JJ HART
Human
Posts: 59
Played by:
Ange
Last seen Nov 17, 2024 18:04:49 GMT
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Post by JJ HART on Oct 1, 2023 19:06:59 GMT
He wasn’t about to ask his brother where he’d gotten his hands on it, all that mattered had been that the keys were pressed into his palm before got in, instead of a screw driver to hot wire it. The car was fire engine red, it’s top already down. The back seat wasn’t exactly massive, but it’d squeeze one of them in (him unless he managed to talk his wife into it, Lucy was undoubtedly gonna wanna ride up front and he couldn’t blame her) along with the bags.
JJ glanced in the rear view as he started the car up. Was it overkill? Probably. Was Lucky gonna kill him for it? Probably. Til he won her over again. He’d been trying to keep the promises he’d made when she’d had that blade over the cord between them and had been ready to sever it right there in the middle of the office. Stick around, be there for Lucille, ask before he …
Whoops.
Well, it was too late to take things back now so he might as well play all of this out and then take the rap on the back of the hand – and elsewhere – he was likely to get after for not spelling out the entire plan when he’d messaged her about it. It was always better to ask for forgiveness rather than permission – even if that hadn’t exactly worked out well for him since he’d been here.
The car purred its way back into town, the wind whipping his hair into tufts with the top down. It might end up being a bit nippy once they got going, but maybe the excitement of what he had planned was gonna overcome that. Kids were meant to be excited on their birthdays right? It wasn’t like the General had made any of his fun, but he’d still race down the minute he woke up on those mornings, Christmas too. His mum’d try, bless her heart. It wasn’t easy to overcome the General’s formality though. A proper dinner. That meant dressing up in those shirts that were starched to within an inch of their lives, putting on a tie, and sitting down to a meal that no kid in their right mind woulda picked out for themselves. Where were the ice cream cakes and pizzas? He’d even have taken one of them shop bought Colin the Caterpillar cakes with cheap candles that melted all over the thing.
It was a good thing that the apple had fallen pretty sodding far from the tree in this case. With a road of the engine, JJ zipped through the square and pulled out in front of Lucky’s apartment building. He shut off the engine and leaned over into the back seat to grab one of the hats he’d gotten from the party shop. The elastic bit in under his chin, but he strapped it on before he thumbed a message into his phone and sent it winging to Lucky’s phone.
’I’m downstairs. Get Lucy to open the door’
He probably wasn’t gonna have long before the kid thundered down. He clambered out of the car, palming the party popper and stuffing the party blower in his mouth. Lucy would probably see the car through the front door of the building, but she wasn’t likely to see him, she’d hear him though.
JJ stood to the side of the door, pressed up against the brickwork. Time seemed to stretch out. They’d have to grab their stuff, wait on the elevator and then rumble down in a thing that moved like it was 90 years old. Probably any minute now. There was finally a murmur of sound inside, voices maybe. He strained his ears, wanting to make sure he wasn’t about to give someone who actually was 90 a heart attack. Yeah, that was definitely a kid’s voice.
The swung open and he spun around, light on his feet as a bloody ballet dancer. JJ’s lips pursed in a grin around the plastic mouthpiece of the party blower as he blew hard into it. Sound honked out, the tinsel strands attached to its end fluttering in the air. He yanked on the string of the popper in his hands, adding the coloured strands of paper and tinsel to the whole sparkling mess. It was gonna leave a mess on the doorstep, but he probably wasn’t gonna be the one cleaning it up anyway.
”Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Lucillllllle, happy birthday to you!” JJ threw his hands wide, his booming out around the party blower that honked faintly along as he sang. Figuring the kid was probably into explosives the same way she had been pick pocket, JJ plucked another popper from the pocket of his jacket and offered it up to her. He offered Lucky another one, but wasn’t sure if that was gonna be stepping over the lines she’d carefully drawn out for him. ”Figured we could go in style…” he said, sweetening his voice like that’d make all the difference as he nodded back towards the car. The bright red Porsche practically glowed in the last of the daylight.
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LUCKY CHRISTMAS
Psychic
Posts: 101
Played by:
Julia
Last seen Nov 16, 2024 23:24:26 GMT
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Post by LUCKY CHRISTMAS on Nov 6, 2023 23:33:38 GMT
 ━ i'm something bad ━
Anyway, she was stressing until JJ informed her (thankfully) that he was planning something. Lucky already wanted to take Lucille out for dinner that night, but this would be the cherry on top. She’d love it, and Lucky would love that he’d probably foot the bill. She’d offer to pay at least half, of course, but would he take it? As Lucille’s dad? Probably not.
