"I beat ye! Ya drink like a girl!"
"Fuck you, you drink like a girl!"
"I am a girl!" Barrie chuckled, burping quietly and pushing the empty pint glass across the bar, smirking at the disgruntled stranger in front of her.
"Told ye, man," Murphy snickered, throwing an arm around Barrie's shoulders. "Ye can't beat the Irish when it comes ta downin' pints! Not even the women!"
"Especially not the women!" Connor corrected him, making Barrie squeal as he pinched her side. "I do believe ye owe us all a pint!"
"Fuck that, she cheated!" he pointed an accusing finger at Barrie. "She… She… She used her feminine wiles on me!"
"Do ye mean me boobs?" Barrie looked down at her chest. "Me top's not even that low."
"The fuck did she cheat, she beat ye fair an' square!" Murphy frowned. "Not havin' ye accusin' our girl o' nasty tactics, are we, Con?"
"No," Connor shook his head. "So that'll be three pints o' Guinness, please, and a whiskey chaser for the lady," he clapped a hand on Barrie's shoulder. "And yer gonna pay for it. Don't back out on a bet."
"Boys, boys…" Barrie giggled, swaying on the bar stool and yelping when Murphy wrapped his arms around her waist from behind her, to stop her from falling. "Think I've had enough, anyway. Maybe I should get ta bed! Take me home, lads!"
"Yer'll have a long fuckin' walk if we take ya home!" Connor snorted.
"Take me to your home, smartarse!" she reached out and slapped him over the head, unwinding Murphy's arms from round her waist and stepped towards Connor. "Yer've gone even more handsome, Con. Didn't think it were possible," she sighed, stroking his face gently as he smirked at her, hooking his arms around her waist.
"Ye must be really fuckin' drunk, Barrie," Murphy chuckled.
"Yer've let yerself go a bit, Murph. Not as cute as I remember," she cocked her head to the side and stuck her tongue out at him, the vibrations of Connor's laughter travelling through her and making her shiver as she turned to look at him again, her hands grabbing hold of the lapels of his coat. "How d'ye feel about sayin' hello the same way we said goodbye, ey?"
"Not wi' me in the fuckin' room, ye ain't!" Murphy pointed his freshly lit cigarette at them, a frown on his face.
"Relax, I was just jokin'," she rolled her eyes and turned around in Connor's arms, her back against his chest as he rested her chin on his shoulder.
"Let's get ye home, then, lass," hi whispered, kissing her cheek and pulling away from her as he took hold of her hand.
"If it far?" Barrie questioned, her eyelids feeling heavy as she yawned. "Because on of ya's might have ta carry me if it is."
"Reckon ye can make it upstairs?" Murphy asked with a wink and Barrie stared at him, confusion written all over her face. "We live upstairs, Barriie. Doc wasn't usin' is an' we had ta leave our old place after Connor got kicked in the nuts by a lesbian."
"What th'fuck does that have ta do wi' us needin' ta leave?!" Connor grunted.
"Nothin', I just like tellin' people the story!" Murphy laughed and Barrie squeaked, shaking her head in amusement as Murphy dodged Connor's punch.
"Con! M'tired!" she swatted at his arm.
"Aye, c'mon, I'll take ya ta bed," he sighed, lacing his fingers through hers and leading her towards a set of doors.
"Yeah, I'll bring ya case up, Barrie," Murphy grabbed hold her suitcase and the boys said a quick goodbye to everyone in the bar, before Murphy started to follow them upstairs.
"Ye tryin' ta cockblock ya brother, Murph?" Barrie asked him, yelping as she tripped over the step, Connor grabbing hold of her to stop her from falling. "Can't let him take me ta bed on his own? Don't know what ya's have been up to since ye moved out here, but I'm not into kinky shit."
"Christ yer a lightweight, Barrie," Connor chuckled.
"What, not even wi' two good lookin' lads like us?!" Murphy asked, his eyes wide as he feigned shock. "Well, one good lookin' lad, an' Connor."
