Boston 2

[ladyjanelly]

Playing with mood.  How's connor in this? 

 

(same warnings etc as last chapter, plus moody!Connor)

Even with the burden of sleeping child in his arms, the lock on Jimmy's door is nothing for Connor to pick. He shifts the little girl's weight and pulls his gun. A glance at Murphy shows him that his brother has moved Jimmy's weight to his off-hand side as well. They nod, together, and then Connor turns the doorknob while Murphy kicks it open. They tense, waiting for some enemy to show themselves, but nothing materializes.

Murphy gives him a smirk to say, "See? I told you it might not have been personal and if it was, and those guys knew where Jimmy lived, they'd've just waited here for him." And fucken hell, if there's one thing Connor hates, it's losing an argument with his brother, especially when Murphy has logic and passion on his side.

Despite his annoyance, he hopes that Murph is right--that taking this man and his child home is safer for them than calling an ambulance-- that the cops won't look for witnesses to the Saint's latest accomplishment further than the buildings that made up the alley-- that the bond between man and child is something wholesome and good even though she doesn’t call him Da. He hopes this is a good idea. It sure as hell doesn’t feel like it.

Connor frowns and walks into the dingy little apartment. The living-room has a fold-out couch, opened and strewn with bed-sheets. The kitchen is a stretch of countertop along one wall, interrupted by a two-burner stove and a half-sized fridge. Two doors are open to the left. Behind one of them is a claustrophobic bathroom, lit by the tired light of a yellowed bulb that hangs from the ceiling. Behind the other though, is a twin-sized bed, covered with pink sheets and a daisy-patterned coverlet. It's not exactly neat, but it's been made none the less.

He draws back the covers with his free hand and settles Lily in for the night, taking off only her shoes. As he tucks her in he feels the sting of long-abandoned dreams, unfulfilled hopes. Men like him and Murphy cannot afford to have children. He refuses to leave orphans or a widow behind him when something happens and the forces aligned against them grow too focused to defeat.

Still, the man he would have been aches inside for what he cannot have.

Murphy has Jimmy laid out on the sleeper-sofa and he's busy digging through the duffle bag that holds their first-aid stuff when Connor comes out of the little girl's room. They both look up, but it's Jimmy who speaks first.

 

"She okay? She need me or somethin'?" He's shaky but he tries to sit up anyways. He's pale under the blood and bruises and maybe going into shock. Even hurt, he has good lines--full lips, long lashes, high cheekbones, but too strong to be other than masculine.

Murphy pushes Jimmy back with one hand and tries to open the child-proof cap of a bottle of pills with the other. The brothers' eyes meet, and Connor can see the silent plea in Murphy's gaze. After all this time, a year or more of killing people--evil men, but people-- Murphy still can't stand to see someone suffer, an innocent in pain.

"Make him better," Murphy's eyes say, and Connor helps him press their patient back down to the rumpled sheets. This better not be about Murphy getting laid, Connor thinks to himself.

"She's fine," he tells Jimmy. "Leave her t' rest."

Murphy leaves the bottle and goes to the "kitchen" for something to wash the pills down with, comes back with a beer. Connor watches as he pours four of the big white tablets into Jimmy's palm, the same number he himself took the last time he was shot. The same number Murph took when they flipped a car and his shoulder was dislocated.

Connor takes two of the pills out of the grimy hand and puts them back in the bottle. "Easy on his liver now, Murph."

Jimmy crunches the painkillers between his teeth and washes the bits down with the beer. A grimace for the taste but he's not complaining.

Murphy shoots Connor a pained look and for all that it was the right thing to do, he regrets reminding Murphy that neither of them is likely to die by liver damage or lung cancer before bullet or blade or fucken explosion made an end of them.

There is nothing he can do to ease his brother's mind besides helping their new friend. He starts sorting through the first-aid stuff. After that time when their Da shot them, they'd learned more about treating the wounded and being prepared for injuries. He unrolls the suture kit. That scalp wound, at least, needs some stitches.

"Listen to me," he tells Jimmy, before the pain killers start to muddy his thinking. "I'm no fucken doctor. If you're hurt in a way I can't fix or if I think you'll be dyin' on us you'll be waking up in hospital. Do y'understand?"

Jimmy nods, but he's tense again. "What the fuck am I supposed to tell the police, that happens?"

Connor shrugs. "Whatever y'like." But exhaustion and the pills and the aftermath of adrenaline are taking their toll and he's not sure Jimmy hears him before those ridiculously long lashes flutter closed.

Comments

[green-rat.livejournal.com]

Aawww. So cute, they're taking care of poor Jimmy/Marshall.

/This better not be about Murphy getting laid, Connor thinks to himself./

C'mon, why not? ;)

More goodness on the way?
Elle =)

[ladyjanelly.livejournal.com]

Yes, more goodness on the way. Working on my existing BDS fic this week but still playing with Boston in my head.

Heh, somehow I see many points in the past of this timeline where something was about Murphy getting laid and ended in disaster. Poor long-suffering Connor.

[roadparty.livejournal.com]

Ok, I missed the beginning of this. But I really like what's here.

"Make him better,"

I like that a lot. Like it hurts Murphy to watch someone else hurt.

[ladyjanelly.livejournal.com]

The beginning is just like three posts back in my lj if you're looking for it. I'm trying to get some feedback here before I post it to the emslash comm or the bds comm.

Like it hurts Murphy to watch someone else hurt.

I always saw him as the more empathic of the two. Connor can light a man's ass on fire and watch it burn. I don't think Murphy would have been capable of that.

Connor went sort of introspective and melancholy on me in this one. I wasnt sure if it was just me being in a mood or if it was IC. Any feelings on that?

