colemonroe

[colemonroe]

( END. )

Emiri made an attempt to chuckle when Cole mentioned he wasn't dry-eyed, it brought a small hint of light to circle in her eyes, combining with another trigger to pool those very eyes once more. It wasn't intentional; that was just emotion for you. "Yeah..." she nodded as she swiped a single tear away, she wasn't saying it to convince him or even herself, she just knew she would be - she'd get there, because she had to as well as wanted to. "Yeah I will." she actually felt sadly in the mood to go home and just sit and watch hours of video footage she had of her dad, everyday she missed him and now, now she missed him even more. In every way she was grateful she even could still hear his voice, she knew not many people were so lucky and so it was typically Emiri to try and find the good in something so heart-wrenching and tragic. "Thank you, again." she felt she had to say it - she probably always would - for she knew she held such a deep appreciation for him.

[colemonroe]

[colemonroe]

Hearing the other male’s follow-up, an amused smile quirked at the corner of Cole’s mouth and he shrugged, even though Stefanos was still turned away from him, unable to see how visibly relaxed he was, “Always been a sucker for manners,” he drawled, chuckling softly. He wasn’t looking for any sort of confrontation– he had no reason to, especially in a venue like this. But still, he could acknowledge how little the two of them actually knew of each other, other than their respective affiliations, of course. So no, he wasn’t expecting a warm and fuzzy word exchange, but from what he knew of Stefanos, Cole felt quite confident he could expect civility– especially if his next statement was anything to go by. Cole chuckled, “Ya could,” he supplied with another shrug and small, yet playful smirk, “But that’d prob’ly be a lot less fun.” Nodding towards the weapon in his hands, he figured he’d keep the conversation going by settling it on some sort of common ground– guns. “What’re ya shootin’?”

Ever self-critical ( though he preferred to see it as having an accurate assessment of his own abilities ) he knew he was in possession of a host of sins and flaws. But one transgression he'd never let himself commit was rudeness, not when his father's exacting standards had impressed nothing else upon him. Jaw tightened slightly at the response his pseudo-greeting had gotten but he still faced away from the Sons' president. Instincts cried out about him having his back to the other man but their surroundings made it easy to quiet them. From his experience with Cole he figured them both level-headed enough to get through a simple exchange without any kind of threats or violence. "Just being polite." Tone was carefully neutral, devoid of the snark that might have filled it another time. But he was far too meticulous to risk inflaming tensions over something so trivial. "I could always ignore you next time." Glance was cast over his shoulder if only to make the slight curling at the side of his lip known, wondering if his offer of light-heartedness would be taken.

[colemonroe]

Catching Nate’s look, Cole knew instantly that he was up for playing along when it came to nagging Kip. It was all in good fun, of course, but the prospect didn’t need to be clued into that– at least not right away. “Think ya might be right,” he agreed in regard to Kip being more apt to hide behind Taliah. While he was trying to make it sound like a bad thing, Cole loved how his old lady had taken to Kip and helped show him what family really looked like. But that didn’t mean he wasn’t about to use it to poke and prod at Kip now. “Keep waitin’ for him to step up,” he sighed heavily, head shaking like he was disappointed. Cutting a look over at the elderly lady looking to cross the street, Cole glanced back at Kip, “Hear that, prospect? Why don’t ya make yourself useful and help her out, yeah?” Snorting a soft laugh as the younger man took off like he was on a goddamn mission, Cole knocked a light shove to Nate’s side before throwing an arm around his shoulders as they walked, just happy for this lighthearted normalcy that he felt like they’d been getting back to.

But time always had this way of slowing to an agonizing crawl right before something bad happened. Cole felt it slam into him like a sledgehammer, his steps faltering the slightest bit right outside the entrance to License to Grill. Brow furrowing, he darted a look all around for anything out of place. That one look alone felt like a lifetime, despite being a mere few seconds in reality. Half a heartbeat later, Cole saw it. Tightening his grip on Nate, his fingers twisting into the fabric of his shirt and giving a harsh tug to hopefully help urge them both closer to the ground, Cole shouted as the sidedoor of an oncoming van slid open, revealing two gunmen, masked and their rifles raised–

Walking alongside Cole he kept his prior amusement minimal as his focus of attention turned over towards Kip, eyeing the prospect in a short motion Nate gave a soft hum of agreement at Cole trying to push Kip into taking on the Man versus Food challenge - an instant feigned seriousness considering he had caught his gaze moments ago, naturally slotting into that rhythm of playing along. "Think he'd rather hide behind your girl," meaning Taliah, of course, and the way she liked to baby him - especially in Nate's personal opinion, anyway. "Not sure he's up for it you know, not got the guts..." his aim here was just to chip at Kip's ego, wanting him to pull out a need to prove himself - even if it was only eating a shitload of food, it didn't matter, the principle was still the same. "Maybe helping Margaret over there is more his speed," he made a nod of a gesture towards the elderly woman crossing the road.