"Ey, you shut up, Murphy MacManus!" she turned to him, jabbing a finger at his chest. "I'll have ye know that Con is beautiful! He knows how ta treat a girl properly!"
"Fuckin' hell, Barrie, shut up!" Connor laughed embarrassedly, grabbing her round the waist and pulling her into the room. "Home sweet home!"
"Put me down!" she huffed, hitting Connor's back and letting out a squeal when he dropped her down onto his mattress. "Wait where am I sleepin'?"
"Yer'll have ta get in wi' one of us," Murphy shrugged his shoulders and Barrie looked up, her eyes meeting Connor's as she bit her lip and he scratched the back of his neck. "Or ye can always go find a hotel if that's better for ya."
"No, no. Here's good," she nodded, groaning as she pulled herself, pulling her jacket off and opening her suitcase as she searched for her pyjamas. "Where am I supposed to get changed?"
"Said it before, Barrie. Nothin' we haven't already seen," Murphy shrugged, pulling his jumper over his head. "Connor's seen even more of ye and I feel a bit left out, if I'm bein' honest!" he snorted. Barrie opened her mouth and turned to say something to him, stopping when something caughter her eye.
"What's that on ye arm?" she frowned, standing up and walking towards him, her fingers wrapping around Murphy's wrist. "Looks like ye burned yerself, clumsy oaf."
"Yep, burned meself with the iron," he nodded, quickly pulling his arm away and avoiding her eyes. She caught the glance he shared with his brother and she narrowed her eyes, knowing there was more to the story than he was telling her as she reached out and grabbed hold of his arm again, looking at the scar carefully.
"How'd ye manage ta burn yerself there? Were ya ironin' the shirt while wearin' it?" she raised an eyebrow. "Ye always were a bad liar. Tell me what happened."
"Ah, it's nothin' Barrie, he just-"
"Was I askin' you or ye brother, Con?" she raised an eyebrow at Connor, interrupting him as he tried to step in. "Yer a shit liar, too. Tell me an' I'll drop it. Got me all curious now cuz ya's are bein' so secretive," she crossed her arms over her chest and huffed when neither of them answered her. "Am I gonna have to call Annabelle back home? Sure she'd be happy t'hear her sons are still a pair o' idiots."
"Ye wouldn't dare," Murphy raised his eyebrows at her. Barrie smirked, pulling her phone out of her pocket and waving it in his face.
"I get international calls as well, Dad made sure of it before I left, so I can get in touch all the time…" she paused, flipping the phone open and pressing a few buttons. "Annie McManus… Speed dial, number three. Ye wanna dare me again, Murph? See if I'll do it?"
"Yer worse than she is!" Connor groaned, shaking his head and running a hand through his hair. "Tell her, Murph. She won't let it go otherwise."
"She ain't gonna do it," Murphy narrowed his eyes in a challenge and Barrie scoffed at him.
"Just like I wouldn't go skinny dippin' on yer 18th, ye mean? Seem to recall ya's both saying I wouldn't do that, either. Remember?"
"Ye were sick as a dog for weeks," Murphy grinned. "Was worth it though. Got t'see ye naked."
"Coulda seen me naked plenty o' times, all ye had to do was ask, idiot," she huffed and stared at her phone. "Wonder how Mama McManus will take the news that it was the pair o' you who I went in the water with? Kept that to meself for nine years now."
"Barrie…" Murphy eyed her carefully, his tone warning as he took a step towards her.
"What's wrong, Murph? Not still scared o' ye mother? Yer a grown man, and- Murphy! Get off me!" Barrie shrieked as Murphy grabbed hold of both her wrists and pushed her against the wall.
"Drop ye phone," he muttered, his lips pursed.
"Jesus, Murph, ye wanted t'pin me all ya had to do was ask!" she grinned, sticking her tongue out at him. "Ye gonna tell me what happened, then?"
"Ye gonna tell me mother?"
"Not if ya honest wi' me, no," she shook her head at him. "I can tell when ya's are lyin', though. Remember that."
