Open~ [RL]

[torn_betweentwo]

[It's a nice, warm day in Belfast with clear skies and a light breeze. Most people are outside having a great day. ...But not Connor. Nope, he's sitting at his desk with a piece of paper that's got half a letter written. A few empty liquor bottles litter the floor around him in a sea of crumpled wads of paper. Half a dozen more different liquor

Comments

[peirebasafhail]

[While Iseult here, she just breezes in and sits down across from Connor.] Shades drawn, pulling a binge to make Uncle Arthur proud, and 'tis July. Body having a fit then? Mum already come by to mother you?

[torn_betweentwo]

It's parade season for the Orange Order and it's getting closer to the twelfth. [grumblegrumble] For the last two hundred and some odd years, this time of year's always been bad. Got worse over the last fifty. And yes, she has.

[peirebasafhail]

Aye, and we all know how badly saying no to the marches goes. [She flicks her hand at something, probably some dust mote in the air] You'd think by now they'd learn to stay out of the less than favorable to them strongholds. But then I'm expecting common sense. Can always get Da and Dad Ianto to see if they'll let us set up some sort of extra security you know. [She's quiet for a moment] Mum worries, you know.

[torn_betweentwo]

[He shakes his head.] That lot's about as stubborn as I am. I'm just thankful they've been less noisy the past decade... but it's not enough. They still inflame the old pains.

And I'm not having any of you or the rest o' Torchwood getting involved. You've all got other problems to deal with without acting as a security force out here. Besides, a lot o' the older protesters of the marches don't have much faith in the police force after all that's happened....

[After taking a deep breath, he goes for a quick drink from his glass then hangs his head.] I know.

[peirebasafhail]

They need to be taken down a peg or two, but that's what started the whole blasted mess in the first place. By Patrick, that lot's worse at letting go than Uncle Arthur is. [She sighs] Sometimes I wish Doctor would let us take that box of his back to stop it from even startin'.

Oh come on Uncle Connor! 'Tis not like keeping an eye on that stupid lot's a difficulty, and we're enough not like police that it wouldn't even register. Except Auntie Gwen. She's a bit of a sore thumb.

She'd stop it all if she thought they'd listen to her.

[torn_betweentwo]

You know he wouldn't let you do anythin' o' the sort. The Troubles were somethin' a long time comin'. If they didn't explode in 1969, it would've happened at another time.

You've studied up on that time period, yeah? If you've done your homework properly, you'd know that dealing with those damned parades is askin' for trouble. If you try to keep them from marching, the bleedin' Orangemen start whinin'. If you line the streets where the Orangemen want to march, the nationalists and Catholics will start actin' up and try to get you out. I don't want anythin' happenin' to you or any of the others. [He reaches over and puts a hand on her shoulder, staying silent now.]

[peirebasafhail]

Aye, aye I know he wouldn't. [She pouts] Still can wish.

We wouldn't stop them, I'd never hear the end of it from Uncle Alfred with his "protect free speech" speeches. And I'd hardly think the five of us count as "lining the streets." I know and they know how to handle shite like this! We don't want anything more happening to you! [Yup, got her mum's temper this one]

[torn_betweentwo]

You might know how, but you're forgettin' I've been dealin' with this shite since it started up and I'm still sittin' here today.

[peirebasafhail]

Aye, if you call being hunched over there half drunk "sittin'." And with no help from Uncle Arthur either. [She groans] Why does it have to be such a temperamental situation?

[torn_betweentwo]

I call it bein' alive, for the most part. [shakes his head] You'd have to ask those that got involved.

[peirebasafhail]

Can't say much then for this being alive thing if this is what 'tis. Sounds more like survivin' and little else. And I would be asking them if Doctor would take me back, but after the last time he's forbidden me from going anywhere near the 1970s in any country.

[torn_betweentwo]

[He sees an opening... CHANGING SUBJECT, HARD LEFT.]

Now... why would he ban you from the 1970s everywhere?

[peirebasafhail]

[She glares at him but goes along with it] Because last time he took us to West Germany in the 1970s Aodh and I tried to get a bus to Northern Ireland or something that dumb little kids did like that. And the time before that in 1970s France.

[torn_betweentwo]

You kids are somethin'... [shakes his head] It's really better that you don't see the 1970's. They were very dangerous times here.

[peirebasafhail]

Hey, 'tis your nephew and niece we are, what did you expect us to be like? And you think Torchwood isn't dangerous or something, Uncle? The 1970s would be a cakewalk compared to some of the shite we get hit with.

[torn_betweentwo]

That so? [His expression goes dark and stormy. Someone touched a nerve. :X] You ever watch your friends get shot right next to you? Had their blood spray all over you? Ever seen a bomb go off so close you can feel the heat and power of the damned thing, let alone seein' the dead blown to pieces and hearin' the survivors scream in agony. How about hearin' guns go off almost every damned day of the year? Hearin' riots the next street over and seein' the smoke from the flames from petrol bombs, not knowin' if they'll bring the fight to your doorstep? If you even breathe a word or show any sign of bein' Catholic, you'd have a ton of Orangemen down your back so fast, and you'd be damn lucky if the police left you alone.

Every day, Catholics and Protestants wondered where bombs would go off, where the fights would start, if today was the day they or someone they knew would never return home in one piece or at all.

So don't you EVER let me catch you sayin' the 1970's were a cakewalk.