Russian Roulette | Popov Safehouse 21

Tre tossed his bloody black shirt into the fireplace, ignoring the oogling female members of the mob, his sweaty skin glistening in the low fire light. He hated beating new people in. He'd hated it even before he'd had to actually do it, even before he'd had to rub the ointment over Ash's back.

Then again, he thought with a smirk, that had turned out most beneficial.

"Angel." Came a laugh, Tre turned, smirking as his eyes fell on Teddy. This crazy bastard had been in the Mob for as long as Tre could remember, and he had no idea why. The revolver in his hand was the reason. He slipped a single bullet into the revolver and gave it a spin, grinning as the members around them gathered around the table. Three people were already sitting, the money on the table piled high.

"Fancy a game of chance?"

"Teddy, you know underaged members aren't allowed to play." Tre said with a grin, running his hand through his hair, making it stick up in all directions.

"Never stopped you before."

Tre swung his leg over a stool, grinning as Teddy spun the gun around. It stopped at the girl next to him. The redhead, Mutt he thought they called her, grinned at him and laid a hand on his thigh, bringing the revolver to her temple and pulling the trigger, completely unconcerned that there was currently a gun at her head. The empty click of the gun had her tossing it toward the next person and leaning toward him.

He raised an eyebrow at her, smirking as her full red lips went into a pout. She leaned toward his ear, murmuring things that made him glance sideways, his smirk growing. He made no move to encourage her, but he made no move to stop her either.

"What do you say Angel?"

"Playing games without me."

Ashleen's flippant drawl rang across the room, stopping the game for the moment. A smirk grew on her face as she walked across the room, her shorts just barely covering her, and her black tank top was skin tight, sticking to her all the more from her work out.

She walked slowly towards the table, the movement causing the top to slide up a fair bit, showing most of her abdomen. Her eyes narrowed at the red head for a moment, before she wormed herself between the two, smirking at the girls glare before she had uncermoniously plopped herself into Tre's lap.

"You don't mind another do you?" She looked around the table with an innocent grin, eyes sparkling mischeivously.


[OOC - Just incase you want some help imagining What is this? ]

Tre's eyes didn't follow everyone else's to the girl, he'd known she'd come. His golden gaze glanced at the jealousy on Mutt's face, his smirk deepening. He glanced over his shoulder at Ash, his mouth going slightly dry. His eyes latched onto her bare skin, and a slightly lopsided grin stole across his face as his eyes slowly, agonizingly, rose to her eyes, lingering on her lips for a moment.

"I'd never dream of it, Wings. I was only waiting for you." He said, his arms wrapping around her waist, the feel of her against his bare skin making him shiver slightly. He rested his chin on her shoulder, glancing at her out of the corner of his eye. A low hum started in the back of his throat, only audible to her. Mutt was already long forgotten.

"I don't mind at all." Said Teddy with a grin and a wink at Tre. The boy ignored him, his focus completely on Ashleen.

That is, until Steve, the man to their left, lost.

The explosion of sound from the revolver and the thump of the body hitting the floor had his hold on Ash tightening, watching as houseelves quickly cleaned up the blood. The rest of Steve's money was added to the pot, and Teddy took the time to add another bullet to the revolver.

"Don't. Play." Tre growled, keeping his voice well out of anyone else's hearing. He needed the money, sure, but he'd be damned if Ash held a gun up to her head. He wasn't sure he'd be able to heal himself in time, let alone her.

Ash face which had been smirking only moments before paled significantly as the man beside them fell. She flinched ever so slightly at the sound - it wouldn't have been noticable to anyone, except for Tre who probably would have been able to feel it.

She swallowed slightly, and didn't stop watching as the house elves cleaned up the mess. She had to admit she had forgot how ... explosive this game was.

At Tre's words she shook her head slightly, unnoticable to everyone at the table who were in their own thoughts and not paying attention to herself; except for Mutt, who was still glaring at her from time to time.