[colemonroe]

“Shit,” he hissed beneath his breath, reaching up to scrub a hand across his mouth, “Then we need a sitdown with our guys who’re inside doin’ hard time– give ‘em a heads up.” With Theo’s arrest, ATF had the present piece needed for RICO– but between Cole and Sawyer, they had to stop ATF from getting a piece of the past, and the first step in making that happen was talking to the Sons already incarcerated. No doubt ATF would be coming for them, hoping to bribe them into giving them information on past crimes that would all but wrap their RICO case up with a nice bow. He didn’t have long to linger on that, though, not with the way Gabe had barged into the meeting room, his fury unmistakable. In a lot of ways, Cole didn’t blame him– he was reacting the way an older brother would when the person he’d spent his life protecting was in a hole he couldn’t readily climb out of. It spoke to how deeply Gabe loved Theo. 

As Sawyer moved to stand in between them, Gabe still tried to peer around her and aim his venomous gaze at Cole, whose silence was only serving to annoy Gabe even more. “I’m trying to find out what the fuck’s going on with my brother,” he answered, glancing down at Sawyer, unable to mask the look of desperation that was peeking through his anger. Gabe winced– of course he was mad, and he didn’t have any doubts about where to aim that rage. “He’s the whole reason Theo’s even part of this shit to begin with,” Gabe shouted, stabbing a finger at Cole. The level of his voice had Cole shifting uncomfortably and his skin crawling beneath his clothing, noting how deeply out of character this was for Gabe, who’d always come across as meek and mild– slow to anger. Gabe leveled his gaze with Sawyer’s, “It’s bad, isn’t it?” Theo’s situation, that was. Of course it was, but Gabe needed to hear it from her, the only person he trusted to clean up what he considered to be the MC’s mess.

Cole raised his hands, if only to show Gabe that he was trying to turn the temperature down in the room, not elevate it, “Simmer down, man, a’right?” He said, finally breaking his silence, “We’re gonna figure this out–” “I don’t need you to figure out shit– you’ve done enough,” Gabe spat back, cutting him off as he stepped around Sawyer. Charging forward, he reached for Cole’s cut, bunching his hands in the worn leather and shoving the biker into the nearest wall, “Don’t you get it? You’re like a fucking poison in this town, every goddamn thing you people touch turns to shit.”

Sawyer's eyes narrowed, her mind already whirring with calculations as she processed the question. The mention of RICO sent a cold wave of anger through her, but she kept her composure—just barely. "Of course they fucking are," she snapped, turning sharply to face him. "Why wouldn’t they? When they can't pin you down on one thing, they throw everything they’ve got, hoping something sticks. And with a biker gang full of goddamn outlaws, it’s not hard to find something that does." The blonde let out a deep sigh before she stubbed what was left of her cigarette in the ashtray. However, the commotion pulled her attention toward the door, instinctively bracing for a fight to break out right there and then, half expecting to dodge out of the way if it did. But when her fiancé burst through the doors, surprise flickered across her face—quickly replaced by a tight clench of her jaw. She could sense the storm brewing behind his eyes, and she knew a confrontation was inevitable.

Sawyer’s gaze locked onto Gabe, fire igniting within her as his words lingered in the air. She’d been teetering on the edge all day, and now—this—was the final push. She stepped forward. "You want to tell me what the fuck you're doing?" she demanded, closing the distance between them. She could see he was drunk, but her own nerves were frayed from the day’s events. "Jesus Christ, Gabe," she snapped, her voice cutting through the air like a blade. Her eyes studied his face as she stepped in front of Cole, wanting to prevent whatever was about to happen—from happening. "Let’s start with the fact that you’re about two seconds away from making this a hell of a lot worse.” Her voice dropped to a dangerously low tone as she stepped even closer. "You’re mad? Good. Be mad. But don’t you dare point your finger at hin when Theo’s the one who got himself thrown behind bars."