"Gimme ye phone," he let go of her wrists and held his hand out, but Barrie shook her head. "…Ye realise I can just take it off ye anyway?"
"Really?" she raised her eyebrows, staring at the phone in her hands before she chuckled and stuff it in the waistband of her jeans.
"Ye think I won't go in there t'get it?" Murphy asked.
"Was hopin' ye would," she winked. "Come an' get it, Murph."
"Does yer Da know what a hussy yer've turned into?"
"Course he does, had to earn me keep somehow!"
"Jesus, Mary and Joseph it's like bein' sixteen again with the pair o' ye's bickerin'!" Connor huffed at them. "Murphy, leave her. She won't tell on ye, she's got secrets o' her own that we know about, remember?"
"I've got plenty more dirt on you two than you've got on me, ye should remember that!" she pointed a finger at them warningly. "C'mon, tell me and I'll let it go."
"S'nothin'," Murphy mumbled. "It was just-"
"A bar fight," Connor interrupted quickly. "S'all. Just a bar fight."
"...Ye always used ta get in fights, why wouldn't ye tell me that?" she crossed her arms over her chest and eyed them suspiciously.
"We promised Ma we were behavin' ourselves," Murphy shrugged his shoulders. "Don't need ye tellin' tales on us."
"When have I ever told tales on ya's?" she laughed. "I used ta cover for ya's all the time! God yer both stupid," she shook her head slowly. She watched as they shared a somewhat relieved glance with each other, and she knew they were lying to her. She huffed, going back to dig her pyjamas out of her suitcase and deciding to let it go - for now.
She knew she'd get the truth out of connor eventually.
"Ye can get changed through there," Murphy pointed towards a door. "S'the bathroom. We won't peek - promise."
"Yer promises mean fuck all, Murph," she flicked his ear as she walked past him into the bathroom, pulling the door shut behind her.
"She gettin' in wi' you?"
"Assume so," Connor shrugged, pulling of his boots and jeanss. "Unless ye want her ta get in wi' you. I'm not fussed. Doubt she will be, either, so long as she gets some sleep."
"Aye, if she wants sleep she might be best gettin' in wi' me," Murphy smirked, ducking when one of Connor's boots came flying towards him. "Just sayin', y'know. Ya's have both been drinkin' she's been very touchy wi' ye and ya keep on huggin' her and shit. Don't want ta be woken up by grunts and groans, heard enough o' it ta last me a life time," he shivered. "Last thing I need is ta hear ye wi' Barrie."
"Hear what wi' me?" she asked, walking out of the bathroom and putting her clothes on top of her suitcase.
"Nothin'," Connor told her quickly, giving Murphy a warning glare as he opened his mouth to speak. He kept his mouth shut, laughing as he crawled underneath his blanket. She rolled her eyes at them and stopped by Connor's mattress, looking down at him.
"Shove up then!"
"Yer gettin' in wi' me?" Connor looked at her, slightly confused.
"Aye," she nodded her head. "S'ppose I can get in wi' Murph if ye'd rather, that alright wi' ya Murphy?"
"Pretty girl in me bed? Fine by me!" Murphy wiggled his eyebrows and patted the space next to him. "I know yer've always wanted ta get in me bed, Barrie."
"Course," Barrie scoffed, rolling her eyes at him before she looked back at Connor with a pout.
"Come on, then," Connor grinned, shuffling up to let her in. Barrie smiled happily and slipped down onto the mattress, her back to him as she caught Murphy frowning.
"I'll sleep wi' ye tomorrow, Murph," she yawned. "Promise."
"Just keep the grunts quiet, s'all I ask," he smirked at them, rolling over and turning his back to them. Barrie laughed quietly, smiling when Connor wrapped an arm around her waist and she melted against him, wriggling round to get comfortable.
"Stop it," he hissed at her.
"Sorry," she whispered back. "Just tryin' ta get comfy," she told him, her back against his chest as she huffed and moved her hips, smirking when she heard Connor groan quietly behind her. "Ye alright back there, Connor?"