"I'm a big girl," she muttered back as she watched the deadly weapon come towards her. Raising her eyebrow, she nodded, and just to prove it picked the gun up. It was her turn after all.

It felt heavy in her hand - heavier than most guns she held did, but perhaps that was because she wasn't about to hold most guns to her head. Palms sweating, she took a deep breath even as her face remained impassive, or she hoped so. She was sure some part of her eyes showed the real worry she felt, but hopefully no one was looking too close for that.

Locking her blue gaze on Tre's - if she was going to die, might as well go looking at something she....

She pulled the trigger.

"Ash..." His eyes met hers, fear evident in the swirling depths of his gaze. His hold on her had tightened almost painfully before he relaxed, a breath of air escaping his lungs at the empty click of the gun. He snatched it away from Ash, holding it to his own head and pulling the trigger easily. He was utterly unsurprised when it clicked emptily, and tossed it to Mutt, who was still glaring at Ash for some unknown reason.

He pulled Ash toward him again, resting his ear over her heart. "You're trying to give me a heart attack, aren't you?" He murmured breathlessly. "I can't lose you again, don't you know that?" He barely flinched as the gun went off, leaving just them and Teddy left.

And Teddy never lost.

Ash barely had a moment to breath a free breath before Tre was holding the gun to his own head, and then pulling the triggar noiselessly and tossing it to the next person.

"No," she murmured shakily as she was pulled closely, his head over her heart which was still beating wildly; she was sure he could hear it quite clearly - he could probably hear the way it spiked again as Mutt fell. It wasn't like she liked the girl but still.. "Just keeping you on you're toes, right?"

She ran a hand through his hair as Mutt was dealt with, "You won't lose me... I'll come haunt you're sorry little behind."

Tre pouted slightly, watching as Teddy once again didn't lose. This wouldn't end well, he could feel it in his bones. He wasn't sure if Ash would leave the game if he did, and that doubt kept him playing.

The gun was slid to Ash, and Tre's hold on her tightened.

"You aren't allowed to die." He said, his voice low. "So don't lose."

Ashleen swallowed again as she looked at the gun. She rolled her shoulders; no big deal, that's what she told herself. She would just grab the gun, and pull the trigger.

And either it didn't go off... or it did.

She held it in her hands as she felt Tre's hold tighten on her.

"When do I ever lose," she murmured back, bring the gun up to her temple with one hand and resting the other on top of Tre's hand.

She bit her lip and pulled the trigger.

Her relief at the empty click it made was sort lived as she realized what her brain hadn't been allowing her to.

If she won...

Then Tre would lose.

Tre grinned, taking the gun from her hand. "You never lose." He answered, nuzzling his nose against her neck. His chances were still pretty good, so he had not a worry about it. He cocked the gun and held it to his head, winking at her.

He pulled the trigger.

A gunshot split the room.

Ash watched the gun get pulled away from her while all the while a buzzing began to fill her ears. She thought that at first it was just the repetition of the gun going off so close to her ear, frying her ear drums.

But then the vision start to go to; she stiffened, her hold on the boy she sat on in inadvertently tightened, as her hear.

There was a bang and then. Oh god. Oh god. Oh god. No. No. No. No. "NO!"

She wasn't even aware that she screeched the last word out loud as her hand latched for the gun, wrenching the boys wrist - probably rather painfully.

Ash jumped violently as the explosion of noise - the same one she had seen... oh lord she couldn't get the image out of her head - filled the room, as if the shot had hit her not-not...

She immediately latched onto Tre making sure there was no wound, before just holding on to him. She didn't bother looking up in the direction she had sent the built, or at anything else. She just had to convince herself that what she had seen hadn't - that he hadn't-

"Thank God, I was hoping we woudn't have to replace too many members tonight,"

Iva leaned against the doorway, hair still damp and fragrant from her shower. Her skirt clung to her wet skin as she wandered to the table and placed herself in Mutt's old seat as if nothing had happened.

