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[scarlettrxse]

brancaldwell​:

It wasn’t conscious, the way his thoughts drifted to Mira as he stumbled over his words and tried (and failed) to collect himself in front of Scarlett; he’d been much the same way with Mira when they’d met though he’d had far more excuses, in his mind– considering they’d been teenagers and he’d only known they were going to be married at some point when they got older– not when that would be or whether she would hate him entirely. For someone who wasn’t prone to nerves in many situations it was a change of pace he felt rather uncomfortable having to experience but nerves, he thought, usually meant that there was something to lose– something that he wouldn’t have wanted to let go of if he had any say in the matter whatsoever and it had only taken Scarlett one meeting to become one of those people he couldn’t bear to imagine his life without. A truly startling notion that he still hadn’t quite wrapped his mind around– though he’d tried, on occasion, to do just that. It seemed to him that his nervousness was reserved for Scarlett alone, as none of his friends ever inspired such concern for how he was coming across in any given conversation; none of his friends made him fret about whether he’d said or done the wrong thing and though he hadn’t done a great deal of worrying over those things with Scarlett he still felt hyperaware of the fact that he wanted her to like him. Such a small, base instinct. The desire to be liked. Bran feared he’d ruined that altogether now that the events of the wedding had unfolded but he was determined to try– determined, at least, to give it his best go before he threw in the towel, as it were. He couldn’t help but smile at the compliment that fell from her lips though it only served to make the ever-present blush on his face deepen, “That right? The glasses and sweater combination is really doing it for you, is it?” He asked with a laugh, his eyes bright with amusement even in the midst of his embarrassment.

In the back of his mind Bran was very much aware that he’d have stayed there holding Scarlett in his arms for an eternity if time and the woman herself were amenable but they needed to talk– to properly talk– and as much as he enjoyed having her close to him it wasn’t something he could do and remain completely focused on where it was they were going from there. “I’ll make you a drink and we’ll see how we go, I think. I don’t know how focused on the drink I’ll be when we’re talking,” Bran admitted, broad shoulders rising briefly in a shrug before he stepped away to the bar cart and set about making something he thought Scarlett might enjoy though it was little more than a particularly strong Old Fashioned. “It might be a bit strong but if you don’t like it I can make something else,” He said softly as he stepped into the sitting room and gestured for Scarlett to take a seat– setting the glass on the coffee table before he took a seat on the plush leather couch he’d indulged in for the room. “Where should we start? I imagine there’s a lot you’d like to ask me… or know in general. I’m happy to tell you what I can. As unsatisfying as some of my answers might be.”

“You have no idea.” were the words that stayed locked in her mind as he spoke, she had revealed much about her care for him within the last few days but she figured there could still be some tiny things she kept to herself. Just how handsome he truly looked when he seemed more relaxed, in his own space and not wearing a mask of some kind like he more so did when he was out in public. There was an essence of something raw—real, as she stood there with him and that only further led her to believe that it was a good idea to come here and hear him out. That plus the way she calmed in his embrace, an embrace she had wished lasted longer than the moments that passed between them, were emotions she knew she needed to pull herself back from...only for the conversation they needed to have. Scarlett nodded her head as he spoke, though as he turned and walked to the bar cart she couldn’t resist saying, “I seem to remember just how easy it is for you to lose focus when I’m around.” Her smile grew wider as she caught a laugh that was begging to fall out. “Though I can’t much blame you, I tend to fall under a spell of your own in that regard,” she added in, wanting to make sure he was aware in how distracted she could become when it came to him. It reminded her of the time before all hell broke loose at the wedding, when it was just the two of them speaking and it felt as if everyone else had truly disappeared from her sight—they were all a blur. 

