#parabellumstarter

[sofixcostello]

Sofia stood at the bar, her security duo for the night flanked on either side of the rooftop club. She’d been flirting with the bartender, getting free shot after shot, and she was feeling tipsy already. Though, that didn’t stop her from shooting back another; Sofia’s lost count. Never a good sign.

[tristan-sullivan]

Tristan’s lease was nearing its end, and he’d be an absolute idiot if he decided to renew. It was time to move on to a bigger place -- something a little nicer. He was scrolling through the apartment listings that he’d saved on his phone.

"Moving is fucking stressful. Do you think my cat needs her own room? ...I really wanna decorate it for her.”

[chanelxalbright]

Chanel stumbled from the bathroom at Sapphire, drink in one hand while the other held on to the door for support. She’d been pregaming well before the party had even started and was now the drunkest she’d ever been in the last year. Her birthday last year was it’s only equal, as was true every year on her birthday. Of course, Chanel had been drunk several different times throughout the years, but her birthday was the one day of the year where she refused to be a publicist and instead made everything entirely about herself. All while being as extra as possible.

Finally letting go of the door, she used her now free hand to adjust the short brown bob wig she’d been donning for the night and looked around the party, smiling at everyone who had shown up and the costumes they came in. Mia had sincerely outdone herself tonight and owed her BIG TIME for putting it all together.

Just as she was finally stepping away from the bathroom to go back out to the dance floor, she bumped into someone and spilled half her drink on the floor. She almost felt tears come to her eyes but then she quickly remembered that crying wasn’t cute and all her drinks for the night were entirely on the house anyway. Looking to the person she’d bumped into, she tried her best to focus on who it was all while making sure she kept her balance.

“It’s so lucky I have like four other outfits to change into tonight otherwise this would’ve totally sucked. Did I get you?”

[leocostello]

“They’re watering the shit out of these drinks.”

[paityncostello]

TW: injuries, torture, kidnapping, alcohol

Paityn woke up in a room unfamiliar to her, which instantly sparked panic. For six months her environment was the same near empty room she couldn’t escape. Bruises began to heal over the past few days, though her rib still throbs like something’s broken. Though, most of her suffering was from her own guilt, for spewing family secrets under pressure. Of course she would break. She was the weakest soldier in her father’s army. The Sinclairs were probably better without the daughter who claimed the name to be cursed.

Her wrists weren’t bound and as she took in her new surroundings, Paityn came to realize she was in some sort of study. A private sitting room, lavishly decorated. A world different than the one she became accustomed to. 

On the back of the door hung a gown with a note attached. 

“Put this on, and go downstairs. 

Have a drink first. You’ll need it.

-x.”

Paityn learned a long time ago that asking questions was futile. She did as she was told; her days would be spent better that way. Less pain. More guilt. She had more than one drink; whoever left her in that room provided a collection of makeup and a bottle of wine. By the time her face was on, the bottle was empty.

Truthfully, Paityn wasn’t sure what waited for her on the floor below. Her heart raced as the familiar sound of music, fake laughter and drunken conversation slowly trickled to her ears. A party to celebrate her imminent death? Sure, Paityn could get behind that.

Though, crossing through the threshold to the next chapter of her life, Paityn couldn’t speak. It felt surreal, as if she were in some sort of dream. 

A fundraiser in Chicago...it was as if time jumped backwards and Paityn was back where she was before her wedding.

[lucacostello]

There was an odd couple standing near the back of the bar, intensely making eye contact, inches away from each other’s faces. It was making Luca uncomfortable, but he couldn’t stop staring. They’d been like that for at least ten minutes now. Luca wanted to know what was going through their minds. 

“What in the fuck?”

[felicitysinclair]

Felicity was in last night’s clothes still. One of her heels had broken – she couldn’t remember exactly how. She walked down the street alone, eyeliner smudged around her eyes. Walk of shame much?

At least she’d had a good night with... Kara? Karlie? 

She could’ve ubered home, but her phone was dead, and perhaps the walking would miraculously sober her up. She had a few more blocks to go, but then she spotted a diner. Ugh. Hangover food. She was half tempted to stop...

[noah-sinclair]

Noah wasn’t exactly sure why he’d shown up at Chanel’s birthday party (or how he was invited, honestly), but he wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity to have some fun. Maybe cause some trouble, if he felt like it. Somehow, he’d been roped into listening to some poor bastard rant on and on about his love life, and how his girlfriend of three years had just left him. Noah empathized, he really did, but he was there to have a good time. And this was really depressing. 

“Dude, yeah, I feel ya. It sucks. Hey, I’m gonna grab us some more drinks, you hang tight.”

Noah had no intention of making his way back. He walked away from the man, buried himself in a crowd of people, and looked for a better source of entertainment for the night.

[miacostello]

Wild, carefree and and boisterous. That’s how the attendants at her event would be described in the tomorrow morning’s headlines. Neon, vibrant hues casting shadows on all of those who were lucky enough to be invited to what Mia would hope to be the most envied event of the year. She smiled at those that garnered for her attention as she whispered into the ear of the only individual in attendance allowed to have a digital camera, or any technology that could leave a digital footprint, at Chanel’s birthday extravaganza. The two had been finalizing what images were to be captured, who should be photographed and whom not to photograph should things get out of hand. Which they more than likely would considering the copious amounts of liquor consumed by many. 

