who was doing this, but it's hard thinking about seeing any of his old classmate's faces, what if Poppy, Bradley or Jade were getting the letters? Or Quinn? What if Lanie was there?

In the end, however, violence won the war in his mind and he set his shoulders with Sonny still hanging off of him.

Outgoing Messages
To: So You Need to Learn How to Punch...
3:00pm

I lost track of time and let my phone die
My bad
But listen…
I'm going to the school tonight
I'm gonna fuckin figure out who sent this shit
And I'm gonna hurt them like they seem to wanna hurt us
Either I'll see you there or I'll see you tomorrow. Hold tight man

"There, y'see? Now we have five hours to kill and a lot for me to catch you up on…" they went the next few hours rotating between giving each other information and making out, letting themselves get lost to the day in a way neither had been able to in a long time.

Edenridge

WARNING: DRUG USE AT END OF POST

---

"What're you doin'?" Phil asked, having come back out of the office to see Decky on the floor with his phone in hand. He snatched the device out of the other man's hand as he walked past. He took a moment to register the easy acquisition before reading the content of the message on screen while Decky glared at him with red shot eyes, knowing from experience he couldn't retrieve his phone from the older man's higher reach. When he saw the message on draft to be sent out, he scoffed and deleted every word before tossing the phone back to Decky, who fumbled with the catch. Phil frowned. "You were faster when you were sober, Mo-Bo."

It was Decky's turn to scoff. "Wasn' fast enough, Phil," he muttered, avoiding eye contact by checking to see what had been done to his phone. "Why'd you delete my fuckin' text?"

"Cause you ain't bein' fair to Nolan and you should already know that," Phil crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes at the man he considered a son, allowing his elation at first seeing him to fall to the side so he could properly assess the situation. "You've been usin' again, and you have shit judgment when you're usin'."

"It ain't the H 'n' pills that make my judgement shit, Phil, I was fuckin' born that way-"

"Bullshit," Phil cut off, pushing through Decky's responding glare. "That's fucking bullshit, Mordechai Boaz, and that's the drugs talkin'. Anyone can make bad choices, and you made plenty, but I haven't once seen you be a bad judge of character." He knelt down in front of Decky and stared the boy down until he returned eye contact. Phil then gripped his shoulder-scrawnier than it should have been, of course, he was already under developed before he fell back down the rabbit hole- and spoke in a low and steady tone, ensuring Decky would have to listen carefully. "Now you had good judgement when you started bringin' Nolan and miss Lanie around, and you know he's a good man that wasn't tryin' to drag you back into more bullshit, so before you go losin' your only current friend by nailin' him to a cross, how's about you take down that wood and use it to patch up your bridges instead."

Decky broke eye contact as he felt his face heat up. The floor was looking suspiciously blurry and when he blinked to clear it, a tear broke out and slid down his cheek.

"Neither of you told me shit about someone passin' out Decker's journal pages like a fuckin' paper boy," He ground out finally, scratching his arm. He glanced over the papers spread around him before picking up the one just in front of him. "And this new one? My one fuckin' condition on coming back was that I don't have to go near that fakakta place!" He exclaimed, shoving the letter a Phil, crossing his arms like a stubborn child as Phil read the letter in silence.

"...I...I didn't get this one," Phil finally admitted, putting down the letter with a disturbed look on his face. "Most of the letters I got were either directly or indirectly about you and the Serpents."

"Christ Phil, this is fucked," Decky hissed, mind racing through the things Decker had said about Decky and the rest of the corner crew from Southie. He couldn't think of a single thing they'd done that he would want Phil knowing about. He thrust a hand through his greasy hair. "Who does this kinda shit?"

"I don't know, Mo-Bo, but don't let it break you. Don't let anything happening here take you back down a path you ain't gonna come back from. Now message your friend and apologize, y'hear me?"

"Yeah Phil, I hear ya," Decky replied, swiping his nose with his arm and standing up, the latest letter once more clutched in his fist. "I'm gonna go walk around, I'll text him as I'm walkin'." Phil raised an eyebrow at the weak excuse but nodded, heading back into his office to get a start on the bills for the garage. Decky made his way out the bright open front of the building and made his way to the sidewalk. He pulled out his phone and sent out a text before taking a sharp right and speeding up his pace, throwing his hood over his head and shoving his fists into his pockets, right hand tight around the knife he had there.

Outgoing Messages
To: So You Need to Learn How to Punch...
9:05am

Sorry, Phil showed me the letters
I was pissed
But he set me straight
I'll come see you at the bakery later, when's you're break at?

The metal and wood train tracks that separate North and South Edenridge were old but well maintained, given that the tracks fell solely under North Eden's jurisdiction. Decky could feel nostalgia humming in his bones as his shoes made contact with the metal, and hunched his shoulders a bit more as if to protect himself from the feeling.

The first step into South Edenridge is like being caught in the path of a Dementor; the skies were clouded, the grass brown and dead, and the weather feeling bitter regardless of the actual temperature. Graffiti littered the weathered brick buildings, covered in everything from basic nicknames and doodles to gang logos marking territory. No one seemed to be walking the streets but there were people out loitering at every corner and building stoop. As he passed the gas station on the corner before his old neighborhood, he saw the same old man that always worked there was being held up. He shook his head and walked a little faster; the poor robber wouldn't know what hit him once Mr. Digari got ahold of his shotgun. As he came up to the corner he knew so well, he saw one of the jacket-clad figures perk up at the sight of him.

"MOB! Is that fuckin' you?" The person asked, jumping up from his crate and moving to meet Decky at the street sign. Sonny "Sunshine" Cernis clasped Decky's hand and pulled him in for a quick hug, thumping the other man on the back with his fist. "Holy shit man, how the fuck you been? I ain't seen you in years."

"It's been shit, Sunshine, but the thought'a your pretty face kept me goin'." Decky answered with a sarcastic wink. Sunshine laughed and pushed away at Decky's cheek.

"That hasn't worked since the seventh grade and we both know it," Sonny replied with a blinding grin, nodding at the crew that was watching their interaction with wary interest. "C'mon, everyone here is a newbie, s'about time they held their own without a supervisor anyway." And with that, Sonny gripped Decky's wrist and dragged him towards the house that's belonged to this corner crew for longer than any of the current members have been alive. All heads turned to them as Sonny burst through the door with him in tow, and then suddenly the music wasn't the loudest thing in the house anymore. More than half of his old crew was not only still alive, but still part of the Trip-S as well, and all of them were demanding at once to know where he'd been and what he'd been doin. He was jostled around for back pats and one armed side-hugs while everyone spoke over each other to make their questions heard. It all became one big buzz in his ears before he finally let loose an ear piercing whistle.