"Ye know what yer doin', Barrie, an' I suggest ye stop it," he growled warningly.
"What, this?" she bit back a giggled and she pressed herself closer to him. His grip tightened around her and she felt him shift, his breath hitting her cheek and his mouth moving to her ear.
"Don't start somethin' yer've got no intention o' finishin, Hogan."
"Who said I'm not gonna finish it?" she questioned. Connor didn't answer and Barrie smirk, closing her eyes to go to sleep until he felt his teeth graze her earlobe, his tongue flicking out as he sucked the spot behind her ear, making her moan quietly.
"Aye, I remember ye liked that last time I did it, too," Connor told her with a smirk, his grip on her relaxing as he allowed her to roll over and face him.
"Kiss me."
"Ye wha'?"
"Ye need ta be asked twice?" she raised an eyebrow. "Kiss me, Connor."
"….Are ye sure?"
"Ye need ta be asked a third time?" Barrie bit her lip, one hand under her head as the other moved to the back of Connor's neck, her fingers playing with his hair as his eyes fluttered closed. Barrie moved closer to him, and he shuddered when he felt her breath on his lips. "Don't start somethin' ye can't finish, MacManus," she murmured. Connor's eyes snapped open, darker than before as he stared at her, his fingers digging into her skin.
"Oh I'm gonna fuckin' finish it," he growled, pulling her towards him and pressing his lips against hers as he wound an arm around her waist. She sighed happily, her hand slipping down to his bare chest as she tried to wriggle closer to him, only to have him tear his lips away from hers. "Stop movin' like that!"
"Am I turnin' ye on, Connor?" she asked with a smirk, her eyebrows raised in mock innocence as she hooked a finger into the waistband of his boxers. "Maybe ye better punish me for not doin' as I'm told?"
"Yer killin' me, Barrie," he groaned. "What's gotten into ye?"
"Nothin'," she paused, biting her lip as looking up at him. "…Yet."
Connor hissed, attaching his lips to her neck almost immediately and Barrie threw her head back, her eyes closing as he licked and sucked at her skin, not caring that Murphy was lying only a few feet away.
"Yer top's in the way," Connor mumbled. "Take it off," he tugged on the bottom of her t-shirt and she sat up, pulling it over her head and tossing it to the side as he re-attached his lips to her skin. "Fuck me, yer even more beautiful than I remember."
"That's wha' I'm tryin' ta do but ye keep talkin'," Barried groaned quietly. "Three years is a long time to wait for ye, Con."
"Mhmm," he muttered, nibbling at her collarbone and smirking against her skin when she let out a yelp.
"The fuck ye doin', Murph?!" she grumbled and Connor frowned, sitting up and seeing Barrie rubbing the back of her head, an empty beer can lying by his mattress.
"Did he throw that at ya?" Connor asked and Barrie huffed, rubbing he head and whimpering as Murphy turned to face them, wriggling further underneath Connor's body to block herself from Murphy's view. "Are ye hurt?"
"Look at ye all worried about me seein' ye naked when were about to fuck me brother wi' me in the room!" Murphy rolled his eyes. "Yer've got nothin' I aint' already seen, Barrie. And I told ya's before, no shaggin' wi' me in the room!"
"Yer a bastard," Barried told him. Connor looked down at her, grinning when she lifted her hips up and pressed them against his.
"…Get out the room, then," Connor mumbled, keeping his eyes on the girl beneath him.
"Ye wha'?" Murphy asked in confusion.
"Ye said no shaggin' wi' you in the room," Connor looked over at his brother. "Get out the room, then."
"Where th'fuck am I supposed to go?!"
"Do I look like I give a fuck, Murph!?" Connor grunted, his teeth clenched. "Get out!"
"Been here for a few fuckin' hours… Gettin' kicked out me own bed…" Murphy grumbled under his breath, pulling his jeans and his boots on as he grabbed a t-shirt.
"Murphy-"
"Yer alright, Barrie," Murphy interrupted her with a shake of his head. "Lemme know when it's safe for me ta come back," he told her, before he walked out of the room and pulled the door shut behind him.