“Strong is probably the most suitable for this...situation, and I’m sure I’d enjoy it anyways,” she spoke as she followed him into the room, eyes once again roaming over the room to see if maybe she could grasp some other part of him here. Scarlett paused in her assessments of the room as she smoothed the back end of her dress—red with white polka dots that she could now see might have become too short on her—before taking a seat on the leather couch, her body practically sinking into the comfortable material. Her hands fell to her lap, clasped once more though her fingers began to fumble around as her gaze fell there too. “I want to..” she paused, clearing her throat before she lifted her gaze and sought out the waves of his eyes she fell into willingly. “What do you do for them? For that family, the Volkov’s?” Speaking their name seemed to leave more of an acidic taste on her tongue, a taste she hadn’t associated with them before the wedding. That taste had normally only been reserved for Klara, though there was added bitterness to make it an even more distasteful mixture when it came to her. Bran, however, left something more akin to cherries dipped in chocolate—decadent and sweet and she had hated that the acid had started to wash over that when she saw him curing the chaos. “What have you done for them? How did you end up being involved with them at all?” she paused in her questions, a hand reaching out to place against his cheek so that she could feel his warm skin—and erase the image of just how cold he had seemed with a gun trained on someone else. “No masks, no secrets, please?”

[scarlettrxse]

♦ - Naomi

"Mercy hospital, beautiful smile, a challenge—someone who keeps her on her toes, pushes her, friendship."

@naomixjones

[scarlettrxse]

@brancaldwell​

Before Sunrise (1995) dir. Richard Linklater

[scarlettrxse]

r-scordato​:

   The finger pointed in his direction matched with such tone did not bode well for him. Scarlett, as he knew her, had a ruthless determination he so feared and revered, one that was now being hammered down on him to get to the bottom of what truly happened. And judging by his luck, he would lose this battle with her, and fast. 

   Besides, she was already putting the pieces together faster than the others.

   Defeated, Rocco heaved a sigh, only to promptly regret it as he groaned in pain, wincing at the sudden movement. Clutching his right shoulder, he looked to her weakly. “If you sit down beside me, I’ll answer your questions.” he said, hoping that he could somehow calm her down, at least. Given his situation, he was no match for her brazen energy. “Please?”

There was a part of her that was upset that she didn’t feel more....empathy for Rocco laying there in his bed, hurt beyond belief. There was a tony voice in her brain that was screaming at her to just stop and consider maybe he had good explanation, that he was going to fight her on this topic and she should go easy on him. But...but there was an even louder voice that was telling her to break him until he told her everything, every secret that had been kept from her for years—the same secrets that made her feel as if she wasn’t worth enough to be trusted with more. Her light hues dropped from him to look to the bed before they slowly traveled back up to him, debating for only a few moments if it was a good idea or not to do just as he asked. Taking the risk, she moved closer to the bed and placed herself next to him. Body angled to face him she crossed her arms over her chest. “Alright, now answer.”

[scarlettrxse]

brancaldwell​:

For just a moment Bran felt utterly overwhelmed having Scarlett in his presence after he’d all but worried himself sick about how she was doing, how things were inevitably going to change now that she’d been forced to come face to face with the worst parts of people she’d likely known to some extent; at least, he doubted he was the only one who might have to be prepared to grovel to assure her that it wasn’t wrong to have placed her trust in him. He blinked– owlish– reaching up to shove his glasses further up the bridge of his nose in a mindless movement before he took a half-step back and smiled, embarrassed for a moment though he couldn’t pinpoint why, as she complimented his home. “I don’t splurge on very many things but I’ll admit my home doesn’t fall under that umbrella– I spend too much time here not to worry about how I feel in it, but I’m… glad you like it. As bizarre as it probably is for me to care about that,” He said, a sheepish bent to the smile he offered her as he raised a hand to the back of his neck and scratched an itch near his hairline. He was nervous– more nervous than he’d been even during their first meeting and no amount of reminding himself that Scarlett would at least hear him out soothed his nerves. It was laughable– childish, really– a sudden reincarnation of a teenaged self trying to take root in him again but he would push through it for the sake of being able to speak to Scarlett at length.