"Shut the fuck up! Christ, how am I s'pposed to answer you assholes if you don't calm to fuck down! Goddamn, I am too sober for you fuckers I swear to-" before he could finished, he was presented with several hands, each holding a different narcotic for him to grab. Decky paused before laughing, loud and true. "Fine, fuck, gimme a sec to get prepared." he said, snatching a familiar needle from one hand and a blunt for the other, dropping down onto the couch and lighting up. Sonny knelt down next to him with a rubber tube in his hand, staring at him intently as he took the first hit. Decky returned the look with one of confusion. "Sunshine, wha-" His words, along with the smoke that had been in his lungs and mouth, were swallowed as Sonny kissed him hard, distracting him as he tied the rubber tube around Decky's upper arm. It was a move they'd done so many times when they were teens, before Lanie. Before Decky left. When he pulled back, there was a large smile on Sonny's face as the stolen smoke curled out the side of his mouth.

"Welcome back, Mob." He whispered before moving over to sit down next to him, satisfaction lining every part of his posture. Decky shook his head and smirked at the other man, licking his lips as he turned his focus to inserting the needle into his arm. As euphoria flooded his system, Decky leaned back into the couch and against Sonny and let out a sigh.

"S'good ta be back, w'th you at least..." he mumbled, letting himself fade away.

Edenridge

Phil Bristol's door opened early in the morning to a face he never thought he'd see again outside a phone screen. Mordechai Boaz stood outside the apartment of his longest standing father-figure with a shamed face and a tight grip on a ratty duffle bag; the man's eyes were glued to Phil's work boots and they just stood in silence for a tense moment. When it settled in his mind that the other man was actually here, a wide grin split his face and he pulled Mordechai into a tight hug.

"It's good to have you back, son." He said, holding onto Mordechai as the man went from coiled tight to weak in the knees, gripping him back just as strongly.

"I missed you, Phil."

Once the two had their heads on straight, Phil locked up and they walked together to the shop, Decky telling Phil about where he'd been and Phil ignoring the gaps in the story that were most likely edited-out crimes. By the time they had gotten to the Garage, Phil was completely caught up on any need-to-know of Mordechai's life, not that there was much. Phil, on the other hand, was being less than forthcoming about current events in Edenridge, and while that wouldn't typically bother him if they were talking on the phone, Decky knew Phil was always telling him that he had great stories for when he returned. Granted, it was said more out of hope that Decky would ever return in the first place, but Phil wasn't one to lie, which Decky found led to him simply not talking about things so as to not have to lie about them.

He was doing a lot of Not Talking at the moment, and left Decky unsure of how to fill the silence.

"Seriously, Phil," Decky grumbled as they made their way into Phil's office, only hesitating for a moment at his old work station, which looked untouched since the day he left. "I'm not stupid, a'ight? I know Nolan has left things out during our phone calls and texts, and now you're avoiding talkin' 'bout the town despite conspirin' with Nolan to get me back here, it's starting to freak me out."

Phil seemed to deflate a bit, his sunny demeanor falling victim to shade. "Look, Mo-Bo-" Mordechai's lips twitched at the old nickname. "We didn't start receiving these until after we convinced you to come back." Ok, what? Mordechai watched as the older mechanic bent down by his desk and unlocked the top drawer, pulling out a stack of envelopes. "Some of them were addressed to me, but most of them...most of them showed up with your name on it," he handed over more than half the envelopes, left unopened. "The whole town's been gettin' them recently. Or, at least...those who were somehow involved."

Decky listened to Phil over the buzzing in his ears as the man explained the recent plague of letters upon Edenridge, letters that were photocopied straight from Charlie fuckin' Decker's journals. Eventually, as he opened and began reading the letters himself, Phil got lost in the now pounding of his ears. Decker talked about him; about Decky and Danny and Southside things that people north of the tracks should never know. When he finished reading them all, he took his phone out with shaky hands and texted Nolan, surrounded by crumpled papers laying out the sick mind of his brother's murderer.

Outgoing Messages
To: So You Need to Learn How to Punch...
8:54am

Why the fuck didn't you tell me?

Aces Managerie

Decky and Nolan First Meeting

Decky stared blankly after his new friend as she all but flew out of the cafeteria in a hectic flurry, desperate to make her forgotten Cheer Meeting. Did she just...leave him with some stranger? Ok, whatever, her friend, meaning he isn’t exactly a stranger aside from the fact that Decky himself had never met the guy; he knew a couple stories from the beginning of their year but he can’t honestly say he listened that hard to the details. Besides, he’d only met Lanie herself less than a month ago when she began tutoring him in the library, this is the first time she convinced him to venture away from his secluded lunch table and she just happened to have to leave with barely an introduction.

He scratched absentmindedly at the track marks on his inner arm. Some had faded a bit, what with more of his time being taken up by Lanie and schoolwork, but despite her looks that he’s sure she doesn’t realize he notices, she hasn’t much brought it up yet.

”...Hi?” he ventured, trying to put some emotion behind it other than irritation.

A part of him was nervous once Lanie fled the scene, so nervous in fact, that he considered leaving himself. He didn’t know Decky, not really. He knew him in rumors and murmurs but he did not know him. While a part of him wanted badly to play the role of the protective best friend and sniff out this new guy in Lanie’s life, another part of him really valued not getting on the bad side of some guy with a track record.

Nolan Santora was not a fighter, he was not someone to be feared or someone to be reckoned with. Nolan Santora was a coward and a part of him was feeling somewhat cowardly about… all of this.

Of course, Lanie seemed to enjoy Decky’s company which held… some value to him but it did not entirely squash the looming sense of discomfort he felt now. They were alone. The ice was unbroken and Lanie had evacuated. His fingers idly drummed the table for a short moment before--

”...Hi?”

His head snapped up and he knew he must have looked almost… comically startled. “Oh--” He stumbled for a moment, unsure of if he’d actually been addressed for a moment. Seeing as the table was isolated save for the two of them, he managed to respond without sounding like a bumbling idiot. “Hey, I’m uh- I didn’t mean to zone out there.” He was used to socializing, this shouldn’t be so hard. “I-- Guess neither of us expected her to fly out like that, huh?”

Decky nodded, still not really looking the blond in the eyes. ”Yeah… he replied, glancing back at the doorway. ”She ditch like that often?”

He couldn’t really help the short laugh that escaped him, although he tried to muffle it behind his palm. The other boy was not keen on eye contact although that did not bother him much, in fact it kind of eased his anxieties, at least to some degree. “No, no-” He responded, still fumbling over his words somewhat but he managed to sound friendly and that was really what mattered. “Lanie’s solid.”

He meant that and it was said with all the earnest intent of a best friend. “She’s just-- more responsible than I’ll ever hope to be. She’ll be back before we know it, hell, she probably feels bad she left us here to begin with. I uh- I’m not always the best at making new friends and I’m a bit of a motor-mouth when I get goin’. I’m worried I’ll scare you off without her to interject.”

Decky smirked at the other boy, both happy at his reassurance and amused at seeing that he had already gotten himself going. ”That’s good, I don’t handle flakes well.” he replied honestly, watching the kids around them laugh and toss pieces of food. ”Don’t worry ‘bout rambling or nothin’, I got someone at home like that,” his thoughts moved to his brother, who was currently in 6th grade at Edenridge Middle per Decky’s agreement with his PO. ”I’m Mordechai, by the way, you can call me that or Boaz. Nicknames come when I actually know I like you.”

