#jihoon & darius.

[wilds1de]

location: heartbreaker bar

featuring: darius ( @driftrz )

jihoon was fully contemplating on skipping the valentine's day celebrations. not only did he not care about the holiday, but he wasn't feeling particularly festive. he's here because xile convinced him by buying him a drink. so one drink became two, ultimately losing count. after the new year's party, he did decide he wouldn't be attending any other party sober. and he's keeping that promise! he's about to leave the bar when his eyes land on darius, doing a double take. things would've gone so differently if he was sober. he wouldn't be walking in his direction, for starters. he leans against the wall next to him. "good to know you're alive, at least." because at one point, jihoon was convinced the worst had happened to his friend. or ex friend, now. "so, how long were you planning to hide? didn't peg you for a hypocrite." his words are said with a bite in them, straight to the point. he's not one for confrontation usually. but he's not thinking his words or actions through, driven by the liquid courage and his annoyance and anger. but there is honesty in them, mirroring his actual thoughts on the whole situation. the betrayal still feels fresh.

[driftrz]

what do you think you’re doing? @drftings

two fucking fights in a few hours. even the bartender felt bad for darius, handed him a little ice pack — modeling was gonna be fucked for a few weeks while his bruises healed. that throbbing he feels is definitely a black eye. fucking jihoon, he thinks, but there's no malice to it. just a low resignation, lacking as much fire as a sigh breathed out. he's the one in the wrong, anyway. he wasn't in the wrong with the second fight, really more of a mauling against his person. doesn't know why she decided to attack him like a feral chihuahua, but she'd managed to get a few good hits in. really, a part of him had allowed it. he deserved them, why not surrender to them ? the cold against his wounds feels nice, but the dark corner he's tucked himself in is uncomfortable. what a mess. if they didn't have that meet coming up, he'd head home early just like in new years'. and then, just as he's really getting into his sulking session, there xile is : had somehow managed to sneak up on him, but her voice he could hear louder than any music or drunken conversation. xile, xile, xile, xile. was this what forever was going to be — quiet pining for a love he tore apart ? pathetic of him, when she’s moved on. and still there it was, neverending. this friends shit was supposed to get rid of that. glances up, finding her gaze. " gettin' my shit rocked, apparently. " tries to grin, but that makes his cut lip sting, so expression turns into a grimace and a hiss. " thanks for not goin' too hard on mari. she's not really a fighter, she just... it’s jihoon. " shrug, as if the name of an ex explained everything. maybe it did. he certainly knows what it’s like to feel a little crazy over someone three years too late. the ice pack moves from one side of his face to the other. it's not the most bruised up she's ever seen him, but there's still something that feels vulnerable. maybe it's because the last time he'd been hurt in front of xile — the new years' bruise didn't count — was when he'd left her. his eye’s swollen, uncomfortable, but as she gets closer, he notices the scraps on her. “ mari didn’t do that. shit, are you okay ? ” for a moment, it feels like there'll be a lull between them. like she might not answer. did she not trust him enough to ? he doesn't want to think about that. silence means he'll be left to think, to have his mind wander more than it already does. when it comes to his mind, all those who wander are lost. instead, he blurts the only thing he can think of : " they've got a photobooth set up. we’re lookin’ a little fucked, but, i was thinkin’, if you wanted to… "

[thr0ttle]

NEW  PROMPT  ‼️ define  ur  muses  approach  to  loyalty  within  the  crews  &  if  it’s  important  to  them  or  not.  or,  a  realization  in  how  little  the  rodani  prowlers  matter.

see,  it’s  like  you  have  an  imaginary  rope.  name  one  end  pride.  the  other  is  called  loyalty.  you  can’t  divorce  them  from  each  other.  they’re  the  same  and  not  the  same.  it’s  like  you’re  ten  and  playing  tug  of  war  all  over  again.  what  drives  the  win,  the  need  to  topple  the  other  side?  pride.  one  tug  and  they  go  tumbling.  on  the  other  hand:  what  has  you  tugging  harder  for  your  teammates?  loyalty.  against  or  for?  they’re  kind  of  the  same  thing.

what  was  it  you  learned  in  high  school  physics?  every  action  has  an  equal  and  opposite  reaction.  you  want  to  win  —  want  to  be  better  than  the  other  team.  that’s  pride.  right?  

so  the  equal  and  opposite  reaction  must  be  loyalty.  tug  on  pride  and  you  get  loyalty  in  return.  you  want  to  win.  you  get  the  win.  you  serve  the  crew.  that  has  to  count  as  some  semblance  of  loyalty.