“Did you want something to drink?” Bran asked after a moment, glancing down at the drink in his own hand that he had yet to have any of and now wasn’t certain he would. He doubted it would quell his nerves in any concrete way and it was, truthfully, just a bit too early for him to be drinking anything alcoholic to begin with. “Even if you– don’t. The sitting room’s this way uh, shite– living room? I think? That’s the right phrase, I hope. You’d think I’d know considering I’ve lived here so long but old habits an’ all.” He paused, turning on his heel to face Scarlett just long enough to wrap his arms around her before he could think any better of it. “You make it bloody difficult not to be a nervous mess around you, did you know?” He asked, the question a low murmur as he held her a moment longer. When he stepped away there was a flush in his cheeks and he shook his head, “I’m sorry. I should have asked first– if I could hug you. That was– rude.”

Her hands had remained in front of her, clasped together in a loose embrace as she continued to survey her surroundings. There was so much you could tell about someone based on what their living arrangements looked like and Bran was here in what felt like full force. She was sure that if she ever got the chance to see the rest of his home she would uncover even more interesting facts about him that he himself might have taken much longer to reveal in talks alone. Though in the same way she found herself smiling at the way his home spoke of him in the walls she found herself frowning at the way her home...well it didn’t. The pure white walls showed her disinterest in actually making that place her home, making any place her home it seemed. Scarlett had lived here long enough, made enough friends and met people who impacted her ways she couldn’t quite understand...but she still hadn’t ever found her home. The saddening thought slipped past her as she heard him, eyes finding his once again just in time to catch the way he pressed the glasses he wore up onto the bridge of his nose. An act that had her swooning, her smile forming back on her features it what felt like an instant. “I’m sure the more I see of this place the more I’ll end up complimenting it, just as often as I compliment you and how handsome you always seem to be,” she knew that slipping in the compliment she hadn’t yet uttered to him yet would cause a smile she was dying to see to form—one that gave her a glimpse at the dimple that was so well hidden. 

Her eyes drifted to the drink in his hand at his question, wondering if she should actually say yes and have one of her own. It wouldn’t hurt, really, even though it was earlier than her normal times she would indulge in alcohol. Just as she was going to give her answer he was fumbling over his words, causing a bit of laughter to bubble up in her throat as a hand went to cover her mouth to contain it. How nervous he was showing himself to be had caused some of her own bundle of nerves to slowly start to fade from her body. It proved she wasn’t walking into a trap, that she wasn’t foolish in going against her judgement and coming here to hear him out. “You can call it whatever you wa—” and her words were cut off as he embraced her, the sudden action causing her to pause for only a moment before her arms found comfort around his waist. She was without heels now and that meant her head was now cradled nicely against his chest—the sound of his heart beating clear along with how his chest rose and fell with every breath he was taking. Her hands crept up now towards his back, grabbing lightly at the fabric of his shirt as he spoke to her. “You are equally as difficult to stay away from, to believe that you are anything other than a good man.” she breathed back, admitting something she was bound to in their conversation as her eyes closed for a moment. As he pulled away so did she, the same blush that could be seen flushing his features flushed her own and she found herself moving to run a hand through her hair. “No, no, you don’t have to ask..” she waved his comment away with the same hand, chewing on her bottom lip as she did so. “You don’t ever have to ask,” she spoke again, before clearing her throat. “I will say yes to that drink if you are actually going to drink your own, and I do believe you were about to show me the way to your sitting room.”

[scarlettrxse]

ofivcry​:

“Maybe once, but I don’t have much patience. I figured out sooner rather than later that I didn’t like to be kept waiting, and whatever small prayer I had, would be left unanswered,” He said, almost musing the lesson he learned aloud. He had tried more than once, though. He was been more stubborn in his youth, and ultimately the silence he received against any protest to a higher power had eaten away at him and was part of the reason he took matters into his own hands. After his brother passed away, he had tried to give his father a similar fate before he was sent away. He was smaller then, and weaker, too. If only he had more will to carry it out.

