Let the games begin! *fires pistol*
Also, the name for this fic was inspired by a song, just like the prequel. They're lyrics from the song No Mercy by Pvris, if you haven't heard it, give it a listen. I don't know why it feels so appropriate for this fic.
Our hands always covered in shame,
But it won't wash away.
There's blood in the water but it tastes so sweet.
St Patrick's day; Lila had not been informed wrong when Doc told her the place would be packed, she felt like she hadn't stopped since she set foot through the door. She was grateful the man had given her the night off before. The day had been easy going mostly. She had woke early with the boys and went to mass. The boys were grateful she was once again attending church with them, it had taken a whole month after the accident for her to be able to step foot inside the church again. After mass the boys walked her back home, more hyper alert it seemed after the somber story the father had told in the church. They'd gone to work and when they had returned, Lila had an Irish stew waiting for them, she had gotten this recipe off their Ma and they were more than grateful for the reminder of home. The boys Ma got on well with Lila and whenever she rang, she would speak to the girl too, she was excited about the upcoming nuptials and she would be coming to Boston for the wedding. Lila noticed the woman never made a single comment about both of her sons being with her, and she was grateful, it could have been super fucking awkward, but their Ma seemed to be on the same page as they were.
When the boys got home, Connor was limping and Murphy took great delight in telling Lila how Connor had been kicked in the nuts by a girl. She also learnt the woman got a swift right hook from the darker haired boy, she couldn't say she was surprised, Murphy wasn't about to sit back and let his brother get hurt, girl or not. She had been finishing off the food whilst Connor comically sat on the sofa icing himself, Murphy trying to shower but the water was playing up again. When the phone rang, she had answered it, knowing it was their Ma. Their Ma was a strange woman, she had a heart of gold inside of her and she loved her boys, but she also loved to fuck with them relentlessly, it was plain to see just where Connor and Murphy got their mischievous side from. She had been told of the plan, so she watched from the sidelines as Connor begged his mother on the phone to put down their Da's gun. She felt a pang of guilt though when a towel-clad Murphy ran over to his coat, almost falling in the process, yelling 'Christ Ma!' Over and over like he was about to just fucking run to Ireland to stop her. The boy was adorable in every sense of the word.
Despite knowing of the woman's plan, even she flinched when she heard the gunshot and she watched the phone fly from Connors' hand, the boys scrambling on the floor to grab it, shouting 'Ma!' so loud they sounded like fucking goats. She couldn't contain her laughter though and when she heard the older woman laugh too, the twins turned to glare at her, knowing she had been in on it the whole time. They dreaded their Ma coming to Boston for the wedding, no doubt she and Lila would team up against them, God fucking help them all. After that ordeal, they ate their food and went on their merry way to celebrate St Patrick's day at Lila's place of work, where they were currently laughing and joking, just having a good time as usual, just with a few more shots thrown in for good measure, it was a celebration after all.
She looked to her boys, sat at the bar with Rocco and just being their usual cheeky selves and she smiled. The night before, after the revelation that they wanted to try for a baby, well they had to have a slightly awkward and interesting talk. She had not taken the pill since, and the three had sat around the table after Connor had asked what kind of shit they could do to ensure she got pregnant.
"Ovulate m'girl? The fucks that?" Murphy asked warily. The boys were sat opposite her at the dining table and she looked at his innocent endearing face, trying not to laugh. Connor sat forward a little, leaning over the table so intent on her answer like he was hungry for knowledge, the whole thing was fucking comical.
"It's when the egg gets released to be fertilised." She said seriously. Murphy's eyes widened a little, a blush sweeping through his face and making the tips of his ears turn pink. Lila's nostrils flared as she tried not to laugh, he looked so frightened of the whole thing, so fucking bashful. Connor nodded, stroking his chin thoughtfully and she continued.
"Well, girls can only get pregnant when they ovulate. It's like the only window of opportunity for it. It usually happens two weeks after your period but mine are irregular so, I probably ovulate weird." She explained, leaning back in the chair a little.
"Ye mean ye can't just get pregnant at any time?" Connor asked sounding fascinated as he looked at her. She shook her head at him.
"You basically have like 24 hours once a month to try." She replied, glancing to the bashful twin who was blinking at her, looking a little overwhelmed. She had no doubt he didn't expect this kind of lesson today, he probably just wanted to do the deed, not talk about it.
"24 hours? Fuckin' hell. How do people manage te get knocked up all the fuckin' time?" Connor snorted incredulously, making Lila huff a laugh. Connor hummed, thinking once again and Lila watched him half amused. She could practically see the cogs in his mind whirring away.
"So, is there a way te check? Te make sure we know when the time's right and all that shit?" He asked curiously. Lila sat up straighter and ran a hand through her hair, noticing the darker twins eyes drawn to the motion, he always loved her hair.
"Look, there are tests and shit but I'm not doing that." She said firmly, making Connor squint at her and Murphy tilt his head curiously.
"Why the fuck not?" Connor huffed almost petulantly.