Barrie sighed as she heard him walking down the stairs and she pushed Connor off her, feeling round on the floor for her t-shirt.
"Barrie? What ye doin'?"
"That was mean," she mumbled. "Didn't have ta kick him out, coulda waited until he was sleepin'… The fuck did I throw me shirt?!"
"Ye bein' serious, girl?" Connor groaned loudly, rolling onto his back and covering his eyes with his arm. "Yer were fuckin' pressin' against me and wrigglin' round, ye think I coulda waited for him to fall asleep?!"
"Ya didn't need to kick him out, Con," she sighed, giving up the search for her t-shirt and grabbing Connor's discarded jumped, pulling it over her head and fixing her pyjama bottoms as she stood up.
"Yer not seriously goin' after him, are ye? Yer've got me all worked up and now yer gonna go comfort me brother?!"
"Goin' ta see if my friend is okay," Barrie pulled a face at him and heard him let out a grunt of annoyance.
"What the fuck am I s'pposed ta do, lass?!"
"Yer've got hands, don't ye? Use 'em," she stuck her tongue out at him as she walked out of the room. She tiptoed downstairs and into the bar, seeing Murphy sat on one of the stools, a cigarette between his lips as poured whiskey into a shot glass. "Hey," she whispered, hopping up on to the stool next to him. "Can I have one o' those?" she pointed to his glass and Murphy. He nodded and wordlessly reached over the bar, grabbing an empty glass and filling it up before he pushed it over to her.
"Didn't mean for ye to come after me," he mumbled. "Sorry I interrupted ya's. Didn't hurt ye, did I? Lemme see," he shuffled his stool closer, not waiting for an answer as his fingers gently brushed the back of her head. "Yer'll live."
"It's fine," she smiled up at him. "I didn't mean for him ta kick ye out, Murph. Guess we got a bit carried away."
"Mhmm," Murphy nodded, reaching a hand out and tugging on the sleeve of the jumper she was wearing. "How come yer wearin' me jumper?"
"Oh," she frowned. "I thought it was Con's, sorry. Couldn't find me t-shirt."
"Ya threw it at me, lass," Murphy chuckled. "Was goin' to leave ya's alone t'get on wi' it until ye shirt hit me in the face!"
"Oh, God," Barrie groaned, burying her head in her hands, her cheeks burning in embarrassment. "I'm sorry, Murph!"
"S'alright," he grinned, patting her back and moving her hair out of the way as he poked her neck. "Gonna 'ave a bruise there, thanks to me brother," he told her.
"Probably gonna have a few," she pulled a face and drank the whiskey Murphy had put in front of her. "Does the old guy not mind you stealing his booze?"
"Who, Doc? Nah," Murphy shrugged his shoulders. "…Have ye really left Con up there?"
"Yep," she smirked. "He seems a little mad at me but I wanted to come and speak t'ya, didn't get a chance t'talk properly tonight."
"Coz yer've been glued to Connor since ye walked through the door," Murphy raised an eyebrow. "Can I ask ye somethin', girl?"
"Of course ye can."
"…Why Connor?" Murphy asked awkwardly, fidgeting in his seat when Barrie gave him a look of confusion. "I mean, why'd ye sleep wi' him?"
"Which time?" she shot him a smirk and Murphy shrugged his shoulder, watching and waiting for her answer. Barrie sighed, her gaze fixing on the small glass in her hand as she picked it up and downed it, pulling a face at the aftertaste and gesturing for Murphy to pour her another one. "I don't know. I wanted to, I guess."
"No, I mean…" Murphy sighed. "If ye liked me back then, like ye said ya did. Why did ye go wi' Connor?"
"…Yer the one who told me to give him a chance, Murph."
"When the fuck did I say that!?"
"Night of ye party," she looked up at him curiously. "Ye came ta say bye, said ye were headin' home wi' Angie O'Doyle. Ya pulled me to the side, gave me a hug, said sorry for bein' a dick and ye told me to give Con a chance. …Ye were never interested, Murph, an' I always knew that," she frowned. "What does it matter? It was nine years ago."