She was close now, close enough that the heat of her anger was palpable. "I just left the jail ten minutes ago. I needed to know everything before I came to you, considering I couldn't get any informtation other than what his charge was and that he was being denied bond."

[colemonroe]

For most of his life, Cole had relied on physical touch to speak for him whenever he couldn’t find the words he needed, and in his case, that tended to happen more often than not. Now was just another example of that, but in his mind, it wasn’t because he couldn’t find the words to say to Emiri, it was because there were none. They hadn’t been invented yet, and likely never would be– there’d never be enough that anyone could say that would ever cover the sort of the grief he imagined Emiri was up against. And so he didn’t dare insult her by trying– he just held her, feeling her cry and not bothering to choke back his own tears as they quietly slid down his cheeks. In that moment, he wondered if any of them had really grieved properly. How could they, with so many question marks looming all around them? Cole could only hope that everyone affected that day could find closure now that the club had fit the last piece of the puzzle into place. As Emiri pulled back, he dropped his hands back down to his sides, offering up a small, lopsided smile at her once he met her gaze. He simply nodded, never one to feel comfortable accepting any sort of gratitude or praise, but he knew Emiri was genuine and that was enough to keep from shifting uncomfortably. Raising his brows, he shook his head, “Nah, you’re fine, darlin’,” Cole assured her, never one to be bothered by any display of emotion. “Ain’t exactly dry-eyed over here,” he pointed out with a soft chuckle, reaching up to swipe at his own eyes. “Gonna be a’right?” He asked, concern edging into his southern drawl.

Emiri felt grateful for Cole's embrace, especially when that meant she could essentially hide her face as she cried. She didn't want to be emotional, she sometimes hated it and yet in the long run it actually made her feel better for letting it out. If she hadn't done it now - if she even had that power to control it - she'd have only done it on her way home. It was a lot to hear, it was also a lot to process considering the man that should have died, was the one providing her with that comfort she needed. Emiri didn't feel any type of way towards Cole, she wouldn't ever, she was just registering this entire situation for what it was: sad. It was horrible, awful, but she had to grab onto that little spark of hope that was telling her that it would be okay, eventually. Once she was ready to pull herself away from his hold, Emiri took a deep breath as she nodded her head lightly - it was more to psych herself as she leaned back to look at Cole, "Thank you." she speaks quietly as she wiped her cheeks with her hands, appreciating him more in this moment, she knew this was hard on him too. "For everything." she glanced away from Cole briefly, allowing herself to just be. "Sorry, I know this is the last thing anyone wants to be dealing with." meaning her crying, or anybody crying in general.

[colemonroe]

Chuckling softly at Nellie’s introductory statement, Cole shrugged a shoulder, a lazy grin tugging at the corner of his mouth, “It’s five o’clock somewhere,” he supplied as she set her bag aside. His amusement continued, his crooked grin never faltering as Nellie continued, mentioning Nate and how he’d apparently sought her out too– it was a smart move; he didn’t blame his brother. “Name your price,” Cole quipped back, offering up one of his usual lopsided smiles. Nodding, he tilted his glass, watching the amber liquid swirl around, “Yeah– he was a brother,” Cole explained, sobering softly and wanting to honor Isaac’s memory while also rebranding to space around him. “Attached enough to wanna honor him in some way, but not so much that I can’t gut the place and start fresh.” It was his way of telling his aunt that there weren’t really any limitations to what this renovation could mean. “Need a path forward here,” Cole continued, nodding a bit more firmly as he raised his glass to his lips, “And whatever that looks like…it’s gotta be for the club.” He wanted this place to be where business meetings with buyers happened, while the patrons who actually came here for the ambiance were none the wiser to what was happening in secret rooms. “Figured ya could help me with that.”

She had never been in the Black Rabbit, having never been one for a theme or schtick. Give her her whiskey and don't make a thing about it. She almost had to smack a bartender once who tried to cover her drink with some sort of contraption that created a fog of smokey smelling aroma around the glass. For fuck's sake. "S'little early for a visit to a bar, even for me." She shot back before tossing her bag down on the bar top. "So I figured it had to be something of the sort. Between you and Nate, I think I better start charging for my business consultations." Her head turned as she took in the room as a whole, knowing she probably wasn't seeing the entirety of the vision with the lights up. "I know the owner was a friend of yours, so question is how attached are you to everything? I don't wanna be shitting on a memory."