And while Lucky was still pissed about the whole thing with Lottie, she knew she shouldn’t be. And she wouldn't mention it. So, yeah, she wasn’t mad enough to keep him from his daughter, or to stop him from paying for dinner. But he wasn’t gonna escape it.
Lucy ran around the apartment getting ready like it was some big fucking event. Though JJ had been vague about his plans, she tried to remind her daughter not to freak out or expect too much. Obviously, that didn’t work. She was twelve today, and it would probably only get worse from here on out.
“He’s here, Luce! C’mon!” Lucky said as she stood from where she’d been waiting on the couch. Lucille squealed (she definitely wasn’t ready), and called out something that might possibly have been, “Okay! Okay! Gimme a minute!” but sounded like a cat being strangled.
Eventually, Lucy ran to the door, wearing something that looked kinda fall-ish, but was definitely more stylish than Lucky had ever been at that age. A dress with a cardigan (okay, she’d definitely stolen that from Lucky), and black leggings. Plus boots, ‘cause it’d started to get kind of chilly out.
When they were finally downstairs, she didn’t even have to tell Lucy to go first. The kid was bounding out the doors, yelling, “I don’t see ‘im, mom!” Over her shoulder, then, “Cool car!”
Yeah, cool car indeed. Lucky lifted a brow━she’d never seen it before, and she knew it wasn’t what JJ drove, but…
“Jesus,” She gasped in a breath when he popped out of nowhere, and little bits of paper came flying out of his hand━that annoying noise came from him, too.
“Whoa!” Lucy squealed, then she laughed and grabbed her popper from JJ, and Lucky took hers, too, but with a lot less enthusiasm. “Thanks!” She said happily, popping hers and bouncing in the flurry of paper that came from it━and Lucky’s. It might’ve been giving her a headache, but it was still her daughter’s birthday.
Once the coloured papers began to settle, and Lucille had taken in the car that was his, apparently, she stared up at him with her jaw hanging. After a second, she rushed into JJ’s arms, squeezing him hard and for a little longer than a normal hug. “Thank you so much.” She whispered, pressing her eyes closed. After a moment, she pulled away and rushed to the bright red car, seeming to hesitate for a second, before she grabbed the edge and vaulted over. She made it, but tumbled down on her face in the back seat.
Lucky scoffed as she watched, then turned to JJ, smiling softly. He was so good to her, and, honestly, there was nothing she found hotter than JJ being a good dad to Lucille. She considered not even kissing him (because Lucille had popped her head up from the back seat), but fuck it, right? She’d already grown attached to him, and as her “dad,” nonetheless.
In any case, she was seeing him in a light that was way too favourable, and she had to remind herself that she was still pissed about JJ fucking her sister.
She shifted in, wrapping one arm around him and pressing her lips to his. “Thanks for doing this,” She said quietly, her voice low enough so Lucille didn’t hear. “She’s been looking forward to it all day... I guess that’s because doesn’t know you were fucking her aunt.” Lucky looked at him, one brow raised. “You remember Lottie, right? Pretty, I guess, if you like chicks who traded a brain for their looks. What happened, not satisfied with what you’re getting at home?” Her grin was void of humour and sharp at the edges, as though she was still trying to pass it off like she didn’t care. Lucky pulled away, adding, “And the car makes you look like an asshole.” As she walked to it and settled in the front seat.
“Where we goin’?!” Lucille squawked from the backseat, only settling in and putting on her belt when Lucky reminded her to. “Ice cream? Doughnuts?” She beamed, but then Lucky rolled her eyes and smiled, somewhat chiding her as she corrected her again,
“Dinner first, Lucy.” She scoffed, her eyes falling onto JJ again, though she was still grinning, almost like she’d forgotten what happened only a moment ago. “See what you’ve done? This is your fault; you’ve created a monster.”
JJ HART |  |
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JJ HART
Human
Posts: 59
Played by:
Ange
Last seen Nov 17, 2024 18:04:49 GMT
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Post by JJ HART on Nov 26, 2023 20:52:37 GMT
”Not quite.” The offer to be a God later would’ve taken too long to toot out of the party blower and wouldn’t have been translatable anyway. JJ waggled his brows at her, still a little on the fence about whether this was gonna come back to bite him on the arse. It was definitely still fifty-fifty, Lucy looking way happier about the whole thing as she snatched the popper out of his hand than her mum did.