“I don’t particularly mind it. It doesn’t seem like you’ve tapped into your potential completely, still so many roads to take and lessons to learn. I’d like to see what I could do to go beyond any mistake I’ve made, see what would come of doing not the right thing but the better and what power would be yielded. I won’t deny it. I’m curious.”

“I found that every prayer I sent out went unanswered, so I stopped believing in it the moment my mother died.” she added in, knowing that if he indeed had read some kind of file on her and her life he would know that information so it shouldn’t be a shock. Though there was a part of her that wondered just how much he did know about her, and if this was a piece he didn’t stir up in his search then the reaction on his face would be one she’d be looking forward to decoding. Her eyes began to wander away from him as she took in the noises around her, she had been unaware how loud it had gotten in the last few moments of their speaking. Shaking her head of the noise she found her gaze falling back to him, listening to him as he spoke and her smile widening. “I’m glad to have peaked your curiosity, even by the slightest bit,” she paused, taking a step to move closer towards him into his space—partially to see if he would step back or allow her in. “What does your curiosity normally get you?”

[scarlettrxse]

r-scordato​:

   Despite a broken nose, a stab to the clavicle and a black-eye, the Scordato male refused any admittance to the hospital. After the last time, he wasn’t about to further call attention to their family; he figured he could deal with his injuries at home. After all, the Scorpions had their medics on call, and he was more than willing to call them on just to spare himself from needing to appear in public. Beside, he was certain his family was more than happy to secure his safety in the four corners of his home.

   And what should have been a day of peace and quiet for recuperating was suddenly disturbed by the intrusive presence barging into his home, and straight into his room. “Hello to you, too, Scarlett.” Rocco greeted flatly, shirtless as he lay on the bed, his right shoulder bandaged up as he tried not to move around so much, lest he wanted it to hurt. “Why, yes, I’m doing fine, thank you very much.” 

   By her questions, he supposed she was starting to piece the puzzle together. “What are you talking about?” he lied, looking up to the ceiling as he tried to feign innocence on the matter.

Scarlett looked at him, taking in all of his injuries in a quick scan of his features before her eyes fell back on his face. Her own expression seemed to be stuck in a frown, deepening as he spoke and even attempted to act innocent. “Don’t even dare try and pull that shit,” she started, a finger pointing in his direction as she spoke before she took another step towards him and the bed he lay in. “Obviously you’re involved in something that left you like this—” she paused for a brief moment as she gestured towards him, and then it became even more obvious he was going to try and heal all by himself there in his own home. “You were put on display when that guy had his fun little speech—which got me a gun pointed at the base of my own skull might I add—and I know there’s a reason why you’re not going to be seen at the hospital.” In reality she knew the guy’s name was Isaak from visitor logs alone, having snooped back when Vasili had been stabbed at Palooza and she was curious as to who all of those people who came to visit him were. But Rocco didn’t need to know how much she knew.

“And if you’re involved...I know that means Giovanni is too. So all the secrets over the years, the same secrets that caused part of our breakup, I want them spilled—now. No lying Rocco, I’m tired of the lies.”

[scarlettrxse]

Where: Rocco’s home

Who: @r-scordato​

She hadn’t seen him in days, her last memory of him before the chaos was their dance they had with one another. A dance she enjoyed, one that only made her believe their friendship was going to continue to blossom until she saw him pulled from the crowd—bloody and hurt, as it was revealed he was apart of something much more sinister going on in the background of Oceanside. And if he was involved....did that mean Giovanni was too? Lies, the lies and the secrets had started to eat her alive. Knowing he wasn’t going to dare walk into the hospital for treatment from the event Scarlett simply went to his home, finally having the nerve to confront him and see if he would honest with her when many others hadn’t been. After making it past his front door, Scarlett made her way to his bed room with intention. Placing her foot against the barrier she kicked it forward and open before she strolled in, eyes locking with his almost instantly. “You have a lot of explaining to do,” she started, taking only a few more steps before she paused all together. “What’s going on? What are you apart of?”