[colemonroe]

Hearing that the hits were going to just keep on coming, Cole pinched the bridge of his nose and eased out a slow, steady sigh, “Goddamnit.” Granted, it was difficult to hear and process, but he’d always appreciated the way Sawyer never beat around the bush– it was a trait that they shared, and one he absolutely valued. Right now, he didn’t need anyone sugarcoating what was happening with Theo. Worry crept into the edges of his expression, betraying the swirl of unsavory thoughts racing through his head. “They’re gonna try to use RICO, aren’t they?” Cole wondered aloud, fearing that was the so-called ‘message’ that ATF planned on sending them. It made sense– it’s what he’d do in their position. Blowing out a breath, he reached for his cigarettes, quickly setting one between his lips and lighting it. He frowned around it as he glanced over at Sawyer, silently hating how this was adding yet another stressor onto her plate after everything she’d been subjected to in recent weeks. Swallowing thickly as she referenced Gabe, Cole seemed to just deflate in his seat even more, already guessing that that conversation wouldn’t go over well. Gabe already hated the club and Theo’s involvement in it, and Cole didn’t fault him for that. But this…he could only imagine what this would do, and he hated it, knowing that Gabe and his family deserved far better than this.

Hearing a commotion outside the meeting room, Cole straightened in his seat, shooting a frown at Sawyer before shifting to stand. In a flash, the double doors busted open, revealing a red faced version of Gabriel Knox, two prospects on his heels. An emotion Cole couldn’t name ticked at the back of his jaw as his gaze flicked between Gabe and the prospects who hadn’t been able to deter him.  Gabe had come straight from the jail to the clubhouse, seeing nothing but red. Without even thinking, he’d parked his truck and rushed inside, shouldering past anyone who dared to get in his way. Admittedly, he hadn’t been completely steady on his feet, the alcohol lacing his bloodstream doing a number on his coordination, but he’d still stormed through the MC’s sanctuary and slammed his palms against the double doors to the meeting room, shoving it open to reveal both his fiance and her bastard half-brother. A smirk of indignation crossed his features as he traded glances with them, “Oh, well– looks like the gang’s all here, huh?” He huffed, biting back a humorless laugh. Gabe tossed his arms out from his sides, “Anyone wanna tell me what the fuck is going on?” Gabe waited a beat, his expression darkening by the second, “Because all they could tell me at the station was that my brother’s lawyer had already been by and there’s nothing I can do.” It was rich, considering he hadn’t heard from said lawyer, his fiance, either. Anger blazing in his green eyes, he turned to Cole, stabbing a finger in the man’s direction, “How about we start with you?” Rather than speak, Cole simply squared his shoulders and kept quiet, giving Sawyer the space to take the lead on this one.

“They're denying bond because they're stacking the deck. This isn't just about his previous record, Cole. That's just the fucking bow on top of this colossal pile of shit." It had been less than a week since she got engaged, her mother died, and Shep skipped town—now this. She hadn't even caught her breath from one storm before another came crashing down.

Sawyer had been pn the way to the courthuse when Roman's call came in. She hadn’t had time to call Gabe, hadn't even had time to process what was happening before she was barreling into the Police Department, fury simmering just below the surface. The thought of ramming her car through the front of the building had crossed her mind, but that wouldn't have done Theo, or the club, any good. So she did what she had to—got whatever scraps of information she could and headed straight to the clubhouse. She needed a game plan before she could call her fiance.

"He was found with an unregistered gun. Now they've got something solid to hang him with," she said with a frustrated sigh, the sharp click of her heels echoing through the meeting room as she paced. Her cigarette dangled between her fingers, nearly burning out from neglect. She’d already torn through a new pack, and it wasn’t even noon yet. "They’ve got him by the balls, and they’re not letting go." She halted her pacing long enough to flick the ash from her cigarette into the tray perched on the table’s edge, then looked over at Cole. “They're making an example out of him, and I have no fucking idea how I'm gonna tell his brother that the ATF wants to send a message to the club, and decided that Theo is gonna be the one to deliver it."

