Bliss

"If two people can't stay away from each other maybe they aren't meant to be apart" - J.B

• Finn •

"He's dead?" Arthur asked, visibly upset
"Yes Arthur. I am sorry, but he is dead" Tommy said calmly, void of emotion
Dads dead?
Fuck

"And I thought today couldn't get any better" John chuckled, before Arthur stood up, storming off
"Better?" Tommy asked
"Finn here started his morning off very well, didn't you kid?" John laughed

"Will you fucking leave it? Dads dead" I said bluntly
"Yeah, good fucking riddance" John laughed
I sighed

• Nala •

"Yeah never bring me anything" I challenged Daisy, taking the bag of pastries from her.
She smiled, sitting on my desk
Yeah... she was definitely after something.

"Well I just wanted to check on you, you left pretty early last night" she said
"Ah, so you want to know what happened" I sighed
"Yes, tell me" she said immediately, leaning forward

I rolled my eyes
"We slept together, you'll find out from someone so... happy now?" I asked
"Yes" she said happily, before she just stared at me
"What?"

"I need details Nal, I want to know everything" she said
"No, I'm not telling you... that" I dismissed
"Oh come on, we all want to know how Finn is in bed. Is he a dark horse? I bet he is" she said
"Daisy... stop" I chuckled

"I'm not telling you, just because you share way too many details about your flings, doesn't mean every one else wants to tell you about theirs" I said
"You are no fun Miss Cortez, no fun whatsoever" she huffed, jumping off the desk.

"I'll see you later yeah? I have to get to work" she said
"Yeah, see you" I said, watching the women filter in for the day
All looking very... fed up, tired.

"It's not fair, they're off drinking and shooting rifles as we sit here, listen to the mugs swearing, spitting on the bloody floor for us to fucking wipe up" Esme complained, sitting down with difficulty
She was quite far along with her pregnancy now.

"Without men here, they'd be like dogs pissing up the wall... I was just saying it's not fair" she went on, as Polly came strolling in
She didn't look much better.
She looked tired, stressed.
Whilst Lizzie paid no mind to any of us, writing in the books.

"They're down there like lords" she further complained
"Esme just... get on with it" Polly said

"Nala, here" Polly said as she headed for the safe
I got up, earning a look from Lizzie as she also noticed how... off Polly was.

She leant her head against the safe
"Forgot the combination" she mumbled
"24-8-22" Lizzie called
"How do you know the paper cash combination?" She asked
"Tommy talks in his sleep" Esme chuckled

"Shut up Esme" she bit back
I followed Polly into the safe
"Where have they gone?" I asked
She sighed, leaning against the shelves with handfuls of money

"Their dad. He's dead" she said
"Dead? Fuck" I said, shocked
Poor Finn, poor Arthur. They'll be so... confused, so sad
Yet how could someone be sad over a parent that was never there?

"Pol? Are you alright?" I asked
"I'm fine" she dismissed
"You're wrapped up, you're shaking, are you sure?" I asked in a lower voice

"I'm sure. I just... it's nothing" she said
"You can talk to me" I said
"I know love, I know I... just leave it alright? It's my job to make sure you're alright not the other way around" she said with a small smile, before she walked out of the safe.

•

"I just wanted to make sure" he said down the phone
"Sounds more like an excuse to call me" I said instead
Liam rang to 'make sure' I was still available next week for our session, but his voice told me he was angling for something

"Fine I... I just wanted to ask if I could come out with you one night. You and your friends" he said
"Why?" I asked
"Because a piss up with people like you seems way more entertaining that friends like mine" he said

I laughed
"I don't think you'd fit in with us very well" I said honestly
"Why?" He asked
"Because you're a little too... posh" I said

"Come on, one night" he said
"You can come out with me and the girls, I don't think the lads would appreciate your company very much" I smiled
They'd be nice, for the most part
But at the end of the day, the upper class were cunts to people like us.

Linda then came barrelling in, muttering about sandwiches and making Esme and Lizzie's eyes roll.
"Look I'll call you tomorrow or something with plans yeah? I have to go" I said, putting the phone down.

"What's she rattling about?" I asked
"Strikes" Esme laughed
"Strikes? You do know where you are Linda?" I laughed at her
"Fuck it. I'm not in the mood today" Polly said

"We're not working?" I asked
"Hallelujah" Esme said, standing up
"Let's go to the bull ring" Polly relented, grabbing her coat

"Aren't you coming?" Lizzie asked
"No, I'll uh, I'll wait for Finn" I said
"Look at her Pol, we're striking to piss them off and she's sat here like a dog already" Esme said amused
"Esme, pregnant or not, I'll cut you for calling me names" I warned, standing up

"I just want to speak to him, not go to some fucking bull ring protesting about Tommy and his fucking rules. You'll all be back at work tomorrow saying yes Tommy, no Tommy, three bags fucking full" I said, walking past Esme

"I'll take what I can get" Lizzie sighed
"Well we all knew that" I said back. She would take what she could get. From Tommy.
From his attention.