"You're a lucky man, Tre. You should be kicked out for that move," she propped her feet up on the table, unconcerned for the moment. She pulled out another stack of dollars and threw them into the pile to ensure her spot. "Now, Teddy, sweetie, load the gun so I can steal your money,"

Tre blinked a few times, his chin lifting to look at the bullet on the ceiling. Slowly, his eyes returned to Ash, who was going through his hair looking for a wound. "Hey. I'm fine." he wrapped his arms around her more securely, tossing the gun to Teddy, who caught it easily. "Maybe we should stop playing."

"Hello, Inno." He said pleasantly, smoothing back Ash's hair. "How have you been. I haven't seen you lately." He hummed softly to the girl in his arms, rocking her gently as a means to comfort her. His heart was doing something weird, it seemed to be undecided on whether it should be racing or just meandering along as normal. It kept speeding up randomly before slowing down, it bothered Tre more than the rest of it did.

"I didn't do anything." he stated simply. "Ash only saved my life. Nothing out of the ordinary." he kissed the girls temple gently, still rocking her. "But I think I will withdraw. I've already lost."

Teddy nodded at Iva, his happy go lucky grin gone as though it had never existed as he loaded the revolver again. Tre tossed a wad of cash into the pot, more focused on Ash then the actual money tossing.

"Why are you always trying to cheat people out of their money, Inno? You act as if you aren't already rich." he asked curiously, tilting his head to the side slightly to look at her for the first time since she entered the room. He took in her appearance with unreadable eyes before nuzzling into Ash, breathing in her scent. Man, did it feel good to be alive.

"Papa won't be pleased your playing this, you know." he stated, echoed by the muted agreements of the now-antsy members around them. He wondered if Iva would ever see them as equals, in their natural state. The cheering, happy crowd was gone, and tension had followed her into the room on the wings of fear. It wasn't fear of her, no, not yet, it was fear of her father. His presence loomed over her like a shadow, proclaiming; Papa's Princess. If she got hurt, everyone would get a helping of the hell that would come after. It was why she always won when she joined them.

Teddy spun the revolver, but hesitated, glancing at Tre and not moving to hand it to Iva.

Ash shook in his arms; she was having a hard time calming herself down, proving to herself that it didn't...

"I saw- I saw-" she kept stuttering the words but she couldn't complete the sentence, she didn't want to completely the sentence.

That was quickly become the problem. The old future was still in her head, still floating there every time she closed her eyelids she could see what could have happened - what should have happened if she hadn't -

But she had. He was right there, breathing humming, moving, warm to the touch and completely alive.

Yet the image of him not, of him unmoving on the floor, his golden muted, all but gone as it stared unseeingly from his cold dead body was still fighting to keep its place in her head, and she had a feeling that now that it was there, it was never going to leave.

After a long moment she took a shaky breath and swallowed, turning her head to look at the latest addition.

Princess had arrived.

It was stupid, and impulsive - she had no desire to continue playing, in all honesty she was still barely keeping herself together, but...

Ash pulled away from Tre slightly.

"I'm still in," she spoke softly, her gaze solely on Teddy, not anyone else in the room for she knew Tre would just say no, and Princess would... she didn't care what Princess said. "If I'm still allowed." After all, she had been the one to interfere, not Tre.

"Well, we can forgive you, once," The little Russian joked, leaning back on to her chair. She noticed the lack of the happy faces in the crowd and realised why this was, but didn't take any action to change it.

"Oh, Tre, you act like Papa's money is my money. I don't get any of it when he dies," she leaned over and took the gun from the man's hands, "I only inherit all of you,"

At the mention of Papa, Iva's face fell into anger, as if she was denied of her fun. The crowd felt heavy and looming behind her; she swore they are judging her, thinking of stopping her. For once, she wanted to enjoy this sick little game.

Another part of her wondered how it would feel, dying.