“Remember, plenty of the woman of the hour and not too many posed. If I wanted a plethora of posed photos I’d have rented a photo booth for the evening.” She shooed away the photographer, a close friend and one she trusted to be discreet, back into the crowd of bodies that littered the main floor of Sapphire. 

A drunk scuffle was already unfolding between the men of 90210 -the ones dressed as them- outside the roped area of the private section. Apparently the blonde one thought the brunette was sleeping with someone else and it was turning into a thing that was soon to involve the bystander who looked a little too much like the person they were fighting over - a trick of the light and large consumption of alcohol being the culprits- Mia grasped the individual by the hand and pulled them towards her before the security hired for the evening stepped in. 

She gestured with her hand towards the two men being escorted quietly from the party as she jokingly said, “Don’t tell me actually you are the one those two have been fighting over all night. Could have saved those two from a lover’s spat if you snuck off with one of them already.” 

[ezrascostello]

The sun sat low in the sky— it was a warm evening, people flitting in and out of the park with quiet chatter, almost unnervingly calm after what had happened. Chicago, it seemed, had a short memory. It was less easy for Ezra to forget— not after what had happened to his brother. But the park made the fastest shortcut, and he was trying to make it home quickly after a business dinner, body itching to do something other than just sit. Meetings. Meetings. More meetings. Ezra still felt glaringly unprepared for this new role. But Leon seemed to believe in him. He was ... trying to make that count.

The park is less empty than he’d thought. There was a sizable crowd forming around one of the clearings, people clapping, jostling each other for a better view. He cranes his neck to get a glimpse of the performance. It was certainly ... quite the production. Shakespeare in the park?

He watches the actors circle one another, doublets puffed and gleaming in the afternoon sun. Jesus. It sounded cool, but Ezra had definitely slacked off during this unit of English. Well— he’d slacked off during just about all of them, in all of his classes. The drinks at dinner didn’t help. He raises a single eyebrow. Fuck.

“I have ... no idea what they’re saying.” 

[joaquin-aleman]

Nights off were a rarity for Joaquín, especially since he’d arrived in Chicago. There’d been so much to do -- but now that Paityn was home, there was a small gap before the Alemans made their next move. Construction on his new mansion was nearly completed, and Joaquín figured it was time to fully immerse himself in Chicago culture. After all, this was his home now. 

Sapphire was the go to nightclub in the city. 

There were several bottles of expensive liquor scattered across the table in front of him (a couple thousand dollars worth.) He was seated in the lounge area of Sapphire, and for the last hour or so, his sole focus had been the gorgeous brunette that had crawled into his lap. He had every intention of taking her home, but she was... sort of boring. She’d been rambling on for the last fifteen minutes about some hometown reunion she’d been at, and it became apparent that he hadn’t been listening. 

She stood, scoffed at Joaquín, and stomped away. He didn’t care enough to follow. There’d be others. 

Only seconds after Jenna’s departure, another figure approached. 

“Not my best night,” he admitted.

[sofixcostello]

Sofia was still recovering from the Fourth of July bash; she wasn’t hungover anymore, but the weight of her actions pressed down on her shoulders. Kissing Noah Sinclair, fighting with Luca, and effectively passing out in a hotel lobby wasn’t a good look for the youngest Costello girl.

She sat on the patio of a cafe, sketchbook in hand as she distracted herself with caffeine and new designs. Though, she was less than inspired.

“Taffeta or chiffon?” she questioned out loud to no one in particular. “Ugh, this is fucked.” Sofia said, scribbling out her sketch, ripping the page from her book. She crumpled the paper and tossed it in a near by trash can. Defeated.

[tristan-sullivan]

Tristan was in the pool, sunglasses on, drinking a beer. The music was pretty decent, and he could smell someone grilling burgers. He was on the road to being buzzed already.

“Those burgers smell fucking amazing. I want like, the greasiest, cheesiest one that they have.” 

[jxnsinclair]

Charlotte had taken the kids to California to visit old friends in the city, leaving Jackson in charge of The Black Cat on top of his other responsibilities. Though, with his children out of town and out of harm’s way, he felt a weight lifted off his shoulders. San Diego wasn’t the war zone Chicago has become. With the security detail working around the clock, Charlie and his three young children would be safe, that he was sure.

Looking through the books and placing orders for inventory went over his head. Jack was a big picture kind of guy; the details were always left to someone else. 

It drove him to the bottle. Without a family to go home to, he had the rare opportunity to get drunk out of his mind.

They say nothing good happens after 3AM, but with The Black Cat closed business was done for the day. The last of the wait staff had gone home and Jack was left alone.

He pulled out a bottle; they had an overstock of vodka thanks to a typo. Jack preferred whiskey, but the bar was running low on Johnnie Walker Blue.

[adamdavenpxrt]

Parties had never been his thing, even now all dressed to the nines, Adam felt out of place. Though he would do his best to fake it as he walked about the crowds, seemingly invisible to most with his club soda in hand. It wasn’t until another approached him, that his gaze shifted over. “Sorry, didn’t catch that?”

[paityncostello]

Paityn was still riding a high after her honeymoon; she didn’t want to leave their bubble of tropical paradise. The Fourth of July Party on the rooftop of the --- Hotel would help ease her transition back to life in Chicago.

A drink in hand, she walked by the edge of the pool and took in the skyline. Paityn couldn’t help but feel the weight of the city on her shoulders. The threat it represented. Still, she’d put on the fake smile the public was used to seeing from Paityn Costello.