”There’s more of them in the car,” JJ told Lucy with a wink as he bent to give the kid a proper hug when she threw herself at him. Wisely he hadn’t left his wallet in his pocket this time, although if Lucille went digging around under the seat in the car, she might end up finding it anyway. Nothing said happy birthday like letting the kid steal off of him again. ”You’re welcome, love,” he called over his shoulder as she scuttled down towards the car. Maybe he winced a bit as she went to leap over the door, but it was a laugh he was trying to hold back when the move went wrong and Lucille landed face first.
His nose wrinkled, his grin still broad when Lucky turned to him. ”I think there’s a first aid box in the boot if she needs it,” he snorted. ”Don’t ever hurt to be prepared.” And he’d been bracing himself for the knee to the nuts he might’ve ended up with for pushing the boat out too far. Most of tonight Lucky would’ve argued with if he’d laid it all out in a text message. It was too much, he’d be raising Lucille’s expectations again, how was he gonna sustain this … yada, yada, yada. It was a dad’s prerogative to push the boat out and he … wasn’t getting kneed for it.
Hallelujah. Maybe he was a God after all.
”Honestly, I enjoyed doing it,” he admitted, murmuring it against Lucky’s lips as he dipped his head, wrapping an arm around her waist. ”I thought she would. I was always like that as a kid, desperate to know what … what?” Eh? He stared back at her, pretty fucking confused. It wasn’t like he’d been going round town sleeping with … ”Come off it, I didn’t go chasing her…” Not the one at the hotel, who was working for that murderous bastard. Sad Lottie. Who’d slipped home with him and into his bed and … ”Fuck me,” JJ muttered.
He hung his head, his teeth raking over his lower lip before he looked back up at her. ”I remember,” he muttered. ”I never said that … I didn’t know we were … you know, exclusive. If I thought you wanted that I wouldn’t have taken someone home.” And there it was, the metaphorical knee to his balls.
”Oi!” He snorted as he trotted after her. ”It happens to be a very nice car. You dunno what I had to trade to get it.” All worth it though, or it would be when Lucille at least finished the night happy. JJ suspected he’d have to trade a lot more to convince Lucky that he wasn’t a complete dick.
JJ climbed into the front seat, belting up as Lucky shot a reminder to the kid. He smirked at her over his shoulder, checking behind them as he pulled out onto the road. ”Somewhere. Maybe and maybe,” he told her. He drove them through the square, heading towards the edge of town rather than any of the restaurants on the square. ”One that’s gonna get worse,” he promised, wincing faintly. ”Dinner don’t have to be in a restaurant, right?” There hadn’t been any particular stipulations when he’d offered to do this.
The road rapidly led them out of the town proper, or rather, his foot relatively heavy on the gas pedal did. Dinner was well packed in the box tucked in the footwell at the back, but it’d still go cold eventually. ”You two alright with dining al fresco tonight? There’s blankets in the boot and hot chocolate in those flasks.” JJ tipped his head back as he turned off road and into the woods, following the winding road that led up towards the top of the falls that’d given the town its name.
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LUCKY CHRISTMAS
Psychic
Posts: 101
Played by:
Julia
Last seen Nov 16, 2024 23:24:26 GMT
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Post by LUCKY CHRISTMAS on Jan 2, 2024 20:42:03 GMT
━ i'm something bad ━
She liked seeing the surprise on his face, even if it twisted something in her gut to think about it again. She didn’t have a thing for JJ. But he was Lucille’s, like, surrogate dad now, and that was gonna connect them for a while━‘til he fucked off, of course━and she didn’t wanna see him throwing away energy on bitches who didn’t matter. No, fuck that, he could do what (and who) he wanted━it just couldn’t be Lucille’s aunt. Not if he wanted to stick around.
“We’re not.” She puffed, slipping out of his hold and crossing her arms over her chest. “I don’t want that. I just don’t want you to fuck my sister.” It was weird. And, alright, maybe it might be nice if JJ was one hundred percent devoted to her, but she knew he wasn’t that kind of guy━Lucky wouldn’t have allowed any of this if he was. He’d want too much from her, and she wasn’t prepared to give any of it. Especially when she was linked to someone else.
“I bet I can think of a few things!” Lucky called over her shoulder, then settled into the seat as Lucille started rattling off her guesses.
He was gonna make Lucy worse? Lucky scoffed and leaned into the door, all the while Lucy went rattling off about her day (stories Lucky had already heard), telling JJ allll about her drama with Rachel and Tina at school.