The revolver clicked as she spun the compartment. The gun rose to her forehead, still burning from the last bullet. Without a single hesitation, her fingers pulled the trigger twice in rapid succession, both ending in soft clicks that echoed in the room. She tossed the piece of metal back on the table, her face blank. A smear of gunpowder and a red burn were left on her forehead, almost humourous in a sense.

Her breath shook as she drew in air, but her body remained still and relaxed. "That was fun, yes? I would hate for Ash to miss out on the fun," Her voice was soft and pleasant- a strange mixture for the Slytherin. "Someone get me a cigarette,"

"Oh, Inno, you act as if we aren't Papa's money." He said, his tone light. "Every person who stands before you has sacrificed something for your family, and you still think yourself above us." He grinned. "You think Papa wants me to marry you for you to rule? You're mistaken. The heir must always be a boy. You'll be said to rule, but I'll be calling all the shots."

Teddy took the gun and wiped off the nozzle, keeping his eyes respectably downward. "I don't have a smoke, milady." he murmured, daring not look up. "My apologies."

"You have a little... smootz... there." Tre said, tapping himself on the temple. "Other people's blood. Gross."

His hold on Ash's tightened, and he shook his head. "No." He murmured softly, only to her. "Please Ash I can't..." He rested his forehead on her shoulder blade, against the feathers of the wings tattoo there. His own tattoo glinted slightly, but he said no more, closing his eyes against all of it.

His fingers splayed across her bare skin, ready to heal her at a moments notice. His voice had all but disappeared, a low whine in the back of his throat.

"Don't do this to me..."

Ash wrinkled her nose slightly and shook her head.

"Sorry Princess," her voice was soft as she glanced at the girl, "Don't smoke."

The girl swallowed as she felt his hold tighten, her shoulder tingling slightly as he leaned against the imprint, wings, tattoo upon it. Her heart clenched as she leaned back against him. She wanted to do what he said but...

"I don't want to," she muttered softly voice straining, cracking slightly and she had to swallow to continue, "But... I-I don't think I know how to quit."

Iva rolled her eyes at the couple, sick of the affection. Love, love love. It was overrated! Why were people so connected to the idea?

She reached for the gun again, waving it about. "Why are you two so weird? It's not like something's going to happen-!"

Her finger had caught the trigger, pulling it down accidentally. A sharp crack echoed through the room, a look of shock on Iva's face. Unsure that she was in one piece, Iva only mangaed to croak out, "Don't tell Papa,"

Tre's hold on Ash tightened almost painfully as the sound of the bullet cracked through the room. He didn't even notice the random member that fell to the ground, his focus was completely on Ash, making sure she wasn't injured, looking her over to make sure they bullet hadn't hit her anywhere. His heartbeat had skyrocketed, and his entire body began to tremble. After a few moments of making sure she was fine, he rested his forehead against her tattoo against, pressing a soft kiss on the inked pattern of the wings. He could feel his own tattoo shiver with the contact, and could barely fathom what he would do if it had been her.

"Don't tell Papa what?" He demanded harshly, no longer keeping his temper under control. "That you're being reckless and have almost killed... And killed a member just because you want to feel like a badass?" His fury turned his eyes black, complete obsidian, all traces of gold gone. "I hope you're pleased with yourself, Popov. Because no one else is."

The room stayed deathly silent as they tried to see if there was anything to do for the member Iva'd shot. Her pulse was weak, and they apparated her to St. Mungo's.

"...We'll have to tell Papa." Teddy murmured softly, looking at the spot where Morgan had disappeared. Tre felt his heart clench at the look on his friend's face. Teddy had always liked Morgan. "He'll want a report. And Morgan never plays..."

Ash tensed at the bullet, freezing in place as she waited for something to happen. The noise taking her breath away, and numbing her mind. She wasn't even sure she would be able to feel the pain at the level of shock she was in if she had actally been hit.

"I-I'm fine," she stated after a moment, swallowing hard, and really only truely realizing it when she could see that Tre already believed it. Funny how she had to gage his reaction to figure out if she was. "Just fine - see, we're just fine."