“Then you’ll like Lanie, she’s about as good as they come.” And he meant that too. He’d never had much luck in friendships, he always gave too much and received very little but it had never been like that with Lanie. It was a healthy back and forth. She listened to him and he listened to her and he rarely felt that comfortable with anyone but her.

At his quick reassurance, Nolan found a genuine smile appearing on his face. He didn’t know that he believed him but it was nice, at least. The gesture. “That’s a floodgate you might not wanna open, my friend.” He joked, leaning on his elbows. “I can talk your ear off ‘bout nothin’ and that’s probably why Lanie hadn’t introduced us yet. She knows I won’t shut up.”

“Mordechai.” He tried the name on for size, testing the pronunciation. Nolan had a tendency to speak too fast at times and bulldoze through names like they were nothing. “Lanie” had been easy enough. He’d have to keep tabs on himself when addressing Mordechai, because while some found his rapid word-vomit charming, he was still somewhat worried it would rub him the wrong way.

Astonishingly though, that worry was lifting as they spoke more easily. “I’m Nolan. I’ve known Lanie since-- well-- forever. She’s my best friend. You can call me Nol, if it suits you or Santora if it don’t. Where are you from, Mordechai? I don’t know too much about you and it can’t hurt to ask, right?”

It was better than taking rumors at face value, at any rate.

The same feral grin that greeted Lanie upon their first meeting made it's way onto his face at Nolan's question. He gave the boy a lazy two fingered salute and straightened up a bit. The other boy probably didn't know it, but this was now a test. "I'm a born and raised Southie, both before and after the Juvie sentence. My PO thought Northie was a nice change a pace or some shit. I think the bitch just wanted to take me away from my crew and corner as much as possible."

And for the first time, Decky met Nolan's eyes and held contact, waiting for the other's response while cataloguing the reaction.

He watched the grin spread across Decky’s face. It was a wolfish thing, really, he wondered briefly if that made him a rabbit. He had heard the rumors, of course, so there was little surprise to be found in his face but he did follow the statement with an inquiry. “What were you in for?”

It wasn’t judgemental or even rude. Just curious. “If you don’t mind me asking.”

Decky’s eyebrows ticked up just a bit at the little reaction he received, and mentally he thought that maybe he could have a little fun with this guy. ”Some dickless baby bangers tried muscling into our territory and when they hit our corner I stabbed one-a them,” He shrugged, as though it was just another day to him instead of him recalling the night he was incarcerated. ”He survived, of course, or I wouldn’t be here. His crew did get me back on the inside though, stabbed me twice in the same spot ‘fore the guards got to us. Luckily he missed any important organs.”

“Oh.” The response was startled to a small degree but not appalled, or disgusted. His eyebrows may have been pushing his hairline but he mostly seemed alarmed at the idea that anyone his age could have been through something like that.

“I think-- I’m glad you’re alright though.” He tried, shaking off his alarm. “Ain’t ever been stabbed myself, been in a fist fight or two but I’m no fighter, really. I’m glad I asked you directly, ‘cause I’ve been kind of curious, admittedly. You’ve made a bit of an image for yourself.”

Decky blinked at the other boy, a bit startled himself at how much Nolan was just going with the flow. Seriously, what was in the water at Northie? Aren't rich kids supposed to run in fear at the mere mention of gang activity? Of violence and prison? Decky's shoulders finally relaxed from the harsh line they had been held in as he slumped forward and put an elbow on the table, resting his chin in his hand as he stared at the other boy with disguised wonder.

"...huh, I think I like you, Santora," he stated simply. "I can teach you how to fight, or I could just give you a knife for protection…" a grin split his face, then. "I got an image that quick? Shit, I ain't the only Southie here, must be the good looks and traumatic past."

“Well, good thing. I think I like you too, Mordechai.” He beamed at the boy across from him. He had the sort of smile that just seemed genuine and maybe that was why he and Lanie got along. They were both the unflinchingly genuine sort. “This place can be… judgy sometimes with the wrong people, but Lanie an’ I are pretty open-minded. You don’t seem bad to me and--”

He passed a conspiratorial glance over his shoulder and continued. “I might actually take you up on the fighting lessons. Can’t and won’t tell you how many of those fist fights I lost. I’m uh- not real equipped to that sort of thing, you know?”

Decky let out a surprised laugh, his grin following suit of Nolan's and become a bit more genuine. "Promise not to tell?" he leaned in conspiratorially as well. "Didn't learn to fight till I was jumped into my crew an' the boss decided I needed to bulk up if I was gonna be worth the corner space. Won my first fight three weeks later at the boxin' club."

Aces Managerie

EDITED JANUARY 8TH 2023 FOR TYPOS, DIALOGUE COLOR FIXES, AMD A BIT OF WORDING TO BETTER FIT SOLIDIFIED LORE/DYNAMICS

Decky and Lanie First Meeting

Decky ran a hand through his already thoroughly tousled hair, glaring down at the math problems as though it could force them to make sense. Language Arts was easy, but math? Hell no. ”Stupid fuckin’ PO,” He thought angrily. “‘You’ve done so well in Juvie classes, obviously you need to be thrown into the deep end of Northie to continue growing.’ What fuckin’ logic was that? They don’t even teach the same-” Someone bumped into the back of his chair, forcing it forward a couple inches as his sternum met the table.

“Oops!” Came the fake cry from the offender, and Decky turned around slowly to stare down the hulking figure in a letterman jacket, taking in the short brown hair and pale complexion, the starting scruff of a beard that doesn't quite cover up his acne. The boy was giving him a smarmy grin. “Sorry Southie! Guess you just blend in with the rest of the trash around here,” He laughed, his two buddies following suit. “You should get a job as a garbage man, since you already live like one anyway.”

One slow blink was the only reaction his taunting garnered as Decky didn’t even bother rising from his chair. He stared the idiots down until their laughter awkwardly dwindled, and then took his chance.

”Y’know,” he said, flipping out his butterfly knife and casually holding the tip against the now frozen boy’s thigh, just close enough to a certain part of the anatomy that it assured the others would make no move. They were staring at him with wide eyes as he let out the grin that had often been, quite literally, bloody. ”I ‘ppreciate the suggestion, given it’s one-a the few jobs that’ll hire someone with multiple incarcerations. And I mean,” He rolled his eyes, pushing the tip a little harder while the leader went white in the face. ”I might as well go big, what’s one more term on the inside if it keeps you’re fugly ass from ever reproducing, hm?”

As he continued his staredown with the others, he couldn’t believe the lack of security at this school, at least Southie had some rent-a-cops stationed around. ”Ignorance really is bliss, huh?” he thought, still stuck in the culture shock phase of his time here.

“Excuse me, um… What’s going on here?”

