( AN OPEN POST #2 )

[charmlessness]

 
 
 

you know the drill. pick your poison (not entirely limited to those listed). reply with a prompt in the form of a post, photo, song, text, voicemail, whatever your heart desires & receive a response. simple, right? right.

 
 
 

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[ramblin]

[ Hollywood. Goddamn Hollywood. The glitz, the glamor, — the friggin' traffic. You want the truth? It's a goddamn nightmare. Richie, of course, is that Gloop kid in Wonka's factory. It might be worth a few laughs if every Joe and Sue wasn't walking down the street like they owned the place, clutching their Starbucks and making any kind of headway by pushing their way through a group of three — count 'em — people.

Two Geckos, one Hobbs. Sounds like a bad joke, right? Two criminals and their very own Little Orphan Annie. It took a little convincing, on his part. She chose to join their two-man band of Merry Men and now where were they? — Goddamn Hollywood.

The job is about as tricky as it gets. Pulling a heist around here? You might as well be signing the fine line to your own death. That's why they chose it. Things were getting slow. What they needed now was a challenge, a special brand of Gecko Brand™ pick-me-up. That's where Abigail gets the idea that she needs to look the part. She's not wrong; two grown men parading around in suits while she's still hanging out in her blue jeans make things a little weird.

He glances at his watch. They have places to be; Seth's opted to take Abigail to the hotel they've staked out, getting a little one-on-one with the scenery. ] What, you fall asleep in there, princess?

[ He's reached for the door when she opens it, stepping out like she's some dame in a black and white picture. There's no avoiding the way his eyebrows raise. ]

Look at you, Greta Garbo. [ Seth extends his elbow for the taking. ] You seen a smalltown girl from Minnesota around? She's runnin' a little behind on time here.

[novice]

She actually said that she couldn't make it, so she sent me instead. ( Abigail takes his arm, trying her hardest not to blush at the contact.

She's been with the brothers for a good handful of months, there's no reason for her to still be so shy, especially when it comes to the elder brother. ) She told me to give her sincerest apologies and hopes that you don't mind.

( With her free hand, she reaches up to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear. It's usually tied back, especially when in the South — it's too hot to leave it down, but if she's going to look the part, then she has to look the part.

Hours spent doing her hair and make-up better be worth it.

Her heels click on the pavement, and she keeps glancing down every couple of seconds to make sure she doesn't fall on her face. The last thing she wants to do is draw that kind of attention to them when they arrive at the hotel. All of this would have been for naught.

The unspoken question is still on her mind, and she knows it'll eat at her if she doesn't just up and ask, so she clears her throat and glances aside to Seth. )

Do I look okay? Is it too much? ( The paranoia is sinking in. ) Should I go back and change?

[ramblin]

[ So, he's got a soft spot for the girl — you blame him? Look at her. All dolled up and no place to go but up. Sure, he had his hesitations. Who wouldn't? Girl wanted for murder wants to hop on board their train headed for just south of Splitsville, that right there is heat two Geckos don't need on their tail.

She made her choice and, in return, the brothers made theirs. Richie spilled his reservations, but at the end of the day, her skills were better utilized as an asset. They were a double act, a duo. If she wanted to make this shindig a trio, she had to earn it. You didn't get to where they are today by toeing outside the lines. It's a fast, hard road and to ride it meant going in for the long haul.

Abigail left. After months on the road, leading the life they led, she took her things and skedaddled. What were they supposed to think when she showed up at their dinky motel in California, asking for the proverbial Second Chance? This right here was going to make or break their future together. Seth didn't have time to play this hot and cold sthick. She was in or she was out. One wrong move and she's left behind. Square deal.

Now, he finds himself somewhat, uh, distracted? From the idea. This dress, the way her hair falls over her shoulders. She looks her age and he'd be about as blind as Richard not to notice. At her quick questions, Seth gives her another once-over. ]

You, little lady, don't need to change a goddamn thing.