[scarlettrxse]

Where: Mercy Hospital

Who: @thedogofwar​

Scarlett had finally gotten back to work and it definitely had been keeping her busy. There were rooms still occupied by those who were at the same wedding as she had been and even more rooms filled with people who had just had a random accident or felt as if their appendix was bursting. Running back and forth through the halls, she found herself pushing through to not even stop to take a sip of water, her mind still racing from the events she witnessed and just wanting work to move those images from her mind. It was hard though, when your work made you see those same faces—those same bodies—now laid up in a hospital room where you couldn’t escape them. Just as she had stopped, for the first time in the last four hours, for a drink of water her light hues caught sight of a tall figure leaving from one of the rooms. Eyeing him, she took a few good sips from her water at the nurse’s station and moved to follow where he had turned down one of the hallways. As she did, his cologne hit her and her senses became flooded with just who exactly this was. “I didn’t take you for the hospital type,” she called out, hands finding the pockets of her scrub top. “So what brings you into my domain Anton?”

[scarlettrxse]

r-scordato​:

   Her ruthless determination was not something he’d easily forget. “How could I forget?” he remarked with a knowing smile. He may have hated her then, but he didn’t ignore her wholly.

   Hearing that Giovanni had provided nearly the same answer as he bode well for their future. “I guess there’s your answer, then.” If their similar answer didn’t prompt a wave of reassurance within him and some endearment, then what else would? “It seems like we’re really meant to be.” And how beautiful a sentiment was that? 

   All that aside, however, he did certainly promise her something. As such, Rocco extended his hand her way, curtly. “Now, before we go any further, may I have a dance?” 

( Pre Plot Drop – Marchand Wedding  )

Scarlett playfully rolled her eyes, even going so far as to fake gag with her finger moving to go in towards her mouth. “Oh please, don’t remind me.” she teased, even though she fully supported the two of them together and believed the same exact thing. Rocco and Giovanni were meant to be, even if they were both too stubborn sometimes to see that clearly. Her hand instantly found his as he extended it out to her, her smile now widened even more than it had been before. “It would be my pleasure to make everyone mad with jealousy when they see us dancing.” And with that she walked beside him, finding her way to the middle of the floor where other couples circled around them. Her free hand found his shoulder and with the music she moved along with him. 

[scarlettrxse]

brancaldwell​:

closed starter for scarlett blackwood. ( @scarlettrxse​ ) ; two days after the marchand wedding. location ; bran’s home.

How long had it been since he’d invited someone other than a close friend to his home? Bran had pondered the question at length from the moment he contacted Scarlett– a brief text requesting she pay him a visit ‘at her earliest convenience’ that had very nearly made him roll his eyes as he’d typed it out. Why was it so very difficult for him to reveal himself? Why couldn’t he admit that he was genuinely scared that something had happened to her during the chaos of the Volkovs’ entrance and subsequent– his mouth twisted at the thought– execution. He understood it– had hardly batted an eye when he’d had a gun drawn on a Scorpion– waiting patiently to be told it was time to step away. No, Bran had always operated well in the grey areas that the average upstanding citizen would never think to set foot in but it was something altogether different to know the actions of those he was and still would be fiercely loyal to had put someone he was coming to care about much too deeply for his own liking in genuine danger.

He sighed sharply– the soft huff of his own breath the most sound he’d made in the last several minutes as he paced the length of his home waiting for Scarlett to arrive. He wasn’t nervous so much as he was anxious to confirm for himself that she was more or less unharmed but it had been a long while since he’d felt such a spark of nerves– such a buzz of static at the base of his skill to remind him he was genuinely anxious. He exhaled slowly, stepping away from the door and the path of his pacing to fix himself a drink the moment a knock at the door seemed to suck all of the anxiety from him in one fell swoop. He answered quickly, a relived smile blooming on his features for a moment before he stepped back and gestured for Scarlett to come in. “I think… we have quite a bit to talk about but I’m really very glad to see you– I was,” Bran paused, frowning. “I was worried.”