The willowy blonde in the white cashmere sweater, thick black leggings and knee-high black leather boots had no idea what she’d walked into. When she’d arrived at school that morning of the first day of freshman year’s second semester, the guidance counselor had wasted no time in procuring her assistance. There was a new student in her year: a young man from Southie under ‘delicate and special circumstances’ was in need of a ‘buddy’ to show him around the school and tutor him in Geometry. And, of course, who else could be more perfect for the job than Edenridge High’s resident ray of sunshine: Lanie Lancaster? As expected, the green-eyed cheerleader had been flattered, and had delightedly accepted this new task. She was to meet her new friend in the library during second period study hall.

In regular Lanie fashion, she had reached her destination with five minutes to spare. A wide, bright smile illuminated her femenine features, and her cheerful disposition was already in place to greet this new student. But when she arrived at the table Ms. Vaughn had said the new boy would be, she didn’t know what exactly she was staring at. All she knew was that Eden’s resident jock asshole Brian Saunders had a knife to the crotch, his two equally useless lackeys Kyle and Seth stood paralized and looking like their life was flashing before their eyes, and who she assumed was her protegé was the one holding said knife to the nether regions.

“Is everything okay?” Lanie said gently, looking back and forth from Brian and the dark-haired young man with the weapon. She realized this was a stupid question-- things were obviously far from okay. But she figured it was as good an attempt as any to defuse the situation without getting herself maimed, stabbed or killed in the process.

Initially, Decky only gave a quick glance to the new player on the board, making sure his attention stayed on his prey. Her voice demanded attention in an almost Aphrodite like way, soft and sweet, alluring in its energy. He gave the knife just a bit more pressure in warning before returning it to his pocket with quick, practiced ease. Then he finally got a good look at the girl, keeping his rough grin on the whole time.

She was pretty. Well, actually, she was downright gorgeous; long golden locks with a healthy athletic figure and eyes as green as his Trip-S tattoo. The predatory grin changed to something just a bit more inviting.

"S'all good, Sweetheart, just learnin' ta make friends in Wonderland."

Elaine raised a disbelieving eyebrow at the boy. Anyone with half a brain cell could see that the exchange currently happening was far from being friendly. “Friends… Right...” she muttered, nodding slowly before turning her attention back to Brian and his crew. “I don’t mean to be rude, Bri, but I think it would be a good idea if you guys found another place to study,” Lanie said politely, knowing fully well that the last thing those dudes did was study. “I was supposed to start his tutoring session five minutes ago, and I’d like to do so with no more distractions, if that’s okay.”

He kept his smirk in place as the jockstrap squad stumbled away with angry grunts and mumbles. Once they had disappeared, he turned fully to the girl by his table. "So, that was fun; kinda reminded me a the sixth grade lunch room.” he joked, looking unsubtly at the sharpie markings on his hand. "So, uh, you’re Elaine? I’mma have to be honest and say I don’t know how much attention I could pay to studying with you around. What are ya, a fuckin’ model?”

That wasn’t what Decky had meant to say, and only his amazing poker face kept him from turning red as a tomato. As it was, he simply looked her up and down and gave a leer in hope of scaring her off before she bothered to sit down. It was gonna happen eventually so why would he bother giving her any time?

Lanie had never been a stranger to her peers making comments about her appearance. Some were nice, some were not so nice, and others were just plain disgusting and rude. By this point, she had started to learn the importance of taking others’ opinions with a grain of salt. But the way this guy had just blatantly said to her face exactly what was in his mind, and the slight second of panic in his eyes after he’d said it, had her suddenly bursting out into a fit of genuine laughter. Her fit of emotion was loud enough to earn her disapproving glares from her fellow students, and even the librarian had to raise a finger up to her lips in her direction in an attempt to get Lanie to sober up. The blonde’s laughs eventually subsided into quiet little giggles, and she turned to the boy with tears of laughter still sitting in her green eyes.

“Oh my God, I could only wish I was a model,” Lanie playfully lamented, letting out a fake, exaggerated sigh. “I could be making so much money letting strange men take pictures of me right now.”

Decky was bewildered by her reaction. He’d never had someone straight out laugh at any of his bridge burning attempts, and he was unsure how to proceed from there. He did know one thing though, and that was that she even had a beautiful laugh.

”Fuck.”

Nervously, he began scratching at the inside of his elbow, exacerbating the already inflamed track marks that could be found there. ”Uh, right…well, you could always hang on a Southie corner, plenty of men lookin’ for pretty things to take pictures of.” It was a joke, that was all it was meant to be. Just a joke. Except, of course, for the fact that it was also completely true. He’d steered Danny away from enough of them. When his parents let the house go empty during their stints hiding out in drug dens, Decky...well, Decky had to feed his baby brother. Lanie, however, had none of this context to explain the dark look that crossed his face at the...Joke…

While her earlier comments were meant to be jokes, there was something about the way this young man had said that made her think that he was probably being serious. That and coupled with the amount of unsavory things she had read and heard about the south side of town, she didn’t doubt that his statements were anything but true… Which made her skin crawl under her sweater.

“As tempting as that offer sounds, I think I’ll pass…” she joked, trying hard to lighten up the dark atmosphere that had seemed to settle between the two. “I don’t think I got your name before. Ms. Vaughn didn’t tell me, and I was so excited to meet you that I rushed off before it dawned on me that I didn’t ask! You can call me Lanie, by the way. Everybody calls me Lanie.” She knew she was rambling, but that was just her natural reaction to anything that made her feel uncomfortable.

He arched an eyebrow at her. Excited to meet him? What the hell was wrong with Northie? ”Yeah, I was…super excited to meet someone in a library and cram useless information into my brain too,” He knew he was being kind of mean, and that the girl was probably very sweet. But to Decky, that was all the more reason to keep her at arms length at least, as it was clear she wouldn’t leave.

”It’s Boaz. You don’t get to shorten it, and last name only.”

Lanie found his sarcasm and lack of enthusiasm over having to sit through nearly an hour of some random girl trying to teach him Geometry amusing enough to let out a snicker. In his defense, she probably would’ve reacted in the same way if they had moved to Edenridge when the anger at knowing they were leaving her hometown was still fresh. She didn’t have much time to dwell on this, though, because he had already moved on to finally disclose his name.

“Boaz…” the young woman repeated slowly, feeling out how the name rolled out of her tongue so she could continue to use in the future. In typical Lanie fashion, her mind was already racing with ideas of many fun, cute and special ways she could shorten or use as a nickname for her new friend. But because he had specifically told her shortening it was not an option, the girl knew it would be rude and disrespectful to go against his wishes. “Boaz it is!” she declared, smiling brightly at Boaz and offering him her extended hand.

He gave a quick flinch at the sudden movement, whole body tensing before he recognized the gesture. He then slipped his calloused hand into hers and have a good shake before retreating again. He appreciated that she had so easily followed his boundaries, and he tilted his head as he stared at her for a moment longer. "Okay, Lanie," he gave her a small, barely there smile. "What the fuck is up with these formulas? My last course was remedial Algebra so I don't have a fuckin' clue what's goin' on." he turned his attention away from her and back to his book, running his hand through his hair again as he kicked out a seat for her to take next to him.