"I don't want this to be a huge thing, I don't want the pressure. It'll take the fun out of being with you and I don't want that okay? Like Murphy said, Gods will. We stop using protection, go about life as normal and when it happens, it happens." She replied softly, a blush of her own colouring her cheeks.
"I like that plan." Murphy smiled shyly at her, reaching for her hand and entwining their fingers together. He didn't like all this fucking ovulation and period talk, it made him uncomfortable. They could just fuck her every day, surely that would fucking work, no need for one of Connors grand plans, as much as he could see his twin itching to make one. Connor was quiet for a moment, mulling her words around in his head before giving her a dazzling grin.
"Aye alright." He smiled at her, his hand taking her other and squeezing it.
"Lila!" Rocco shouted over at her with a grin, waving his empty glass at her.
"Liiiilaaaaa!" The boys chimed in, singing her name obnoxiously to get her attention and she snorted a laugh, shaking her head. They were almost drunk at this point and the night wasn't over. She walked over and quirked a brow with a smile of her own.
"What do you hooligans want?" She asked affectionately, watching as Murphy took her hand and kissed it sweetly. She smiled at him being so sweet, but he had to take it a step further when he took one of her fingers in his mouth and sucked on it, a wicked glint in his eyes that made her knees weak. He let her finger go, licking his lower lip with a devilish smirk at her bright red cheeks. The boy was the devil incarnate when he had alcohol in his system. Rocco clicked his fingers in front of her face, bringing her back to reality and he looked between the pair incredulously.
"You done?" He asked giving Murphy an amused look and Murphy just let out a boyish laugh of delight as Lila blushed once more. Connor shook his head with a grin, used to his brother's antics by now with the girl.
"A round of shots please Lila, get one for yourself." Rocco smiled warmly at her. She nodded and moved away to pour them out.
She set the shots in front of them but before she could grab hers, Connors' hand slid it away from her. She tilted her head, looking at him like he'd grown an extra head.
"Ye cannae drink m'girl." Murphy said softly, seeing how confused she was. Rocco looked at her with wide eyes, then to the boys.
"Are you pregnant?" He asked incredulously, his head whipping around at all three of them. Lila snorted and gave Connor a look for opening his mouth.
"Not yet Roc." Connor smirked at him, looking somewhat smug about it, mirroring his twin on the other side of their hairy friend.
"Yet? Yet?! Are you guys tryin' for a baby? Holy shit!" Rocco almost fell off his fucking stool and Lila felt like she would burst into flames if she blushed any harder.
"Keep yer fuckin' head on Roc, aye we are." Murphy laughed at his friend.
Rocco glanced between the three of them, looking somewhat emotional before wrapping his arms around the brothers either side of him.
"This is the best fuckin' news I've heard in months. You three, you're gonna fuckin' kill me." He sniffled, making Lilas' eyes widen a little as the boys looked at him amused.
"Are you crying?" Lila asked shocked, making him withdraw his arms from the twins and wipe his face.
"No! ...Yeah! Yeah I fuckin' am 'cause this is beautiful, you three fuckin' knuckleheads are gonna have a baby!" He said defensively. Lilas' heart squeezed at her best friends emotion at the whole thing, it made her feel emotional. The boys grinned and gave him a dramatic kiss to his cheeks, making him swat them away and grumble at them.
"Now that's out there, I'm not pregnant yet so why can't I drink?" She asked, furrowing her brow at them both.
"Ye'll want to prepare yer body aye? Be o' the best health te carry a wee babe." Connor supplied, watching as Murphy reached his arm over and swiped Lilas shot from in front of him, downing it. He shot her a mischievous grin and she rolled her eyes with a smile. It made sense, if they wanted a baby she should look after herself more to make sure she would be fit for it.
Another hour passed, the boys were taking the piss out of Doc whilst Lila was serving people. She felt the tingle down her spine and it made her stand straighter. It was the same sense of dread she felt last time, before the bar fight, the same sense of foreboding she had before the car accident. It made her stomach clench and she looked at the brothers to see if they felt it too. They seemed too drunk to notice much but Murphy turned to her, like he knew she was looking at him. He blinked curiously at her, their eyes locking for a moment, but then she saw it wash over him, he felt it too. Connor stopped laughing at whatever Rocco had said, looking over too and then the boys looked at each other. Something was coming. The moment passed and Lila furrowed her brow, wondering what the fuck that was she just felt, but people needed serving so she pushed past it.
"Listen boys, I've got some very bad news...I'm gonna have te close down t-t-t-the bar." Doc stuttered regretfully. Lilas' head whipped towards him as he spoke to the boys and the other regulars sat around them and she frowned. She listened on as she served drinks, something about the Russians buying him out. She knew the mob had been buying up the buildings around here but Doc hadn't mentioned anything to her about them wanting McGintys. She felt a pang of sadness in her chest, this was her place of work, her home away from home. This was where she met the boys. She didn't want to give this place up, they were like a family here. She could hear the boys talking to the older man and Roc offering to speak to his boss. Lila shivered, she hated how the mafia seemed to be closing in around them. After what happened to her father, she wanted away from it all. The only reason she had stayed in Boston after her granda had died was because she had fallen in love with the boys.