Two days, it had been two days since she had left her home. Two days since she had really spoken to anyone, or dared to answer any calls sent her way. The first call she had ended up making was to the hospital, telling them to put her down for leave for the next few days while she gathered herself and her thoughts. What had happened was a lot to process, a lot of things had come into view and now it was like the truth of everything was smacking her in the face. She knew now faces of those who worked closely with her stepmother, who probably aided her when she murdered her father. She saw friends, dear ones being held up and put on display...and now knew they were a part of something more sinister as well. Out of all it though, there was only one image that kept spinning on a loop in her mind—piercing blue eyes, a stone cold expression, and his hand formed around a gun that was held against someone else’s head. He was involved, maybe even worked alongside the same woman who had caused some of her deepest trauma. Even with that fact, it didn’t stop the small smile that formed as he texted her or the fact that while her brain was screaming at her to ignore him and just figure it all out herself, her heart was telling her to go and hear him out. Give him a chance to explain anything about his involvement. For most, that was never an option but for Bran...it seemed Scarlett truly did trust him completely.

Scarlett had followed the GPS all the way to his front door, hand gripping her keys and phone tightly against her side as her other hand came up to give a solid knock at his door. She did her best to ignore just how her hand had trembled when she had raised it, doing her best to steady it now that it laid by her side. She expected it to take a few moments for him to make it to the door so when the door immediately flew open and she caught sight of him, it was like all of the air had been sucked out of her body. It was like she was rooted to the spot, those blue eyes captivating her like they always had been able to do. However, within a moment or two the image of him holding that gun to another person’s head flashed into the forefront of her mind and she found herself shaking her head, trying to free herself from any constraint it tried to keep on her. Stepping forward and into his home her eyes scanned the area while listening to him speak. “We definitely....definitely have quite a bit to talk about. I was,” she paused, turning on her heel to face him now while she chewed on her bottom lip. “I was worried about you too. You didn’t leave with me and I didn’t know if maybe you—” another pause as her eyes scanned over him now, trying to see if she could notice any part of him that could have been hurt. Once she realized by what she could see alone that he had seemed fine, there was a bit of relief that flooded her, causing her to smile. “I’m glad you’re okay, and I’m glad you invited me over. Your home is so...you. I love it.”

[scarlettrxse]

ofivcry​:

“Don’t give me that look. I said I was raised Catholic, not that I was. I think I was raised poorly through it. It was only used as an excuse, some sort of promise that you could always wash your hands clean with a few verses,” Lottie said with a small shake of his head. “I know that’s not the case, so you better make sinning worth it, to which I believe isn’t too far fetched from the concept of freedom. I’m not a monster, Ms. Blackwood. I wouldn’t ask you to give that up, though I don’t believe anyone is ever really in control of another. I just wanted to know what you put above all else. It’s the one thing I won’t give up, either.”

That was the one thing Lottie refused to compromise, and he had reputation for it. He didn’t just act like he had one foot in someone’s circle, but he truly did. His intentions had a way of making themselves complete through any task he carried out, whether it was for himself or another.

“Was there ever a time you actually believed that? That you could just clean away everything you did with a few well spoken verses?” There might have been a time even she had, back when her mother had passed away. Though as the years passed she soon realized that speaking those verses into existence did nothing for her, didn’t help her grieving process nor did it help her father—whose fate was sealed the moment a blonde came into his life. “It seems we have something else in common then. How does that make you feel, hm? The more you learn the more we become similar.” It was a genuine question, wanting to know just what went through his mind when he started to see these things as she did. It only made her want to learn more about him and his vague existence, though it also meant she was veering off of what her main goal was—vengeance. 