With a small chuckle at Boaz's exasperation about their subject of study, Elaine gracefully took the seat being offered to her and placed her belongings on top of the table. She went straight into tutor mode: pulling out her textbook, notebook and colored pens from her bag and neatly setting everything in front of her. Once finished, she turned to her classmate.

"You want to know a secret?" she suddenly asked him, lowering her voice and looking around as if worried about anyone listening in. "I don't have a clue of what's going on most of the time either," she confessed with a playful smile, leaning closer to him. "But I definitely know enough to get us on the right track! So, as long as you promise to pay attention and give your maximum effort, I'm confident I'll get you to pass Geometry with at least a-"

Decky pulled away from her harshly, whole body seizing as he sized her up. He wasn't a stranger to what those lean ins could lead to, whether he wanted them or not, and he'd done pretty well avoiding those chicks since he got out. At this point it would be illegal for them to do anything again anyways given the girls' now adult ages, but that didn't mean they didn't leave an impression. Immediately his eyes turned sharp and he sneered at her.

"You gotta get so close, they not teach you personal space in Northie? That's gonna be a fuckin' issue, sweetheart." he bit out, keeping his whole body facing her as though preparing for a fight.

Elaine pulled away from Boaz instantly, her flushed face now equal parts embarrassed, guilty and ashamed. "Oh God, I am so, so sorry!" she stammered in apology, pushing her belongings to the opposite side of the table to downplay how her green eyes filled up with tears. Never in her life had she experienced anyone having such an aggressive, revolting reaction when it came to her presence. It really made her wonder whether her being the one assigned to help Boaz would do him more harm than good. "I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable in any way! Would you rather I sit across from you instead, or find a space that's a little more open?"

He blinked hard at her response, his world momentarily tilted on its axis as he attempted to find the words that matched hers, and he couldn't. He didn't have any contingencies to that response. Probably because he'd never gotten that response.

"I...I...uh-fuck," he stammered, wind taken out of his sales as he hunched in on himself and began avoiding eye contact. That's fuckin' embarrassing. "I misread the fuck outta that. Don't start cryin' on me, they might think I hit ya and send me back to juvie!" was he panicking? Was that a bad joke for the timing? Did he wish to be high for this situation?

Yes.

"I'm not crying!" Elaine argued, looking away and repeatedly blinking hard until all tears had disappeared from her eyes. She wiped away the corners of her eyes to make sure none of them had escaped and there was no incriminating evidence of them before she turned towards Boaz again. "The misunderstanding was all my fault. I should've been more careful about the way I approached you. You just got out of juvie, after all, and I have no idea where you come from or what you've lived through before. I don't blame you for reacting like you did. I'm just… I'm really, really, really sorry…" she apologized again, anxiously biting her lower lip.

Decky had no idea what to do. This girl, this bright ball of energy and warmth was acting differently than he expected at every turn. Their knowledge of how the world works was so drastic that trying to interact in any casual way was quickly reaching Trainwreck territory. What did she want him to do? How was he meant to respond to her to smooth things out? If she hadn’t had such soft words during the apology, he would know to sneer and make a comment about how it must be nice in Northie to feel so safe. Must be nice that you can let someone that close without unwarranted hands or blades finding flesh.

But she spoke like cool water over a fresh burn, and she was softer than anything he’d ever seen, barring his newborn brother all those years ago.

”I...don’t know how ta react right now…” He answered stiltedly. ”Ain’t been in a situation like this, feel like Dorothy or Alice or some shit…”

Edenridge

Decky

Name

Mordechai Oren Boaz

Nicknames

Decky, Mo-Bo, MOB, Boaz

Age

20

Gender

Male

Sexuality

Bisexual

Relationship Status

Single

TW: CHILD ABUSE, CHARACTER DEATH, DRUG USE, FAMILY LOSS
Appearance Details

• Hair: Black | Straight with a hint of waves when cut short | Decky has a habit of combing his hair with a wet comb in the morning- if he even bothers with that- and then running his hands through his hair for the rest of the day, leaving him with a sort of slicked-back-tousled look more often than not.
• Eyes: Brown
• Height: 5'10
• Body Type: Years of abuse and malnourishment left Decky a little on the skinnier side, while his activities lent to lean muscle forming. This left him with what looks more like a runner's build, letting him easily hide his shape under bulkier clothes and layers.
• Clothing Style: WIP
• Scars, Tattoos and/or Piercings:He's got too many scars to count, most from shattered beer bottles and belts. The notable ones would be the one just above his left hip, where an asshole Fear Gorta had shivved him in Juvie. There was a ragged burn scar across his collar bone, and while it has distorted a bit as he grew, the word burned into him over time by several of his parents' cigarettes still clearly read BURDEN. His thigh has an angry red scar from where the Human Arsenal that was Charlie Decker had plunged a knife straight into it after pistol-whipping Decky into a daze.
  Tattoo wise, Decky has two stick-n-poke names over his heart; Danny and Lanie. His left shoulder bares the Trip-S tattoo that he got as a young teen. On his left forearm is the newest, showing a detailed gravestone covered in colorful rocks, the years 2005-2020 the only marking on the stone. He has no piercings, as they made no sense to him with as many fights as he got into.

Personality Traits

Decky during school acted about as much the delinquent as his peers and most adults expected him to. He had a rage built from the moment he could feel the emotion, and used any indignity he saw as a reason to outlet a bit of that fire that burned him from the inside out. You were one of the very lucky few if you could genuinely say you know Decky Boaz, but given that it's him you'd know about, you can't be too lucky.
It's completely different when he was around Danny, and often times Lanie as well. He may not be great at expressing his emotions but when it comes to those he cares about, he can be incredibly passionate. However, just like with his anger, he doesn't exactly think everything through and very well may have gone overboard and bordered on smothering. If it got pointed out to him, he would go a bit distant until he could sort out how he felt about that on his own.