[colemonroe]

[colemonroe]

WHERE: Outside of License to Grill WITH: @nathaniel-donovan & Kip Austin

“Think I was prob’ly in my twenties the last time I tried the Man versus Food Challenge,” Cole recalled, smirking as he eyed the poster pasted in the window of License to Grill as the three of them neared the restaurant. “Sickest I’ve ever been in my fuckin’ life.” Naturally, he’d signed up on a dare, and he’d made it, completing the challenge within the allotted one hour time frame. But by the time he reached the end of the pile of food that had been thrust at him, he couldn’t even be bothered to celebrate and had spent the next thirty minutes in the bathroom, regretting nearly every bite he’d taken. The food was amazing, of course, but cramming it in all at once, especially after one of his fights, had been a recipe for disaster. “Didn’t even want the damn beers once it was over,” he chuckled before glancing back and tossing a grin over his shoulder at Kip, who trailed a couple paces behind him and Nate, “Whaddya say– feelin’ up for it, prospect?” Turning his attention to Nate, he fired off a conspiratorial look before adding, “That top rocker might depend on it.” Obviously, he was just messing around, but Kip didn’t need to know that. After all, the constant joking and bullshit was part of the prospect experience anyway.

[colemonroe]

WHERE: Sixteen Handles WITH: @avaxbest

Cole needed something sweet. That wasn’t anything new for him, or even anything remotely shocking considering the metric shitton of sugar he dumped into his coffee every morning. But to those in town who didn’t really know him, the sight of a biker cradling a strawberry ice cream cake like it was his most prized possession might have appeared a bit odd– certainly in stark contrast to how Cole usually carried himself. Reaching the register, he quickly paid for his and for the patron in line just four people behind him. He’d glimpsed Ava not long after she’d walked in, but didn’t make a move to catch her attention. Instead, he took his ice cream and tucked himself into a booth off to the side, waiting to watch her reaction. It’d been a minute since he’d caught up with her– something that he knew was his fault after how distant he’d been with everyone over the last few months– and upon spotting her in line, he’d decided it was time he changed that. He just hoped she wasn’t in a rush and that he could actually steal a few minutes of her time. Grinning crookedly as the cashier pointed Ava in the direction of who’d paid for her ice cream, Cole wiggled his fingers, giving a little wave before gesturing for her to join him. “Long time, no see,” he greeted, lifting a shoulder in a lazy shrug as a smirk settled across his lips, “Figured this was more creative than textin’ or callin’, right?” He nodded towards the empty space across from him, “Ya in a hurry or ya got a minute to catch up?”

[colemonroe]

Stifling a yawn as he scrubbed a worn palm across his mouth, Cole nodded, choosing to ignore Riley’s comment about him looking like shit and answering his question instead, “Yeah,” he murmured, gently blowing over the surface of his coffee in hopes of cooling it, “T was on nights, figured I’d just crash here.” He would’ve just tossed and turned all night had he stayed home– at least here, he could fill those sleepless hours with something useful and get work done. Cutting a look over at Riley, he shook his head once, “I’m fine,” Cole supplied quickly, sipping at his coffee. Was he fine? Perhaps not, but the point was that he would be because he knew he had no other choice. It was just bridging that gap between where he was and where he wanted to be that was proving goddamn difficult. Hearing that Riley didn’t blame him for what happened on the day of the bike festival, Cole nodded softly, a smile he didn’t wholly feel curving at the corner of his mouth. It faded just as quickly as it appeared though, knowing Riley likely wasn’t finished. Accustomed to silence, he didn’t say anything, just shifted uncomfortably in his seat and did what he did best:

He listened.