"Doesn't, I s'ppose," Murphy paused, groaning inwardly and wondering why he'd brought it up. "Just makin' sure he didn't take advantage of ye."
"Connor, take advantage o' me? Really?" Barrie smirked. "Ye woulda thought he was the virgin the way he was actin'!"
"What?!" Murphy spluttered, the whiskey he'd just taken into his mouth escaping and dribbling down his chin. He huffed when Barrie laughed at him and he wiped it away, his eyes narrowed as he watched her. "Ye were a virgin, and ye slept wi' him because I told ye ta give him a chance?"
"Ah, I never said that," Barrie poked his nose. "I flirted a bit and I kissed him because ye told me ta give him a chance. I slept wi' him because I wanted to, because he made me feel safe and loved and wanted. Knew he wouldn't hurt me. I trust him. And he smells really good too, so that's a bonus o' course!"
"Ye sayin' I smell bad?"
"Well…" Barrie scrunched her nose up and Murphy snorted, shoving her away as she tried to sniff him. She let out a shriek as she slipped off the stool and Murphy's eyes widened as he darted forwards, catching her around the waist, his hand slipping underneath the jumper she was wearing as he steadied her. "Thanks," she whispered, looking up and feeling her breath catch in her throat when she saw how he was looking at her, his thumbs rubbing her side, their noses almost touching. "Should get back upstairs, before Con takes up the whole bed."
"Aye," he mumbled, his arms wrapping around her as he pulled her into a hug, burying his face in her neck and taking a deep breath. "Ye smell like home, Barrie."
"That a good thing?" she asked quietly, putting her arms around his neck as she hugged him back.
"Yeah, tis," he breathed in, his eyes still closed and his mouth by her ear. "And ye can keep me jumped. Looks better on ye, anyway."
"Thanks," she yawned, pulling away from him and rubbing her eyes. "M'tired, Murph."
"Let's get ye back to ta bed, then, c'mon," Murphy tugged her arm, leaving the bottle of whiskey and the empty glasses on the bar as he lead her back upstairs, pausing when they back to the room. "Ye might 'ave trouble wakin' him up again," he pointed at his brother, who was lying on his stomach, his mouth open as he snored softly and Barrie huffed when she saw him spread out on the mattress.
"I'll wake him up," she shrugged her shoulders and walked over to Connor, poking him repeatedly and hissing his name. "Wake the fuck up ye baboon," she grunted, reaching a hand down and pinching him. Connor grunted in his sleep and shoved her away. "Ah ye fuckin' piece o' shit I'm not afraid ta chuck water all over ye and-"
"Barrie," Murphy interrupted her ranting, his tone full of amusement as he looked at her from his mattress. "Ye can get in wi' me, ya know? He'll just kick ye in the night, anyway."
"Arse," she hissed at Connor's sleeping form, kicking him as she walked past and slipped into Murphy's bed. "Sleeps like the dead."
"Aye," Murphy nodded slowly. "Always has done. Can bring all kinds o' girls back wi' me and he doesn't wake up once."
"Ye know, if you slept like the dead, we wouldn't have had this problem in the first place," Barrie poked at chest and Murphy's finger wrapped around her wrist as she stared at her.
"Wouldn't have had this problem if ye weren't tryin' ta get ye leg over, ya mean," he grinned. "Seducin' me brother on ye first night here."
"Not for the first time, though," she smirked, squeezing her eyes shut as she yawned again. "Night, Murph."
"Night, lass," he murmured, pressing his lips softly to her forehead. "Sleep well," he whispered as she closed his eyes, vaguely aware of Barrie's hand still in his.
"Murph?" she whispered sleepily.
"Mhmm?"
"Tomorrow, yer goin' ta tell me how ye really got that scar on ye arm," she sniffed, shuffling closer to him.
"Aye," he muttered, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulled her towards him as she shivered. "If ye insist."