Biography

Born and raised in Southie, Decky had a bleak beginning to life; born in the middle of a drug den a whole month early when his parents had been picking up an ounce, his parents just wrapped him up in some newspaper from the ground and took him home when they were good and ready. Surviving on pure miracle and lifeforce alone, he made it to three years old where he was greeted with a new role in life: Big Brother.
Daniel Amos Boaz was born in much better conditions than Decky, given that at the time his mother had been on parole and her PO was keeping track of the baby's health just as much as hers. Until, of course, he was born and no longer literally attached to her main problem. After that it was once again up to the young ones of the house to fend for themselves, though even at his young age Decky knew that he would keep his parents' hands on him-and away from Danny- as much as possible. These evil people didn't deserve that ball of light. Danny was his and he would protect him.
While this kept Danny relatively safe, it did nothing to keep Decky himself safe. The night his parents chainsmoked and burned "Burden" across his collar bone, he went out to his street corner, 10 years old, and got jumped into the South Side Serpents. He began dealing on that corner the next day. It was also around this time he met Phil at his Junkyard and Garage and began doing mechanics. About a month into his eighth grade year a war broke out between the Trip-S gang and the Fear Gorta, and less than a week later it reached his neighborhood and his crew. Surviving the fight, managing to stab one of the other crew, and the two year sentence with chance of early Parole did nothing to quell how worried he was about Danny being alone at home for so long. Decky kept his head down as much as possible by sticking with his crew and doing the stupid schoolwork, because Juvie wouldn't even let you escape school while you were there. At his hearing a year and a half later, Decky was released back into the world with part of his parole stipulating that he attend Edenridge High across the tracks. Swell.
Meeting Lanie and getting clean of anything but weed and the occasional party drug, moving out of his parents and taking Danny with him, rediscovering his love for Mechanics and hanging out at Phil's garage, and all the other shit in the intervening two and a half years don't seem too important compared to the biggest thing: The Shooting. They were there for their allotted free breakfast, but Decky had just left Danny to go check on the Autoshop project. He'd told Danny he'd be quick, as his Freshman brother was getting swamped in homework and despite Mordechai not actually knowing what the AP kids studied, he was adamant about helping Danny as much as possible. He was halfway there when he heard the first shot, and it gave him only a seconds pause before he broke out into a run towards the sound. Towards the cafeteria. He slid through the doors and before he could do anything something hard cracked against his temple and sent his head flying to the side, and without giving him a second to catch his breath, Charlie Decker brought the handgun once more across Mordechai's head. He had to have blacked out as he tried to stand, because when his vision cleared again he was staring at a knife embedded to the hilt in thigh. His brother's choked sob made it through his foggy awareness and, as though he was seeing snapshots instead the full thing, Danny was running towards him; the gun went off so close to his ear he lost the ability to hear; Danny stilled; Danny dropped; Decker laughed and fled the area, leaving the brothers to reach out to each other while the living cafeteria members stared on. He remembers blacking out just as their bloody fingers touched.
Waking up and being told Danny hadn't survived was like dying himself, or wishing he had. He had a concussion and a rather blatant limp from the stab wound, but was overall discharged rather quickly, given his emancipation and ability to sign himself out. Everyone in the hospital was talking about what happened, and he even saw several of his schoolmates in the rooms he passed as he left. He moved like an absolute zombie, lost in a world without Danny as his light. He waited for no condolences, attended no funerals, he just went straight to Phil's and grabbed the motorcycle he had been building for himself for years. He took off with Phil as the only link to him.

Family

Alana and Benjamin Boaz- Parents
Danny Boaz-Baby Brother (Deceased)| FC: Levi Miller

Relationships

Phil Bristol-Mentor/Mechanic/Owner of Phil's Junkyard and Garage

Lanie Lancaster-Ex-Girlfriend

Nolan Santora-Friend

Misc.

Face Claim: Felix Mallard| Color Code: DC143C
Decky worked at Phil's Junkyard and Garage since he was 12 and Phil found him scrounging through scrap piles.
Theme

Edenridge

TW: CHILD ABUSE, CHARACTER DEATH, DRUG USE, FAMILY LOSS

Decky

Name

Mordechai Oren Boaz

Nicknames

Decky, Mo-Bo, MOB, Boaz

Age

20

Gender

Male

Sexuality

Bisexual

Relationship Status

Single

Appearance Details

• Hair: Black | Straight with a hint of waves when cut short | Decky has a habit of combing his hair with a wet comb in the morning- if he even bothers with that- and then running his hands through his hair for the rest of the day, leaving him with a sort of slicked-back-tousled look more often than not.
• Eyes: Brown
• Height: 5'10
• Body Type: Years of abuse and malnourishment left Decky a little on the skinnier side, while his activities lent to lean muscle forming. This left him with what looks more like a runner's build, letting him easily hide his shape under bulkier clothes and layers.
• Clothing Style: WIP
• Scars, Tattoos and/or Piercings:He's got too many scars to count, most from shattered beer bottles and belts. The notable ones would be the one just above his left hip, where an asshole 15 year old had shivved him in Juvie when he found out he was a Trip-S. There was a ragged burn scar across his collar bone, and while it has distorted a bit as he grew, the word burned into him over time by several of his parents' cigarettes still clearly read BURDEN. His thigh has an angry red scar from where the Human Arsenal that was Charlie Decker had plunged a knife straight into it after pistol-whipping Decky into a daze.
  Tattoo wise, Decky has two stick-n-poke names over his heart; Danny and Lanie. His right shoulder blade bares the Trip-S tattoo that he got as a young teen. On his left forearm is the newest, showing a detailed gravestone covered in colorful rocks, the years 2005-2020 the only marking on the stone. He has no piercings, as they made no sense to him with as many fights as he got into.

Personality Traits

Decky during school acted about as much the delinquent as his peers and most adults expected him to. He had a rage built from the moment he could feel the emotion, and used any indignity he saw as a reason to outlet a bit of that fire that burned him from the inside out. You were one of the very lucky few if you could genuinely say you _know_ Decky Boaz, but given that it's him you'd know about, you can't be too lucky.
It's completely different when he was around Danny, and often times Lanie as well. He may not be great at expressing his emotions but when it comes to those he cares about, he can be incredibly passionate. However, just like with his anger, he doesn't exactly think everything through and very well may have gone overboard and bordered on smothering. If it got pointed out to him, he would go a bit distant until he could sort out how he felt about that on his own.