Cole swallowed hard, wincing slightly because he’d never quite figured out how to take hearing that he was supposedly a good man. He didn’t feel like one and never had. Even though he inwardly agreed with Riley that he would have stopped what happened or traded places with the men who’d been killed if he could have, Cole wasn’t sure that made him good– it just meant he understood how that day should have played out, and he’d do anything to right those wrongs. He didn’t outwardly protest though, he figured the sudden pinch in his features already said enough. It was hard hearing how much Dean and Serkan loved him and it showed in the warm sheen that collected at the corners of his eyes, but didn’t quite spill over. His emotions were ramping up though, threatening to overwhelm him the longer Riley spoke. Glimpsing his hand when he raised it, Cole couldn’t mask the frown that sank between his brows but he leaned forward anyway, clasping Riley’s hand. His mind bent back towards that night and he breathed out a shuddered breath, the memories not quite as blurred as he wished they were. There was a vividness to them that felt like punishment. “Not my finest moment,” he interjected with a humorless smile, finally breaking his silence. This conversation was like many they’d had in their youth– he was quiet, and Riley never pushed him to speak but listened whenever he was ready to. He wasn’t sure what he’d done to deserve that, even now, or the love and acceptance Riley was showing him. “Yeah, I hear ya,” he murmured, glancing over at Riley, offering up a small smile that actually managed to reach his eyes for a fleeting moment, “Love ya too, man.”  Snorting a soft laugh, he shook his head, “Goddamn Irish– usin’ sixteen words when four would do,” he teased, clearly hinting at how long winded Riley had just been, but that didn’t mean Cole wasn’t appreciative of what Riley was saying. It meant a lot coming from him, especially considering that if anyone had rhyme or reason to hate him at the end of the day, it was the Irishman. But he didn’t. It was everything he’d needed to hear to help him begin to cast away some of the demons that lived in his head. “Just never saw that comin’,” he continued, sobering then, “Think I’d wrapped my head ‘round just ‘bout every possible scenario except that one. Havin’ a hard time gettin’ right with all of it.” It’d been hard not to feel responsible, particularly when he’d been the target. But there was nothing he could do to change it now, and perhaps the best thing he could do to honor the men who’d lost their lives in his place would be to find a way to move forward. “I’m workin’ on it, a’right?” Cole supplied, nodding a bit more firmly than he had in the beginning, “Don’t think they’d want any of us sittin’ around and sulkin’ for too long.” Pushing the focus off himself, already uncomfortable with how long it’d been there, Cole sipped at his coffee and cleared his throat, “How ‘bout you? Ya doin’ a’right?”

Riley had been working until the early morning hours, deciding that he might as well stay awake once he got home. Going for a run before he found himself at the clubhouse where he showered and changed into some spare clothes he had there. He knew Cole was around somewhere by his bike sitting in the bay and he also knew that he was typically an early riser, so he decided to linger quietly until the blonde appeared. Riley could imagine the weight of their pending talk was heavy, all he could do was hope the right words would lift some of that off both of their shoulders. "You look like shit. You been here all night?" He wonders, only speaking once Cole is seated. Pausing, he asked if now was the right time to do this, but settled quickly on the idea that there wasn't going to be a better time. "Yeah," he nods, suddenly not really sure how or where to begin. "Worried about you, mostly." Recalling that night, how Cole seemed to break into a thousand pieces right before his eyes... It was as unsettling now as it was then. "I want you to know that I don't blame you, and it wasn't your fault. I should have said that a lot sooner. And now, I'm just wondering what I can do to help you see that you can't be faulted for the actions of a bitter, hateful piece of shit. So," clearing his throat, he nods towards him.

"I put it to ye like this... I know that if you knew, you'd have stopped it, if you could change it, you would have, and if you could swap places, I know you'd do that too. That's what makes you a good man, Cole, this right here," patting his own chest in a gesture to the heart Cole had. "That's enough, just... knowing that you would. Tells me all I need to know. So what you need to know, is that I don't wish it was you and not them. They wouldn't wish that either, you get that, right? Dad, Serkan..." He paused, blowing out a breath with a shake of his head. "They loved you like a son because you were. Between them and Michael, those men raised you and fuckin' christ, Cole, did a damn good job." Riley nodded, letting his blue eyes turn to look him directly in the eye. "Decker's hatred of you was as unjustified as his attack, and that's it. You're not to blame for the twisted shit he decided to pull." Leaning forward, he rests an elbow on the table but holds his hand up, wanting Cole to take it. "Listen to me, because this is something I need you to let resonate. I watched you that night, I saw everything in you shatter into a thousand pieces when you heard the truth, and I never want to see that again. You broke my fuckin' heart," he admitted it not only because it was true, but because he was trying his best to give Cole everything he needed to truly believe that Riley did not blame him for this. "You're my brother, I love you and I have your back as much now as I always have. You hearin' me, kid? Find a way to let it go, the weight of this shouldn't be yours to carry. It ain't on you. Never was."