She swallowed at looked away from both the fallen memeber and Tre's dark eyes. Her gaze fell on the man at the other side of the table. Her eyes softened at that look; she knew that look - she had almost been making that look.

"We're fine, yes?" she whispered kissing his softly, before caressing his cheek, hoping to send some gold back into those eyes. "Try to remember that, 'kay?" Kissing him one more time and nodding she pulled herself away from him, getting up to walk around the table - only to be stopped by the boys grip. She leaned back down wrapping her arms around him, and kissing his jaw line before whispering in his ear, "Please, Tre. I'm going to need you to let go of me for a moment. Just a moment, please."

"Now that all of the children have learned that - despite how we were using it - loaded guns aren't play things," she reached over and plucked the weapon from Iva's hand. "I think we'll just put this away."

She frowned slightly at everyone before passing the weapon to one of the men still standing around, "Want to put that somewhere, where the little people won't be able to reach." She knew she was being slightly petty but...

Continuing her stroll she stopped behind Teddy, resting a hand lightly on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry," she whispered very softly as she leaned down to graze his cheek with a light kiss. "If I could control what I see, I'd have stopped that too."

Moving away she turned to frown at the room again.

"I don't know about you, but I disgust myself with this lack of regard for life," she clenched her jaw. "Three people dead, should have been four, and for what? To prove that we don't care?"

She bit her lip, and shook her head.

"I'm sorry, but I think maybe we should care."

With that she shook her head and turned her back on them all, stalking away towards the otherside of the room - and hopefully out.

Iva sat, staring at the gun with a sense of disbelief. The world had no effect of her at this point- Tre was speaking, the others were moving, Teddy had that pathetic look of defeat on his face. And all Iva could comprehend in this long moment was the horrible truth that she enjoyed the feel of death at her fingers tips.

For once, she was powerful. Strong. Feared. She hated herself for it, but, if she had the chance, she wouldn't take back her actions.

"Regard for life?" she stated, repeating the girl, "You live in the Mafia. This is what you are hired for. Death is necessary." she turned towards the group in the back. "This is your job! All of you should be willing to pull the trigger yourselves if asked!"

She pushed herself out of her chair, calm and collected, "I'll tell Papa myself,"

"There is no need for that."

Papa Popov stood in the doorway to the room, his cold blue eyes calmly going over each occupant. The members in the room froze, each shrinking as his gaze fell on them. He stood there for what could have been hours, what could have been mere moments, before his gaze fixed on Teddy.

"Go."

Teddy apparated, gone before the syllable was fully out of his mouth.

Papa's gaze swept the room again, stopping on Ashleen, then Treshawn, then Innokentiya.

"You are no longer permitted to play this foolish attempt at being adults." He said coldly. "I do not recall granting you permission to throw your lives away, and you are extremely fortunate that none of you came upon their death early." His glare slammed into Innokentiya, a small tug of his lips the only show of any emotion other than displeasure. "You are a fool." he stated simply. "We do not throw away lives here. Every member has a purpose, and if you take that away, we lose importance. We now must find someone to take her watches, cover her weapons duty, and postpone additional meetings that she had. It is not something to be taken lightly."

His gaze moved to Ashleen, then to the boy hovering behind her like a shadow. "Your gift strengthens by the day." He observed. "That is not an excuse to join such a game. Did you believe yourself above death? No one is. You of all people should know that." His voice was cold, empty, void of all compassion. "While correct on both your statements, no one in this room is still a child. You all must grow, or be trampled and replaced. Such is life." His eyes went from Ashleen to Innokentiya, and back again, his voice turning ominous. "And we must have you grow."

His gaze finally, slowly, moved to Treshawn. "Then there is you." Fast as a blink, Papa had grabbed Tre's jaw, pulling him forward and glaring down into his obsidian eyes. "If you are ever to succeed me, you will learn control." He said coldly. His other hand moved in a blur, pressing the pressure points on Tre's chest with fatal perfection before he threw the boy away from him.