(  it’s  different.  you  think  about  the  way  your  fingers  dig  into  tem’s  arm.  the  way  you  sit  shoulder  to  shoulder  with  xile.  there’s  a  memory  of  you  sandwiched  on  the  couch  between  jihoon  and  minkyu.  on  the  hood  of  the  car  next  to  jet,  lips  curled.  slipping  a  pair  of  sunglasses  into  gunwoo’s  hair.  falling  into  steps  with  victoria.  listening  to  the  hum  of  eric’s  car.  across  the  table,  staring  bambi  down.  in  the  dead  of  the  night  with  eddie,  an  unexpected  warmth  sparking.  as  a  stray  dog  trailing  after  kaiyo.  in  the  passenger  seat  watching  hawk’s  deft  fingers  switch  gears.  leaning  against  the  railing  of  some  club  with  giselle.  brushing  past  the  crowd  to  stand  in  front  of  joji.  there’s  rhiannon  draped  over  your  car,  lari  under  it  with  some  tool  you  can't  possibly  name.  even  calling  hana  ‘princess’  is  tinged  with  a  fond  edge  on  the  good  days.  are  you  still  playing  tug  of  war?  you  think  about  how  you’ve  reached  across  the  border,  sometimes,  slipping  past  darius’  apartment  after  he  leaves  your  car.

none  of  that  is  born  from  pride.  )

you  think  you  get  it  —  what  loyalty  is.  it  doesn’t  matter  what  they  do  or  who  they  are.  it’s  bigger  than  that.  you’ve  seen  the  way  jihoon’s  mouth  bares  teeth,  soft  around  the  edges,  when  rome  comes  around.  yours  curve  into  a  scowl  instead.  give  it  a  million  more  years,  and  you’ll  never  understand  that  bond.  you  look  at  xile  and  hunter  and  shake  your  head.  and  then  tem  whines  about  xile,  and  you  nod  and  think  about  how  you  trust  her  hands  more  than  anyone  else’s,  and  you  don’t  say  this  out  loud.  you  witness  eric  and  gunwoo  claw  and  spit  at  each  other  and  you  sit  on  the  sidelines  and  find  both  later,  separate  times  on  separate  nights.  it  doesn’t  matter.  here’s  the  thing  about  pride  and  loyalty.

pride  belongs  to  the  crew.  loyalty  is  yours.  they  don’t  have  to  be  mutually  exclusive.

[wh1plash]

for : eddie dunn @c0urs — heartbreaker bar.

bruised  and  battered  knuckles  hold  a  cigarette  at  it's  end,  a  less  than  perfect  looking  mirae  settled  on  the  steps  near  the  bar,  uncaring  the  way  her  obscenely  short  skirt  provided  minimal  comfort,  nothing  more  than  the  smoke  she  was  breathing  out  to  warm  her  up.  it  was  almost  too  hot  inside,too  suffocating  to  continue  to  endure.  her  hand  is  still  sore  from  hitting  darius  and  jihoon,  dreading  the  idea  that  the  meet  would  be  starting  soon.  a  few  more  minutes  of  peace  is  all  she  needs,  surely.  but  of  course,  a  looming  figure  does  little  to  provide  her  that,  straining  her  neck  to  glance  up  from  the  ground.  "  oh  great.  it's  you.  "  another  dumb  fucking  boy.  didn't  this  world  have  enough  of  them  ?  “  i  already  have  a  headache.  please  don't  give  me  another  one.  ”

[wilds1de]

sometimes, jihoon wonders if there'll come a day where the nariza split stops chasing them. they're like some ugly ghost that keeps haunting the prowlers. but that's not feasible, is it? not with how often they come face-to-face with them and they're quite literally their rival race crew. the split brought the prowlers together. they're the ones who stayed when things went to literal shit. these are the people he'd go to hell and back for. xile is one of them. jihoon can see the different ways the betrayal impacted the crew members. some were more vocal about it than others. some, like jihoon, kept it tightly sealed. till it came out tonight in an explosive fight. but it didn't feel enough, did it? fighting darius wasn't enough, no, it didn't bring him any satisfaction or the closure he'd been unknowingly seeking. "you sound confused by that." he doesn't think it's that shocking that she came up in the conversation one way or the other. "i might've told him to fuck off and leave you alone because you've moved on." a pause. "your ex is a jackass. in my defense, he was shitting on us. claimed he doesn't give a shit about the prowlers." clearly a lie when he's trying to talk to xile again. not a good lie at that. who's he trying to fool? "oh, she clearly did ask her friend. i got punched for it." fucking nariza bois.

his eyes narrow as he tries to catch what xile is admitting to. it's another admission said with no breath in between. "did you say something about us doing the do?" he blinks, face palming at the words. "oh, you're insane." but it's not said unkindly, but with fondness. he knows his best friend is without filter more often than not. "fucking hell." he shakes his head. there's very little that xile could do that would truly anger him. and well, he's done his own fair share with her ex, too. he feels bad that mari was caught on the receiving end of all of this, because the mari he knows can't fight. "did you let her think we're becoming parents? we're too young to be doing that, xile." just when he already corrected one of mari's assumptions about his personal life, she's probably out there quickly believing another. first minkyu, now xile. it never ends. he shouldn't be here wondering where mari is. or what's going through her mind about everything that went down tonight. focus, jihoon.