•

I heard the door close
"Finn?" I called out, heading into the hallway
Where he stood... still.
I hugged him
"I'm so sorry. Polly told me, are you okay?" I asked

His hands wound around my waist
"Yeah. Not many memories for me to mourn really is there?" He chuckled sadly, pulling back to look at me
Before he looked up, and around
"It's quiet, why are you in the house? Where is everyone?" He asked

The betting doors were open. Yet no one was there
"The women are striking" I said
"Striking?" He chuckled
"What for?" He asked
"Tommy's anger" I said, that was their only aim

"Oh, you didn't go?" He asked
"No, I wanted to see you when you came back" I said
"You don't have to wait around for me, I'm fine, honestly, it's not like me and my dad were ever... close. I mean I'm the reason he left" he said
"You are not the reason" I said immediately

His face fell
"Of course I am. Mum had me and... just got so much worse" he said
"Your mum... she... she was like mine, she had her problems but she didn't go the way she did because of you. Never think that" I said, holding his face in my palms.

"It's not like you actually killed her eh? Not like me" I said sadly
"Hey. That's not your fault" he said
"I know... doesn't stop the guilt in my chest though" I said

It was silent for a moment, as we held each other, basking in the pain we felt for our parents
For our mothers.

"I think you should talk to Kinney" he said, making me look up at him
"You still have someone out there, sure he's a waste of space but... he's here, he wants to see you" he said
I nodded

"Okay, I'll talk to him" I said
"And Mariana?" He asked
"She lied to me, she... she had him beat up" I said
"That's what everyone in this family would have done. You know that, just talk to her, she must have good reason to think so badly of him" he said

"Yeah, I guess... I'll... I'll call her later" I relented

"Okay" he mumbled
"What?" I smiled as he just looked at me
"We didn't really get any time to talk... this morning" he mumbled awkwardly, making me chuckle
"We didn't exactly do much talking I guess" I said

"No" he agreed, a blush creeping up his cheeks
"It was good though" I said
"Yeah... really good" he said

"Oh, really good?" I teased, walking backwards to the stairs
"Yeah?..." he said confused
"Well... no one's here" I said suggestively

His face fell into recognition
"Now?" He asked
I nodded
"If... you want to" I said, slightly losing my nerve
He nodded quickly, following me to the stairs

"Yes. Yes I do" he said, before he picked me up, making me squeal
"Finn" I laughed
Before he kissed me, soft and warm as he carried me up the stairs.

•

"It's nice... no interruptions" I mumbled as I lay on Finn's chest
"Yeah... that was..." he said breathlessly, failing to finish his sentence
"Good?" I asked, angling my head up
"Amazing" he chuckled, making me smile.

"Good" I smiled, kissing his jaw

Knock knock

"Leave it" I groaned
"What if it's important? We're not supposed to be all shut up during the day" Finn said, sitting up
"Ah fine" I sighed, burrowing myself back under the blanket as Finn wandered off

"Nala" he shouted after a while
"Fuck sake" I groaned, getting up, pulling my clothes on
"Nala" Finn called again
"I'm coming" I shouted, stomping down the stairs
Can't have one afternoon to ourselves.

"Hey Darling, thought we could go out, get a drink" dad said, smiling in the doorway
"The last time I saw you, you'd had too many drinks" I said, crossing my arms

He looked at me, at where I came from and then at Finn stood in shorts
"Were you? Have you fucked my daughter?" He asked, grabbing Finn
"Dad, let him go" I said bored
"Have you?" He shouted

"Dad" I shouted, shoving him off Finn
"You're not exactly in any position to threaten boys. Especially when Finn is my boyfriend, go to the pub, I'll meet you there" I said
He eyed Finn for a moment, before stepping out into the street

"Hurry up then" he said
"And I'm watching you" he warned Finn, before walking off
"Was that supposed to scare me?" Finn laughed

"I think so" I laughed too, as he shut the door
"You have to go? Can't we go back upstairs?" He asked
"Come on Finn, we have to get something done today. But tonight... I'm all yours" I said, kissing him quickly

"Promise?" He asked
"Promise" I smiled.

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