"Control yourself, Beneparte. Or you'll find yourself being controlled."

Tre's jaw clenched as she tried to get away from him, pulling her back, his hold tightening as a snarl fought its way out of his mouth. He couldn't let her go! He couldn't! What if... if...

His obsidian eyes closed briefly as her lips trailed over his skin, A low grumble bubbling out of his throat that was somewhere between a purr and a growl. He couldn't... he...

Tre, please...

Slowly, his hold on her loosened, his eyes open once more, the smallest glint of gold returning to his eyes as he let her go. "Just a moment." He growled, his darkened eyes latched on her. For the next few moments he was nothing; just her shadow around the room, just her protector, just...

Then Papa was in the room, and Tre was standing in front of Ash, his back pressed to her front, though she would still be visible. He wasn't quite sure when it had happened, but it didn't bother him. Papa ignored him for most of his speech, but when he did finally look at him, both of them, Tre tensed.

He growled as he was pulled forward, Papa's fingers digging into his skin. He stayed perfectly silent, his eyes, completely dark once more. Silently, he bared his teeth.

He felt none of the pressure points being pressed, except for the last one.

A shock wave went through his body, and his eyes turned the brightest gold they had ever been.

His body hit the ground hard, and he slid into a wall, curling into a ball and gasping in an attempt to breathe. His hands went to his chest, but his healing wouldn't work. Coughing harshly, his bright gold eyes widened as they caught on the red smear that had come from his lips. Frantically, he sought Ash with eyes that could not see.

Then the world went dark.

Ash's eyes narrowed at Iva's stupid words, her nostrail flaired, and her retort, bitter and angry as everything in her life seemed to be turning was about the come flying off her lips when he entered the room.

Papa.

Ashleen wasn't even sure how Tre had gotten in front of her, but when his cold gaze landed on her, she certainly wasn't upset about it. She swallowed hard, and the hand she had placed on Tre when he'd moved in front of her tightened the more the man spoke.

She felt an odd thunk in her stomach as he meantion her 'gift'; she had thought... hoped... but then that had been foolish. What doesn't Papa know? She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from retorting. This wasn't the place. She wasn't that stupid. But lord she wanted to.

The girl, however, couldn't stop a slight squeak of surprise as Tre was pulled forward and away from her. Her blue eyes wide with worry - she wouldn't trust Papa with anything- she completely missed what he had done, unaware of what was going on until-until-until-

"Tre!" the name was wrenched from her throat with panic before she cuold even bother thinking what was smart for her - which wasn't going to be what she did next.

She rushed forward, her heart thunking heavily, panic and confusion - and fear, so much damn fear - were already making her eyes swim as the turned back to the man - the man she was supposed to bow to, the man who'd done this.

"What did you do?" Her voice was low the first time she spoke; she didn't care how stupid it was to speak to Papa like he was a normal human being. She didn't even thinking about how stupid it might be. "What did you do?!"

"Oh? I never recalled you giving us premission to do anything, Pieter,"

Iva stood, unaffected by her father's words, her use of his first name a dare. Go ahead, attack her. She didn't care anymore anyway. She leaned against the table, her soft blue eyes now flashing with the same intensity as her father- both striking and fearsome.

"The way you run this mafia is bad and you should feel bad," she noted, glancing at her nails, "Lifes are useless. It's what you do with them that makes them worth while. If you had a replacement for everyone set up, we wouldn't have this problem."

She looked up, her hair draped down her side. "At least, that's what I think, so we don't have to wait for everyone to heal after the 'welcoming cerimony'... Like Ashleen's father. My, isn't he still healing?"

She drifted off, unsure of how to react to Tre's condition and Ash's whining. For the love of Merlin, they were so dramatic sometimes. She glanced up at her father and, for the first time, noticed two things.

The first was that the two shared little resemblance.

The second was that she had a strange urge to kill the idiot.

"One day, Papa, one day," she mused, stepping over Tre to head towards the door, "You won't be so lucky,"