And where the hell would dinner be if it wasn’t in a restaurant? Lucky furrowed her brow as Lucy went on, glancing sideways at JJ. He wasn’t gonna cook for them, was he? Lucy might not complain about ramen noodles from a package for her birthday dinner, but Lucky would certainly give him a piece of her mind. But they were heading out of town, away from his place, and… al fresco?
“Yeah!” Lucy cheered, then asked, quieter, “What’s ‘al fresco’ mean?”
“Means he’s gonna make us eat outside.” Lucky grumbled over her shoulder, her eyes passing over JJ with a semi-blank expression before staring forward again. In the back, Lucy leaned forward and smacked the leather on the shoulder of her mom’s chair.
A picnic?! Awesome!”
Once the car stopped in what was probably a great place for kids to fool around (thanks for showing her this spot, JJ), Lucy didn’t wait for Lucky (or JJ) to pull the seat forward. She started to get up when Lucky sniped at her to wait, then got out and pulled the lever to shoot her seat forward. Lucy clambered out with a sheepish expression, holding the thermoses of hot chocolate in her arms, then shifted to the trunk. “Is what you meant by ‘tha boot?” She asked, smirking at JJ, and earning a chuckle from her mom.
Lucky helped carry the blankets, and Lucy draped one over her arms, and they walked, following JJ to the spot he’d obviously scoped out. “Whoa!” Lucy grinned, moving dangerously close to the edge of the falls and looking down. “It’s so cool up here!” She turned to her parents and bounced happily, then bounded over to them.
“And loud.” Lucky added with a grumble, earning a frown and an eye roll from her daughter as they started laying out the blankets. Even if her mom was in a sour mood, Lucy was not gonna let it ruin her birthday. What JJ did was really nice, and she thought that dinner outside with her two favourite people sounded awesome. Plus, her mom would come around. She’d already started to smile when Lucy flashed her wide-eyed, full-of-wonder expression at her. And her mom sat so close to JJ that she was brushing up against him, so whatever he did to make her mad obviously couldn’t have been that bad.
JJ HART | |
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JJ HART
Human
Posts: 59
Played by:
Ange
Last seen Nov 17, 2024 18:04:49 GMT
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Post by JJ HART on Jan 14, 2024 20:39:40 GMT
Lucky’s mutter had him staring at her for a second. It wasn’t like he’d expected to get lucky tonight (especially not if he said that thought aloud), but a bloke definitely didn’t like hearing the walls thrown up like that. Especially when said bloke hadn’t had a sodding clue that he’d been keeping it in the family. Lottie had been a night’s entertainment, and he’d been pretty sure she was aware of it too when they’d gone back to his place. Pick ups in a pub weren’t a precursor to a ring and a long happy marriage, it didn’t matter how much of a romantic you were, or if you were most naïve woman in the place. It wasn’t a cheesy Hollywood movie where a one night stand was the first step towards a Happy Ever After. More often than not they were a disaster – just like this.
He shifted his weight, his brows knotting tighter as he watched her mirroring his stance. ”I wouldn’t have done if I’d known who she was. We didn’t exactly exchange life histories.” And he hadn’t answered the message she’d sent after. Guilt sank into the pit of his stomach. He couldn’t imagine Lottie was any happier about the turn of events than Lucky was, which meant two women he’d slipped with pissed off at him all at once. ”It’s not happening again,” he muttered. Steering clear of Lottie seemed like the easiest way to make sure of it. That still left taking anybody else home in that boggy middle ground that might end up drowning him as he waded out into it.
It wasn’t like he could dwell on it once they were in the car. Lucille filled any awkward silence in an instant, leaving him cackling as she started throwing out guesses that weren’t coming close to the truth. Most of what was happening tonight had required him calling in favours. It’d probably take a decade to build some of ‘em back up, especially with his brother. Lucky went quiet with it – as though there’d have been any room for her to join in when Lucy was talking nineteen to the dozen. He threw in a comment every now and then, asking questions about points that stuck out, he’d eaten with ‘em enough to know the names in the stories now at least.
The further they got from the safety net of town, the more the nerves bit. Usually he wouldn’t have got all strung up, but Lucky’d made sure her and Lucy were the first thought in his mind when he was spitballing ideas in his head. If he screwed it up there wouldn’t be another birthday, just a door slammed shut in his face. JJ shot Lucky a look as she grumbled, meeting her eyes, pursing his lips before he smirked. ”Don’t make it sound that bad,” he grumbled back. ”Figured it’s still warm enough for it.” And if it got too nippy, there was always the heater in the car, the three of them piled in together for warmth beneath the blankets he had thought to provide.