[roadparty.livejournal.com]

Connor's always introspective. Even if it's just enough to say I'm strangely comfortable with that. He is colder and harder than Murphy. You can see it in the movie and you carried that over here nicely. *nods* I like it. And once I get to work I'll go back and find the beginning.

[amourality.livejournal.com]

Yay! Another part :D. I'm so loving this story.

This better not be about Murphy getting laid, Connor thinks to himself

Lol :D. I love that line.

Great job, honey. Can't wait for the next part :D.

Btw, I archived the first part under Jimmy/Murphy. I was guessing at the future pairing. You don't have to tell me if I'm right if it'll spoil the story; I just thought I'd let you know *kisses*.

[ladyjanelly.livejournal.com]

That's cool. I am working on some revisions first before I post it to the bds and emslash comms. When they're done can i get you to unarchive the first draft and rearchive the good one?

Yeah, the Murphy/Jimmy thing shouldnt be a surprise. :)

[amourality.livejournal.com]

Sorry, I was so excited by the story, I forgot to answer the question :\.

I think Connor sounds fine. I didn't notice anything that seemed out of place. He just came across as instrospective and concerned.

[ladyjanelly.livejournal.com]

Cool. Just making sure.

*watches the Stan video* Em is a leftie, right?

Why does that make it so much more interesting that he's with Murphy in this fic?

[amourality.livejournal.com]

*nods* The man is indeed left-handed :D.

Why does that make it so much more interesting that he's with Murphy in this fic?

Lol, yeh ;D.

[cucumberstar.livejournal.com]

I liked that Connor started thinking about kids and family they'll never have. Also this is probably a common thing in your BDS writing, but I like how so much gets said in looks between the brothers. It makes Jimmy's presence interesting, because Connor and Murphy have such a strong short hand it's like throwing a wrench into all that. If that makes any sense?

Heh, I'm very excited to see you add more. I have such a soft spot for hurty/comfort boy fic. :)

[ladyjanelly.livejournal.com]

Somehow they click together much more when there's an outside presence for them to communicate around than when it's just the two of them not saying the things they should be saying to each other.

Hurty/comfort? Probably not how I'd describe what's in my head for this one, but you be the judge. Hope you keep liking it.

[cucumberstar.livejournal.com]

Heh, that makes it better cause now I have no idea where this is heading. Me = excited.

[4bdnsn0wflake.livejournal.com]

Your Moody!Connor was so on during this. Gorgeous, gorgeous angst!


Still, the man he would have been aches inside for what he cannot have.

^ *sound of heartstrings being pulled*


And it's so endearing that the little girl (is she Jimmy's sister?) has pink sheets on her bed. He really loves that kid, it's so obvious.


After all this time, a year or more of killing people--evil men, but people-- Murphy still can't stand to see someone suffer, an innocent in pain.

^ *sniffles and holds Murphy tight*


Murphy shoots Connor a pained look and for all that it was the right thing to do, he regrets reminding Murphy that neither of them is likely to die by liver damage or lung cancer before bullet or blade or fucken explosion made an end of them.

^ Oh. Ouch. But beautifully put.


After that time when their Da shot them,

^ O_o What's this?!


Hermph. I wish I didn't know Jimmy=Eminem. *Huge* turn-off for me. I'll see if I can work around it, though, because the rest of the story has me very interested.

[ladyjanelly.livejournal.com]

Yeah, fucker almost made me cry as I was writing that. I love it when it happens but it can be really draining too.

Lily is Jimmy's little sister. Their mother was a train-wreck of drinking, gambling and sleeping around. He really does love that child. She gets pink sheets on a somewhat-made bed while he sleeps on the fold-out couch.

Heh, Connor and Murphy have a big "fuck you" to anyone who says "You know, those things will kill you..."

that time when their Da shot them,

From the movie. No more irons for these boys. That incident helped them realize their first-aid equiptment wasnt up to standards.


Sorry the pairing isn't one that does it for you, but I'm glad you're enjoying none-the-less.

[athousanderrors.livejournal.com]

{ok, reviewing as I read...)

As he tucks her in he feels the sting of long-abandoned dreams, unfulfilled hopes...

Still, the man he would have been aches inside for what he cannot have.

This just killed me. It's an insight into the twins I hadn't thought about, and yes, the way Connor is with the little kid in the hostpial...it's very believable. And heartwrenching.

After all this time, a year or more of killing people--evil men, but people-- Murphy still can't stand to see someone suffer, an innocent in pain.

a little reminder that after all, they are still human, they do still care. I really like this.

Murphy shoots Connor a pained look and for all that it was the right thing to do, he regrets reminding Murphy that neither of them is likely to die by liver damage or lung cancer before bullet or blade or fucken explosion made an end of them.

Sad, but very likely. Connor looking after Murph, as always. *sigh* I love the bit about the painkillers – just reinforcing how their lives aren’t normal, how they don’t have to worry about what they’re doing to themselves with drink, smokes, and high doses of painkiller. *pets her poor boys*

Overall, so far, I’m loving this. The characters (from what I can tell- it’s been a while since I saw 8 mile) are just perfect – you’ve really nailed them. I love the way you write the twins, and this is a nice spin on things. Crossovers are so hard to crack – making them believable is always a challenge – but you’ve really done well. This works.

[athousanderrors.livejournal.com]

oh, and to answer your question, though it's been put much more eloquently already - I love Connor in this. His mood is spot on. He is very much the colder, more logical twin - Murphy is the kid, the innocent one. Connor is very much more introspective, thinking about everything before acting, whereas Murph just feels. And barges into things headfirst.

[unperfectwolf.livejournal.com]

So... I get more, right?