[ He reaches behind her, pressing her tag between her shoulder blades down behind the material of her dress. ]

Although, I gotta ask — you find yourself a neat little place to tuck your piece in one of these newly discovered curves of yours? Now, you and me, tonight, we aren't in the business of looking for trouble. But if it finds us, I need you to be up and at 'em, Adam Ant, you got me?

[novice]

( She should've known that he was going to ask about her gun. Of course she wasn't stupid enough to forget it, but without a pair of jeans to tuck it into, or a coat to hide it in a pocket, she wasn't exactly left with ... options as to where to put it. )

I, uh, ( She stops walking and pulls the hem of her skirt up to approximately mid-thigh, where the barrel of her gun that was gifted to her by the younger Gecko brother is pointing downward, nestled safely into a holster on the inside of her left thigh. That was an interesting shopping trip.

It's comfortable, due to the fact that Abigail's petite frame still (mostly) reflects her age, and the safety's on so no accidents will happen. ) –– yeah, I got it.

( She promptly returns the hem of the skirt to its proper place and smooths it down once more.

If she'd successfully avoided blushing earlier that's gone to Hell as she is a deep, scarlet red, now. )

I can do it if it needs to happen; it'll be fine.

( While she is more comfortable with rifles than she is handguns, she's always had an eye for shooting, and she picked up on the smaller weapons pretty quickly.

She doesn't like to think about the fact that the reason it does is because of the fact that her father had her hunting innocent animals from a young age. The girls she helped ensnare were a different story, entirely. One she has yet to talk about in depth. )

Richie's been taking me to practice when we have the time and says that I've gotten a lot better.

[ramblin]

[ They stop just before reaching the car. Not long after, she's slipping her arm out from his to bring her skirts up her thighs. He looks away, placing his hands over his brow, because he's not a goddamn pervert, alright? At the mention of her gun, he hesitantly turns his head, eying the stretch of skin up her leg, and finally the holster at her thigh. ]

Easy there, Marilyn, you're gonna have every goddamn tomcat hopping the fence for a peek at that thing, you hear me?

[ He reaches forward, smoothing her dress over her stomach. Seth Gecko's a lot of things, but he isn't indecent. He knows what to do and what not to do, understands that a woman's body is her own. But there's something in him, an overwhelming urge to keep Abigail safe. She can hold her own, sure, but that's not why she's here.

She's here, because she's part of this. She's a part of them. ]

Let's get outta here 'fore you try and show me where you're keeping the knife.

[novice]

Hey, you asked. I was just easing your mind.

( Her cheeks still flushed pink, she doesn't look as confident as she looks. Some of it has to do with the dress she's wearing, not feeling like it belongs on her (Like some small girl wearing her mother's dresses and parading around in shoes that are four sizes too big.), but mostly it's just Seth and the effect that he has over her. He walks into the room and Abigail turns into some shy, giggly college girl.

It's embarrassing, because it's not who she is.

Without pockets or a bag to keep her hands occupied, Abigail isn't quire sure what to do with herself. She ghosts a hand over his, and quickly decides against it, instead linking her arm back with his. )

I thought I'd leave that part to the imagination.

( With an immediate subject change, she clears her throat, looking up at the night sky. If they were anywhere but Hollywood, perhaps they'd be able to see stars. The lights from the busy city prevent this, and leaves a void where constellations should be. )

Is it just us tonight?

[ramblin]

Nobody here but us chickens.

[ Seth unlocks the passenger door, opening it up wide to allow her enough room. He raises his eyebrows, folding his hands together as he leans into the side. Richard had his role to play. The final plans were being put into motion now, and if this thing was going to go down successfully, Abigail needed to see what was in store for her. ]

Tonight, Little Miss Hobbs, you and I will be playing the parts of Mr. and Mrs. Garza from Atlantic City. Which reminds me —

[ He rummages through his pockets until he finds what it is he's looking for. It's a small ring, cheap, but effective. He gathers down on one knee, glancing up at her from in between the open car door. Seth lifts his chin, grinning in a way that can only be described as shit-eating. ]

Will you do me the honors of being my completely smokin' wife for roughly an hour and a half, Ms. Garza? Ah — [ He holds up a finger, the ring round between his middle and thumb. ] Three choices, and the first two don't count.