[scarlettrxse]

brancaldwell​:

Bran tilted his head back, forcing himself to breathe deeply for several seconds longer than he’d have liked but he wasn’t going to lose control of himself– not when Scarlett’s safety was more important to him than just about anything else now that the mission he’d been brought along to carry out was done and dusted. He tried to smile– tried to muster an expression that might have been somewhere near reassuring but he doubted he was having much success before he leaned in and pressed a kiss to Scarlett’s forehead– a split second decision but one he wouldn’t have taken back. There was too much going on around them– too much going on in his own mind for him to stress about being open with things when his emotions were already high. “No, I haven’t– might’ve– if that fucker who touched you was still here but– no. I swear,” Bran said with a firm shake of his head. He might have but those he’d been watching over had had the good sense to keep well enough in line and he had yet to even fire his gun; with Scarlett by his side he was more ready than ever to use it should the need arise but he found himself hoping, fervently and for perhaps the first time in his life, that he would walk away without a shot fired on his part. “Come on, I think I see an exit– stick close. I won’t let anything happen to you, eh? Please trust me.”

The way he was acting when it came to seeing she had been hurt in any manner — even something as small as she believed her situation to be— would normally warrant her to form some sort of smile, maybe even give a teasing remark just to show she appreciated it, enjoyed it. A small smile wanted to form on her features, and she really did try and move to do so but the concern for their well being seemed to kick into overdrive. The small semblance of a smile vanished as fast as it came, though his concern for her would be something she made sure to keep in the back of her mind when this was all over. As fast as everything was moving around them she swore time slowed down the moment his lips pressed against her forehead, she even risked closing her eyes as it happened—a feeling of calmness slowly filtering in before her eyes opened and everything became loud again. Scarlett nodded her head, the hand that gripped his shirt moved to place against his cheek now as her thumb made slow circles against his skin. “Okay, okay,” again she believed him almost effortlessly, how she still could after knowing he was involved with the group of people who caused some of her deepest trauma was…not something she wanted to think about right now. Her hand soon slid down to find his own, intertwining their fingers and keeping her grip firm as to make sure they wouldn’t have a chance of ever losing one another from here on out. “I trust you Bran,” she nodded her head again to somehow further prove her statement true. “I trust you.” Something she hadn’t ever spoken out loud…to really anyone. “You’re the first person I’ve said that to...”

[scarlettrxse]

brancaldwell​:

“I’ll be alright, love– I’m more worried about you right now,” Bran replied firmly. His nerves were alight in a way that was altogether too familiar for him to be surprised by it and he welcomed the adrenaline– welcomed the sharpness and focus it offered him– welcomed the fact that it gave him the clarity needed to focus on the task at hand above all others. He would make his own escape when he’d gotten Scarlett out safely but it wasn’t going to be alongside him; it couldn’t be. Though he wanted her to be safe he was fairly convinced she would be much safer away from him when he was surrounded by people who would likely kill him before they asked him any questions at all. No, he’d been through that once already and he wasn’t keen to repeat what had been the worst day of his life. His eyes settled briefly on the blooming mark on her arm and he felt a coldness settle in his stomach that was in direct contrast to the fact that it heralded an all-consuming fury that he tried to brush away with little success as he met her eyes with exhaled slowly. “Who did that to you?” He asked, his voice an almost too-low rumble in the midst of the chaos going on around them. It wasn’t the time– he couldn’t waste any of their window to get out by fighting some prick who’d had the poor fortune to be the one to wrangle Scarlett in the reception hall but some part of him was furious and it couldn’t be quelled quickly whether he wanted that or not. 

She wanted to protest, really and truly she normally would, believing he would be okay in a mess like this wasn’t something that she fully believed in right now. However, she did believe his word....believed he would find a way out of there in the safest way he could because he wouldn’t lie to her. He hadn’t lied to her. Kept a huge secret, yes, but lied no. The grip on his shirt tightened as another shot rang out and she heard another harrowing scream come from behind her. Scarlett moved closer to him, as close a she could get as her eyes darted around them. No one was pointing a gun in their direction which was the first thing she made sure to become fully aware of, the next was trying to find an exit that worked, that was the fastest way to get her out of there. In that small frame of time that she looked away from him he had seemingly looked down at her arm, taking notice of the fresh mark before his tone changed. She slowly lifted her eyes to his as she took in the way his face had changed, his anger was blatant like he couldn’t hide it even if he tried. It made a tiny part of her want to smile but it was brushed away with everything surrounding them. “I-I don’t know where he went...he was kind of tall, dark hair. I only caught a glimpse of him while I was looking for you,” and then she paused, the image in her mind resurfacing again as she visibly swallowed. “Bran...you didn’t hurt anyone did you?”