There was a bit of a breeze when they stopped, but nothing too bad yet. The hot chocolate would do the rest of the heavy lifting, as long as Lucy didn’t spill it all when she got it out. ”That’s the one,” he chuckled, lifting his chin towards it as he released the mechanism to have it opening. ”Gotta teach you the Queen’s English some day.” Winking at Lucy he fished the thermal bag out of the back seat.
He led the way towards the edge of the falls, and the dry patch of scrubby rock he’d scouted a couple of days ago. ”Don’t get too near the edge,” JJ warned, settling a hand on Lucy’s back to keep her close as they started laying stuff out. His lips were curving though, that mischievous little smile aimed in Lucky’s direction. He plucked up one of the extra blankets, draping it around her shoulders before he settled down next to her on the ground. ”Might get a little louder in a minute,” he admitted. Peeling open the bag, he started to set out the meal, the gourmet burgers and hot dogs some friend of his brother’s had put together in his restaurant, tubs of mac and cheese, the sort that was sprinkled with breadcrumbs and toasted to perfect on top, fries, onion rings, enough pots of sauce to drown the entire lot. The cake – he wasn’t getting that out yet – sat nestled in a sturdy box.
As soon as they were out he was settling one hand on the small of Lucky’s back to steady himself as he rolled to one hip. ”Now, there’s another surprise…” he started. He could’ve just hit the button on the remote himself and set off the fireworks that were probably gonna piss off the Founder’s Council (as though they weren’t gonna enjoy the show too) himself, but this was all about Lucy having the time of her life. ”You can have it now, or you can wait til we’ve eaten. That’s up to you.” His brows hitched, the long remote with its half dozen numbered buttons dangling from his fingers in front of Lucy’s nose. There was a risk she’d set ‘em all off at once, but hopefully she was patient enough to go one at a time and really drag things out.
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LUCKY CHRISTMAS
Psychic
Posts: 101
Played by:
Julia
Last seen Nov 16, 2024 23:24:26 GMT
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Post by LUCKY CHRISTMAS on Mar 10, 2024 19:25:01 GMT
━ i'm something bad ━
Lucy had her own broad grin as she settled on the blankets with them, gasping at the food JJ began to lay out. “Hell yeah!” She practically squealed, immediately grabbing a hot dog and a ketchup packet, squeezing the whole thing all over the wiener. She took a bite, then grabbed one of the forks and shovelled some mac and cheese into her mouth. “It’s so good!” She exclaimed, mouth full of food, though she had the biggest smile on her face.
“Thanks,” Lucky mumbled to JJ, smiling lightly at him. She meant for more than the blanket, of course━for the great birthday he was giving her daughter, for knowing what kind of things she wanted to eat, all of it. Trying to ensure he stayed out of Lucy’s life was to protect her daughter, but she was so grateful for how special he made her feel. Lucky leaned over to peck his cheek as he rolled closer and settled a hand on her, her shoulder pressing into his.
“Another surprise?!” Lucy beamed, then squealed, “Now!” As she took the remote. She was excited, but not enough to snatch it from him━she still had manners (mostly), after all. “What’s it do?” She asked, but figured the point was to press one of the buttons. Before anyone could answer, Lucy pressed the key for number one, looking around like something would fly out of nowhere.
They both flinched as the fireworks began, one straight shot darting into the sky, then exploding above them. “Whoa!” Lucy gasped, taking another bite of her hotdog. She settled it on the blanket in order to leap forward and throw her arms around JJ, squeezing him softly. “This’s the best birthday ever.” She admitted quietly, then pulled away to pick up her hot dog again. Lucy resigned herself to laying on the blanket, where she munched her birthday dinner and had a perfect view of the sky. “Should probably wait ‘cause it’s not that dark yet, buuuuut…” But she knew she didn't have enough patience.
Lucky was grinning as she double-checked the burger's contents before picking it up and taking a bite. Once Lucy was laying down, Lucky looked at JJ with tears in her eyes (that wouldn’t disappear no matter how much she blinked) and swallowed the bit of burger in her mouth. She couldn’t say anything more━there weren’t enough words to express how thankful she was, and, even if there were, she wouldn’t be able to get through them all. She leaned in to kiss him again, deeper this time, her hand settling on his jaw, passing all her gratitude to him through it instead. And though she’d waited until Lucy wasn’t sitting directly in front of them, her daughter still shifted to look up at them, and grinned as she caught her parents making up under the fireworks.
Seriously, best. Birthday. Ever.
JJ HART | wrap here or w yours? |
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