A little more time passed and she got the feeling again that something bad was on its way. Something fucking indeed, and that something was three hefty Russian fucks walking in like they owned the place. It didn't take a genius to figure out they were mob-related, especially after what Doc had just told them. They had a menacing energy and she tensed, watching carefully as all eyes turned to them. The boys' eyes glanced to Lila for a moment, almost like they were checking she was out of harm's way.
"I am Ivan Checkov, and you will be closing now." The man in the middle said as he took off his gloves. Lila swallowed thickly, she could feel the sense of doom getting bigger and she knew this wasn't going to end well. Her heart was hammering against her rib cage with anxiety, just being this close to someone so dangerous. She knew first hand just how dangerous these men can be. She watched in horror as the boys and Rocco stood up and she resisted the urge to tell them to sit the fuck down. Murphy had that face on him, the one that said he was in a mischievous mood and was about to stir some shit up.
"Checkov? Well, this here's McCoy. We find a Spock, we got us an away team." He smirked, slinging an arm around a swaying Rocco who was grinning. The other patrons laughed around them and Lila gripped the dish towel in her hands tighter, she didn't find it funny, fucking provoking them like this, what was the boy thinking?
"I'm in no mood for discussion. You, you stay, the rest of you, go now." Ivan growled, gesturing to the door.
"Why don't ye make like a tree... and get the fuck outta here!" Doc yelled, his face red as he was clearly getting angry. The others in the bar groaned at Doc once again getting his shit mixed up, but Lila was still stood tense. The boys grabbed their shots from the bar and their eyes connected with Lilas for a second. Connor was the first to turn back around but Murphy kept his eyes on her a second longer, she shook her head slowly at him, pleadingly not to cause more shit with these assholes. He just gave her a cheeky wink and turned back around.
"Ye know he's got 'til the weeks end right? Ye don't have te be hard asses do ye?" Connor offered, sounding like he was trying to be diplomatic about the whole thing.
"Yeah, it's St Patty's day, everyone's Irish tonight. Why don't ye pull up a stool and have a drink wit' us." Murphy offered with a casual shrug, like he wasn't offering the Russian fucking mob to drink with them all. Ivan looked like the vein in his head was about to burst and Lila stood an instinctive step back.
"This is no game!" He yelled, Lila couldn't see what he did but she heard the sound of glass breaking, it only made her anxiety grow.
"If you don't go, we will make you go." He threatened, eyes scanning the room. When his eyes landed on her, he smirked a little and she felt like she might keel over. The whole thing was making her lightheaded and she didn't like where this was going. She could feel the energy shift in the place and she tensed.
"Listen, if ye want a fight, ye can see yer outnumbered here. We're tryin' te be civil, so I suggest ye take our offer." Connor warned carefully as he looked at the huge man in the middle.
"I make the offers." Ivan growled, pointing towards himself. Lila noticed Rocco then, stood between her boys and swaying from the amount of alcohol in his system, she could just sense his mouth was about to open and all hell would break loose, she wasn't fucking wrong. She watched in horror as he stepped closer to the men like they weren't evil.
"Hey, Boris. What would you do, if I told you,-" Oh no, Rocco no. "-your pinko commie mother sucks so much dick,-" No no no, fucking Rocco. "- her face looks like an egg-" The bar erupted in laughter but it was like time slowed down for Lila as Ivan reared back and punched Rocco square in the face, making her flinch back, she looked on mortified as he hit the floor. She vaguely heard Murphy yell a 'fuck you' to the man as the patrons of the bar started shouting at him.
The boys muttered something angrily in Russian to the man, she had no idea what but the man looked almost confused that these two Irish boys seemed fluent in Russian. They looked to each other, like the calm before the storm that Lila just knew was coming, and they downed their shots. Suddenly the boys dove down and punched the Russian in the legs, knocking him over in a smooth fluid motion, once again showing their teamwork and being on the same wavelength. Lila might have appreciated it like she always did when they did things together, but it was a mobster they were hitting, so it was bittersweet.
All hell broke fucking loose as the patrons dived on the Russians. They were outnumbered but the Russians were big fucks and Lila found herself worrying they might be carrying a gun. She stood behind the bar watching with wide wild eyes, darting to her boys desperately trying to keep up with where they were and if they were okay. One of the Russians went for Murphy and Lilas' eyes widened.
"Murph!" She yelled, instinct making her run to help him.
"Stay away, he can take care o' himself!" Connor shouted harshly, not only to her but the guys about to help him. Doc grabbed her wrist, not letting her leave the safety of behind the bar and she looked at the lighter haired twin incredulously. Of course she knew Murphy could take care of himself but she didn't fucking like it. Murphy grabbed two bottles and smashed them over the assholes head with ease, knocking him out. It felt like there were bodies everywhere and the noise was hurting her ears at the shouting and yelling. How the fuck had it gotten to this point?