[scarlettrxse]

brancaldwell​:

closed starter for scarlett blackwood. ( @scarlettrxse​ ) ; a few minutes after the shooting.  location ; cressino farm.

It wasn’t the first time Bran had been in such a position and he was reasonably confident that it wouldn’t be the last when things were said and done but there was something about the location– something about the fact that he’d watched someone die at a wedding of all places that left a bitter taste on the back of his tongue. He wouldn’t question it– would trust that there was a reason for it and that the Volkovs would never do anything without careful planning but he couldn’t help the flicker of concern he felt the moment the deed was done and he found himself weaving through the crowd with his gun brandished at anyone who thought to stop him– searching for Scarlett before he fully processed exactly what he was doing. He needed to get away– needed to be gone without a trace in the next several minutes, at maximum, but he couldn’t seem to help himself– couldn’t seem to urge his feet to do exactly what he wanted them to before he caught sight of her and pulled her away from the panicked crowd– blue eyes slightly wild as he took her in to assure himself she wasn’t hurt. “We need to get you out of here– now.”

There was chaos all around her, people were screaming and flying past as she was pushed forward and freed from the grip the man had behind her. Her eyes darted to her arm for a moment, seeing the deepened shade of red that began to rise to the surface where his hand had been gripping her. Her experience alone told her that it would bruise probably within the next few moments even. Her mind soon found itself drifting off as she looked over the mark, bright blue eyes now in the forefront of her mind as she remembered the now very confusing image that she had seen just a few minutes prior. Her eyes left her skin the moment she heard another gun shot go off and the fog was cleared from her mind, her breathing now becoming frantic as she thought over her next move. Instinct had her turning to look for him in the crowd again, just as she had done when the cold barrel was first placed against the base of her skull. Scarlett had just turned to face her left when she was tugged on, eyes widening and body tensing at the feeling before she saw who it was. “Bran,” she breathed out, relief washing over her that he was in fact okay, even if a bit of that confusion started to stir up in the pit of her stomach again. What if it had been him who had to be the one to pull a gun on her? Nodding her head to his words, Scarlett reached a hand out to grab onto his shirt. “We need to both get out of here,” she started, hues not leaving his as her concern washed over her features. “I can’t leave knowing you aren’t right behind me.”

[scarlettrxse]

r-scordato​:

   “I never thought you’d be the type to give up anyway.” Since he’d known her (even as Gio’s girlfriend then), Scarlett had always had a ruthless determination to herself that Rocco simultaneously feared and revered. He wondered if she’d succeed in this particular quest of hers. “I’d throw in a coffee or wine bottle or two in there to curry his favour, just saying.”

   Despite the obvious love between him and Gio, the makle didn’tqwish ti jump and fast-forward their relationship by years. A wedding would be too abrupt of a change for everyone, and held it’s own cons. “Hang on–” he interjected, ensuring that he heard it right. “did he say the same thing to you?”

( Pre Plot Drop – Marchand Wedding  )

“You’re pretty smart for remembering,” she gave him another playful wink, reflecting on just how long the two had known for another. It hadn’t dawned on her that she had known him the same ten years as Gio, as crazy as that sounds. Maybe because they were always fighting when in each other’s presence and it caused her to blur out just how long he had still been constant in her life. Nonetheless, it took all of those ten years to even form the budding friendship they had now and she wouldn’t change their steps to get there for anything else.

“He gave the excuse of not wanting to rush into it, though he did say you both would get married someday.” she eyed her friend, wondering if maybe he had thought Gio would be one to say something different. “You two really are on almost the same wavelength, pretty spooky.”

[scarlettrxse]

#ma'am i am looking respectfully