Biography

Born and raised in Southie, Decky had a bleak beginning to life; born in the middle of a drug den a whole month early when his parents had been picking up an ounce, his parents just wrapped him up in some newspaper from the ground and took him home when they were good and ready. Surviving on pure miracle and lifeforce alone, he made it to three years old where he was greeted with a new role in life: Big Brother.
Daniel Aaron Boaz was born in much better conditions than Decky, given that at the time his mother had been on parole and her PO was keeping track of the baby's health just as much as hers. Until, of course, he was born and no longer literally attached to her main problem. After that it was once again up to the young ones of the house to fend for themselves, though even at his young age Decky knew that he would keep his parents' hands on him-and away from Danny- as much as possible. These evil people didn't deserve that ball of light. Danny was his and he would protect him.
While this kept Danny relatively safe, it did nothing to keep Decky himself safe. The night his parents chainsmoked and burned "Burden" across his collar bone, he went out to his street corner, 12 years old, and got jumped into the South Side Scorpions. He began dealing on that corner the next day. It was also around this time he met Phil at his Junkyard and Garage and began doing mechanics. About a month into his eighth grade year a war broke out between the Trip-S gang and the newbies in town, and less than a week later it reached his neighborhood and his crew. Surviving the fight, managing to stab one of the other crew, and the two year sentence with chance of early Parole did nothing to quell how worried he was about Danny being alone at home for so long. Decky kept his head down as much as possible by sticking with his crew and doing the stupid schoolwork, because Juvie wouldn't even let you escape school while you were there. At his hearing a year and a half later, Decky was released back into the world with part of his parole stipulating that he attend Edenridge High across the tracks. Swell.
Meeting Lanie and getting clean of anything but weed and the occasional party drug, moving out of his parents and taking Danny with him, rediscovering his love for Mechanics and hanging out at Phil's garage, and all the other shit in the intervening two and a half years don't seem too important compared to the biggest thing: The Shooting. They were there for their allotted free breakfast, but Decky had just left Danny to go check on the Autoshop project. He'd told Danny he'd be quick, as his Freshman brother was getting swamped in homework and despite Mordechai not actually knowing what the AP kids studied, he was adamant about helping Danny as much as possible. He was halfway there when he heard the first shot, and it gave him only a seconds pause before he broke out into a run towards the sound. Towards the cafeteria. Before he could do anything something hard cracked against his temple and sent his head flying to the side, and without giving him a second to catch his breath, Charlie Decker brought the handgun once more across Mordechai's head. He had to have blacked out as he tried to stand, because when his vision cleared again he was staring at a knife embedded to the hilt in thigh. His brother's choked sob made it through his foggy awareness and, as though he was seeing snapshots instead the full thing, Danny was running towards him; the gun went off so close to his ear he lost the ability to hear; Danny stilled; Danny dropped; Decker laughed and fled the area, leaving the brothers to reach out to each other while the living cafeteria members stared on. He remembers blacking out just as their bloody fingers touched.
Waking up and being told Danny hadn't survived was like dying himself, or wishing he had. He had a concussion and a rather blatant limp from the stab wound, but was overall discharged rather quickly, given his emancipation and ability to sign himself out. Everyone in the hospital was talking about what happened, and he even saw several of his schoolmates in the rooms he passed as he left. He moved like an absolutel zombie, lost in a world without Danny as his light. He waited for no condolences, attended no funerals, he just went straight to Phil's and grabbed the motorcycle he had been building for himself for years. He took off with Phil as the only link to him.

Family

Alana and Benjamin Boaz- Parents
Danny Boaz-Baby Brother (Deceased)

Misc.

Face Claim: Felix Mallard| Color Code: DC143C
Decky worked at Phil's Garage and Junkyard since he was 12 and Phil found him scrounging through scrap piles.
Theme

Aces Managerie

Phil

Phil Bristol

Born in New York, Phil grew up in an upper-middle class neighborhood. Both his parent had nice jobs and he went to a private school. His parents always hoped he'd get the best education and be able to surpass them and live even more well-off than they themselves were. Phil, however, was never as attracted to common education as he was to cars and other contraptions. He didn't love science so much as he did inventing, or math so much as how much was necessary when making blueprints and the like. So he studied engineering and mechanics in his free time, even finding himself stopping by auto shops every now and then to ask the mechanics questions. They had no problem with a cute kid, all bright eyed and excited to learn their craft, hanging around as long as he followed safety protocols.
He found himself off the beaten path when he was 14 and his dad's car broke down. Without so much as a word to his father, Phil had the problem fixed before his old man even got off the phone with the mechanic. After the shock wore off, his parents spoke with him, and after a quick trip to the shop that they didn't even know he'd been going, they got praises from the workers and recommendations for different schools that would better cater to his interests. They'd made up their minds.
From then on, Phil went to a trade school for inventing, electrical engineering, and mechanics. He graduated with perfect grades and his parents' blessing to open his own shop as soon as possible. He never did finish a common high school education, and sometimes found himself lacking in places. Surprisingly, it never bothered him much.
It didn't happen at first; Phil picked up a job down in Boston and from age 19 to 22 he worked happily there. Once he felt comfortable and experienced enough, he opened his own shop and scrap yard in Edenridge, South Boston and set to work.
He was 37 when a young boy with a bruised face got caught pulling scraps off motorcycles. He grabbed the boy by the scruff of his neck- noticing the flinch and filing it for later- and set him down at a station, telling him to get to work. The shocked boy went at it with his borrowed tools until closing.

"Jesus kid, you just did the work of three grown-ass men! How old are you?"

"10, and my name ain't 'Kid'," He'd grumbled back.

"Well, maybe if you'd tell me your name," Phil replied with a roll of his eyes, not letting it show how shocked he was at the boy's adeptness.

"...Mordechai Boaz. My brother calls me Decky."

"Well, Imma call you Mo-Bo, how 'bout that?"

"What?! No don't call me th-"

"Alright Mo-Bo, let's get you home!"

The boy had looked less than thrilled, but admitted that he needed to make his brother a late dinner. Phil didn't comment on that either.
Phil had left the boy with a parting comment about an open door policy, but never expected to see him again. Especially not the next day. But the kid kept coming back, working on his little motorcycle project and even helping the other mechanics. And if the boy was doing the work, Phil was damn well going to pay him for it; under the table until he could be legally hired, of course.
He always brought his brother with him after that, and the boy just stayed quiet and out of the way, acting like he was an intruder and inconvenience. That's when Phil started keeping candy around the garage and ice cream in the mini-freezer. Danny began talking and showing his real personality after that.
Then Mo-Bo went and got himself locked up, and Phil got a little worried. He visited the boy on his designated days and went out of his way to pick Danny up from school on his lunch break and bring him back to the shop, making sure the boy spent as little time at home as possible. He wasn't stupid, after all.
When he was released and sent to Edenridge High, Phil felt excitement that the boy may actually get out of his home. Mo-Bo was a lot smarter than people gave him credit for, including the boy himself; he could excel in both Common education and Trade. Phil didn't push it much, just kept some textbooks around that would keep the kid relatively on level with what the rest of his age group was learning. He caught Mo-Bo passed out on the break room couch one night, Language Arts textbook spread open on his chest with a dictionary on the ground and highlighters all over the place. All he'd done was smile and put a blanket over the slumbering teen.
Then came miss Lanie and Nolan, good influences on the boy if he'd ever seen any; Mo-Bo slowly lost the track marks on his arms, and Phil was so damn happy he didn't even complain about the scent of weed that wafted off him more often. While Phil had been nudging Decky toward the idea since he was 13, hoping he would make plans, it was truly Lanie who finally got Mo-Bo moving forward and finally receiving his emancipation, and she even took his boys in with the blessing of her parents.
In between that move, he had been jealous that the boys began to get a new father figure in the form of Antoine Beauregard, but Phil knew a good man when he saw one, and also knew that his own tiny apartment could barely house him, let alone the two boys he'd grown to love. So they had spent some time with the English teacher from the middle of Mo-Bo's Sophomore year till summer, when they finally transferred into the Lancaster's care.
After the shooting, Phil had sat at Mo-Bo's side as he slept, reading the kid his favorite books and taking care of things for Danny to keep one more burden off of Mordechai Boaz's shoulders. A couple days after the shooting when Mo-Bo asked Phil to get his Motorcycle-the one he'd been scrounging around his Junkyard for scraps for all those years ago, well, Phil could not be one more part of the universe that told that child no. Not that anyone who has been through a life like his can be called a child. He knew if he kept him here, he would have to buy two "D____ Boaz" headstones instead of one.
Danny hadn't gotten a 24 hour burial, Mo-Bo hadn't been awake to ask for it and they were no contact with their parents. The best Phil had been able to do was the weekend, but his boy had long ridden away from Edenridge at that point, leaving just an email address and the promise to send a new phone number when he could. Nolan had stopped by within a couple weeks to get ahold of the address and strong arm Mo-Bo back into contact, and it was also that same boy that managed to convince one Mordechai Boaz, almost 2 whole years later, to return to Edenridge for a visit. Hopefully it could become more than that with enough support.