[colemonroe]

[colemonroe]

“And yet here ya are, still hangin’ out with me,” he fired back with one of his crooked, yet shit-eating grins. Fucking child or not, Chloe’s friendship with him had stood the test of time– he wasn’t quite sure what that said about her, but Cole was grateful nevertheless. He’d always feel that way about anyone who’d stuck by him, despite him giving them every reason to turn the other way and fucking bolt. Snorting a laugh, Cole shrugged, “Hey, it’d give ya good practice,” he pointed out, though he was only teasing. He’d never get violent over fucking sugar of all things, but he was enjoying the lighthearted mood that Chloe was creating, and so he just went with it.  Blue eyes widened to the size of saucers when Chloe pulled out the sugary treats– the good shit. Of course, he’d been in search of that, rather than anything healthy she happened to have in her bag. “Ya know me so well,” he beamed a bright smile, reaching for one of the chocolate bars in hopes that she’d actually hand it over. Blowing out a low whistle, he shook his head– summer really had started to fade rather quickly, but that didn’t upset him. Truthfully, he was glad to begin parting ways with it. “I ain’t mad ‘bout it– tired of sweatin’ my ass off just walkin’ to the mailbox,” he admitted with a laugh. He was more than ready for cooler temperatures. Nodding at her question, he gave a soft smile, “Yeah, yeah, we did– managed to get away for our anniversary.” His smile lifted then, warming his features as he fondly recalled that getaway. “It was good. Felt like a much needed reset, y’know?” He didn’t mean that in terms of their relationship– that had always been rock solid– but in terms of himself, and how unlike himself he knew he’d been in recent weeks. Cole had needed that chance to step away from everything to really reflect. Needless to say it had worked, leaving him feeling lighter than he had in months.

"And you're a fucking child." She joked, but there was tenderness in her voice. Chloe liked how in the middle of all chaos, or whatever touch situation Cole was going through, he managed to keep his quirks. Those little things that could be taken so easily away. Especially with everything that happened in his life. She didn't know everything, she understood that she was never going to know everything that happened or was happening to him, but it was those little things. Even the things that stayed with him from his teen years. From when she met him. "I'd say lock it up because I'd hate to have to come here to patch someone u because you punched them in the face for getting your last bit of sugar." She was joking, but she could also could see it. Some of the guys got into fights for less.

Chloe let out a chuckle as she noted his hovering, digging into her bag and getting out a packet of sweets and some chocolate. "You looking for these? Because somehow I doubt hummus and carrot sticks are going to make your eyes shine that much." She laughed. "You know that fall is already here? Where did the summer go? I feel like I haven't done anything at all. Tell me that at least you and T took a weekend away. I want to be jealous, but the good kind."

[colemonroe]

“Hey, someone’s gotta keep ya on your toes,” he surmised with a soft laugh, finding it endearing that Rafaele viewed Taliah in that light. She’d always had this nurturing yet tough and resolute nature, making it easy for Cole to see why the other man was reminded of an older sibling when he thought of her. Cole grimaced then, noting how Rafaele had spoken the dreaded ‘q’ word– quiet. No, he’d never worked as a first responder or in any capacity of healthcare, but even he knew that word might as well have been taboo. “Ya say that now, but just wait til New Year’s Eve– this place don’t see much downtime on nights like that,” he sighed, only knowing that from Taliah recounting her own experiences over the years. It was odd, how he felt like he knew more about the firehouse than he should’ve, but it was just the way things had always been between the two of them, even long before they started dating.  He was happy to meet more of her work family, especially considering how deeply she’d always been immersed in his. It felt right. Granted, there was a bit of unspoken history here, but like he’d already worked out in his mind, Cole didn’t care about that. Hearing Rafaele’s response, about his last name wasn’t doing him any favors, Cole shook his head in protest, “Nah, man– that ain’t what I’m sayin’,” he tried to assure him. From what he knew, Rafaele had been as deeply associated with Los Santos as the rest of his family, but regardless, the two of them had a common thread between them now, and Cole cared more about that. At Rafaele’s follow up, he simply shook his head again, “Even if ya did, it don’t matter– not here.” Mostly, he just wanted to assure the medic that there wasn’t any bad blood or tension from his end. He knew how heavily Taliah valued her team and that was enough for Cole, whether Rafaele was ass deep in Los Santos or as separated as he said he was. “You’re part of her team, that’s enough for me.”

"She reminds me of my older sister. Taliah is nicer to me though." Raf's older sister Laura, who now lived in Miami with her husband and kids seldom felt the need to pick the phone and speak to her brother, or answer his calls. Whether Taliah had intended it or not, he had always felt safe, or at least, comfortable in her company. "It's a good place to work. I can't complain, it's a lot quieter than my old place that's for sure." Barcelona could never be a quiet city, his nights were filled with drunken tourists at clubs and his days were often filled with drunken tourists at the beach. Tonopah Valley had neither and it was almost peaceful.