Color Code:0072bc

Aces Managerie

Decky

Name

Mordechai Oren Boaz

Nicknames

Decky, Mo-Bo, MOB, Boaz

Age

20

Gender

Male

Sexuality

Bisexual

Relationship Status

Single

TW: CHILD ABUSE, CHARACTER DEATH, DRUG USE, FAMILY LOSS
Appearance Details

• Hair: Black | Straight with a hint of waves when cut short | Decky has a habit of combing his hair with a wet comb in the morning- if he even bothers with that- and then running his hands through his hair for the rest of the day, leaving him with a sort of slicked-back-tousled look more often than not.
• Eyes: Brown
• Height: 5'10
• Body Type: Years of abuse and malnourishment left Decky a little on the skinnier side, while his activities lent to lean muscle forming. This left him with what looks more like a runner's build, letting him easily hide his shape under bulkier clothes and layers.
• Clothing Style: WIP
• Scars, Tattoos and/or Piercings:He's got too many scars to count, most from shattered beer bottles and belts. The notable ones would be the one just above his left hip, where an asshole 15 year old had shivved him in Juvie when he found out he was a Trip-S. There was a ragged burn scar across his collar bone, and while it has distorted a bit as he grew, the word burned into him over time by several of his parents' cigarettes still clearly read BURDEN. His thigh has an angry red scar from where the Human Arsenal that was Charlie Decker had plunged a knife straight into it after pistol-whipping Decky into a daze.
  Tattoo wise, Decky has two stick-n-poke names over his heart; Danny and Lanie. His left shoulder bares the Trip-S tattoo that he got as a young teen. On his left forearm is the newest, showing a detailed gravestone covered in colorful rocks, the years 2005-2020 the only marking on the stone. He has no piercings, as they made no sense to him with as many fights as he got into.

Personality Traits

Decky during school acted about as much the delinquent as his peers and most adults expected him to. He had a rage built from the moment he could feel the emotion, and used any indignity he saw as a reason to outlet a bit of that fire that burned him from the inside out. You were one of the very lucky few if you could genuinely say you know Decky Boaz, but given that it's him you'd know about, you can't be too lucky.
It's completely different when he was around Danny, and often times Lanie as well. He may not be great at expressing his emotions but when it comes to those he cares about, he can be incredibly passionate. However, just like with his anger, he doesn't exactly think everything through and very well may have gone overboard and bordered on smothering. If it got pointed out to him, he would go a bit distant until he could sort out how he felt about that on his own.

Biography

Born and raised in Southie, Decky had a bleak beginning to life; born in the middle of a drug den a whole month early when his parents had been picking up an ounce, his parents just wrapped him up in some newspaper from the ground and took him home when they were good and ready. Surviving on pure miracle and lifeforce alone, he made it to three years old where he was greeted with a new role in life: Big Brother.
Daniel Aaron Boaz was born in much better conditions than Decky, given that at the time his mother had been on parole and her PO was keeping track of the baby's health just as much as hers. Until, of course, he was born and no longer literally attached to her main problem. After that it was once again up to the young ones of the house to fend for themselves, though even at his young age Decky knew that he would keep his parents' hands on him-and away from Danny- as much as possible. These evil people didn't deserve that ball of light. Danny was his and he would protect him.
While this kept Danny relatively safe, it did nothing to keep Decky himself safe. The night his parents chainsmoked and burned "Burden" across his collar bone, he went out to his street corner, 12 years old, and got jumped into the South Side Serpents. He began dealing on that corner the next day. It was also around this time he met Phil at his Junkyard and Garage and began doing mechanics. About a month into his eighth grade year a war broke out between the Trip-S gang and the newbies in town, and less than a week later it reached his neighborhood and his crew. Surviving the fight, managing to stab one of the other crew, and the two year sentence with chance of early Parole did nothing to quell how worried he was about Danny being alone at home for so long. Decky kept his head down as much as possible by sticking with his crew and doing the stupid schoolwork, because Juvie wouldn't even let you escape school while you were there. At his hearing a year and a half later, Decky was released back into the world with part of his parole stipulating that he attend Edenridge High across the tracks. Swell.
Meeting Lanie and getting clean of anything but weed and the occasional party drug, moving out of his parents and taking Danny with him, rediscovering his love for Mechanics and hanging out at Phil's garage, and all the other shit in the intervening two and a half years don't seem too important compared to the biggest thing: The Shooting. They were there for their allotted free breakfast, but Decky had just left Danny to go check on the Autoshop project. He'd told Danny he'd be quick, as his Freshman brother was getting swamped in homework and despite Mordechai not actually knowing what the AP kids studied, he was adamant about helping Danny as much as possible. He was halfway there when he heard the first shot, and it gave him only a seconds pause before he broke out into a run towards the sound. Towards the cafeteria. He slid through the doors and before he could do anything something hard cracked against his temple and sent his head flying to the side, and without giving him a second to catch his breath, Charlie Decker brought the handgun once more across Mordechai's head. He had to have blacked out as he tried to stand, because when his vision cleared again he was staring at a knife embedded to the hilt in thigh. His brother's choked sob made it through his foggy awareness and, as though he was seeing snapshots instead the full thing, Danny was running towards him; the gun went off so close to his ear he lost the ability to hear; Danny stilled; Danny dropped; Decker laughed and fled the area, leaving the brothers to reach out to each other while the living cafeteria members stared on. He remembers blacking out just as their bloody fingers touched.
Waking up and being told Danny hadn't survived was like dying himself, or wishing he had. He had a concussion and a rather blatant limp from the stab wound, but was overall discharged rather quickly, given his emancipation and ability to sign himself out. Everyone in the hospital was talking about what happened, and he even saw several of his schoolmates in the rooms he passed as he left. He moved like an absolute zombie, lost in a world without Danny as his light. He waited for no condolences, attended no funerals, he just went straight to Phil's and grabbed the motorcycle he had been building for himself for years. He took off with Phil as the only link to him.

Family

Alana and Benjamin Boaz- Parents
Danny Boaz-Baby Brother (Deceased)

Relationships

Phil Bristol-Mentor/Mechanic/Owner of Phil's Junkyard and Garage

Lanie Lancaster-Ex-Girlfriend

Nolan Santora-Friend

Misc.

Face Claim: Felix Mallard| Color Code: DC143C
Decky worked at Phil's Junkyard and Garage since he was 12 and Phil found him scrounging through scrap piles.
Theme

Aces Managerie

Time to start getting all my characters and relationship flashbacks in one place