"Likewise." And it was genuine. It was always good to put a face to a name. He had heard so much about Cole secondhand. Some saying positive things, mostly negative and Raf wasn't the type of person to make an opinion on someone based on secondhand information. The Cole he had met (so far at least) was confident, collected and agreeable. Still, he would have been an idiot to disregard his role as a gang leader.

Raf could only laugh when Cole spoke about 'water under the bridge'. He had a suspicion that if Cole wasn't happy about Raf working with Taliah, he wouldn't be working with Taliah. "Hmm... this Morata name of mine isn't doing me any favours, is it?" He asked before dropping his hand. Nevertheless, despite searching for a reason to hate Cole - he didn't have on. "Agreed." He settled on, and nodded. He couldn't leave it at that though. For Cole to mention it, he knew that others perhaps felt the same or maybe thought the same. The Morata family may forever be tied to Los Santos, but Raf would rather be dead than go down with it.

"I have no loyalty or no love for Los Santos. There are no problems here."

[colemonroe]

WHERE: Sons of Silence Clubhouse, Meeting Room WITH: @sawyerdecker

“Jesus Christ,” Cole hissed beneath his breath, lifting his eyes from a couple pockmarks in the meeting table to meet his sister’s gaze while she recounted what bits and pieces she’d learned at the police station. Granted, there wasn’t much to go on yet, but what details they had did little to settle Cole’s nerves. ATF had grabbed Theo on gun charges and was being denied bond, leaving Cole feeling like their hands were tied– at least for now, until Sawyer could find some sort of loophole. But until then, the club was reacting behind the scenes. Already, they were in the process of locking the clubhouse down because Cole could only assume that the ink on a warrant to raid this place was still wet, but ATF wouldn’t be waiting for it to dry before making a move. “Why’re they denyin’ bond?” He asked, a frown pulling between his brows, “‘cause he’s got a record or ‘cause they’ve got somethin’?” It went without saying that Cole didn’t know much about the policies and procedures in situations like this, but he figured Sawyer did and just needed some sort of clarity to go on.

[colemonroe]

He smiled softly, the warmth of it actually reaching his eyes for what felt like the first time in days, “‘m countin’ on it,” he murmured, knowing that he could trust that Nate would hold him to the promise he’d just made. It was part of why he was his number two– Cole expected him to hold him accountable, now more than ever, and not just when it came to the club. He knew he’d have to make a concentrated effort to keep the promise he’d just made, but Cole was nothing if not a man of his word, even prioritizing himself was a foreign concept to him. Snorting a soft laugh, Cole grinned lazily, his tired expression brightening with the sound, “I mean, if ya want– pucker up, darlin’,” he teased, shrugging a shoulder. Sighing, he sobered then and shook his head at Nate’s question. No, he didn’t. Nate being here, right beside him was more of an answer than anything he could ever vocally express. He was with him– no, they were with each other until the end, and then beyond that. He glanced towards the door, “Yeah, okay,” he nodded, knowing Nate was right in that he needed to be home and present with Taliah– not here, looking for the bottom of a bottle and believing it was truly better for everyone if he shut himself off from them. It wasn’t. Internalizing that had always been difficult for him though, but true to his word he was going to try and change that line, starting now.

( END. )

"Might hold you to that." Cole's promise, that was. Nate knew over the years he had mentioned to his friend that he needed to put himself first often, yet each time had led to the same results and while some might say that was insanity, expecting a different result this time, he hoped that there would be for his brother's sake. It was needed purely so he could fucking breathe, everyone else would still hold themselves up - Nate believed that, at least. "Is this the part where we kiss?" he was fucking with him, purposely adding a little sprinkle of humour just to try and lighten Cole's mood. Though it went without saying that Nate loved the guy stood in front of him, he only wanted the best for him and making sure Cole pulled himself out of the rut he was in, was something he wanted to help with. Even after tonight. "You need me to answer that?" he tossed back, assuming that they both knew his answer there and despite everything, it had never changed. Nate was where he was because of Cole, as well as for him, that was just something that was permanently fixed into the grains of their relationship. "As much as I love ya, your girl at home loves you more, come on.." it's a subtle gesture with words as well as movements that they were leaving, especially when Nate didn't find himself giving Cole a choice. What his brother was going through was raw - cracked open through the middle, but sitting here alone wasn't ever going to help with that and so tomorrow was a new day.