after   the   split,   there'd   been   moments   of   uncertainty.   everyone   on   edge,   everyone   looking   around   at   a   sparse   crew   and   wondering   what   came   next,   the   months   that   followed   were   laced   with   bitterness.   heartache,   anger,   it   all   went   hand   in   hand   at   the   time.   while   many   had   dealt   with   the   aftermath   alone,   privately,   the   mechanics   had   stuck   together.   it   helped   that   they'd   join   rodani   around   the   same   time,   that   their   sense   of   loyalty   matched,   that   they   often   found   themselves   in   mirrored   moments.   three   years   later,   it   mattered   to   xile   that   they   remained   by   each   others   side.   he   wasn't   a   relationship   she   would   risk.     “    i   came   up   in   the   conversation?    ”       it   wasn't   anger   in   the   question,   it   was   hesitation.   confusion.   at   the   quirked   brow,   eyes   hastily   look   away   with   pouted   lips   remembering   the   time   earlier   in   the   night   she   had   rushed   through   a   keynotes   version   of   her   argument   with   marigold.   she   hadn't   told   him   much,   run   on   sentences   without   a   breath   in   between,   but   she'd   managed   to   at   least   admit   that   she'd   spill   the   little   she   knew   of   his   sex   life   to   his   ex.     “    i'm   sorry!    ”       whined,   hands   thrown   up   in   a   half   tantrum   that   would   go   nowhere,     “    i   didn't   say   anything   besides   the   fact   you   two   fucked,   and   that   she   can   ask   her   friend   since   she   clearly   didn't   believe   me.   damn,   maybe   she   did   decide   to   ask   her   friend.    ”       eyes   catching   his   up   above,   wincing   at   what   she'd   have   to   admit   next,     “    actually,   i   might've   said   something   else   too.   don't   kill   me,   okay?   but   i   might'vemadesomevaguecommentsaboutus   and   it   could've   givenhertheimpressionwe'redoingthedo.   which   by   the   way,   she   hopes   we   have   some   cute   babies!   your   ex   is   kinda   weird.    ”

[wh1plash]

for : won jihoon @wilds1de — heartbreaker bar.

she  needs  out  of  this  godforsaken  bar.  her  knuckles  hurt,  her  head  hurts,  her  heart  hurts.  everything  just  fucking  hurts  right  now.  if  there  was  a  prize  for  who  could  have  the  worst  possible  night  start  to  finish,  mirae  would  sign  herself  up  to  be  in  the  running.  maybe  it  would  be  the  one  time  she  actually  wins.  instead,  her  spiral  continues,  bumping  right  into  some  large  body,  only  for  her  eyes  to  darken  as  she  looks  up  and  sees  who  it  is.  "  you...  "  something  in  mirae  bursts.  not  like  she'd  done  with  darius,  something  more  targeted  this  time  around.  he'd  done  an  awful  good  job  at  insinuating  her  lack  of  height,  and  perhaps  strength,  but  a  mirae  with  rage  was  an  unthinkable  beast.  she  hadn't  been  thinking  about  the  guilt  of  her  actions  when  she  went  after  darius,  but  it's  impossible  to  ignore.  he  has  wounds  of  his  own  for  reasons  unknown,  yet  mirae  still  feels  like  she's  the  only  one  paying  for  their  mistake.  "  what  the  fuck  is  wrong  with  you  ?!  who  the  fuck  did  you  tell  ?!  "  she  all  but  screams,  voice  piercing  as  she  pushes  against  his  chest.

[wilds1de]

location: heartbreaker bar

featuring: mari ( @mvmentum )

this fucking night. fuck valentine's day. fuck the nariza bois. jihoon is so fed up, and is cursing the second he agreed to go out. he managed to get an ice pack from the bartender, but the throbbing pain hasn't subsided in the slightest. if anything, it grows by the minute. he's not sure how things got to this point, and not sure what started the domino effect of drama. xile and mari's fight? seeing darius? or maybe him and mirae hooking up three months ago? it was all a tangled web of messes, too messy for his liking, but it's not like he can do anything about it. he's already gotten into two fights. he can feel a black eye forming and he'll sure he'll be even more exhausted tomorrow with the inevitable bitch of a hangover. he'd love nothing more than to leave back to his apartment, but with the meet in less than an hour, it seemed like his night was nowhere close to ending. there's no way he's staying at heartbreaker bar one minute longer, since this fuckass bar seemed to attract drama.

he's heading outside when he spots a familiar figure. her back is to him, but he doesn't need to question who it is. he knows right away. the reality is, he can pinpoint her in a crowd full of people. his brows furrow, letting out a slight sigh to himself. three years of zero contact and a lot happening in the span of just two months. 2007's shaping up to be a shit year. for a moment, he freezes in place. not sure what to do. should he talk to her? he's gotten enough of a gist of the fight between her and xile, and she knows about him and mirae now. but that is only scratching the surface of the heavy and cruel history they share. it barely covers it. he silently walks up to her, standing next to her and glancing down at her. "i'm—" what is he supposed to say, really? obviously, it's been proved they can't really talk to each other. not after everything. "are you okay?" it's not the smartest question, but there's nothing else he can say.

[wilds1de]

jihoon is having one last drink before planning to leave this bar once and for all. he's long overstayed his welcome, but the fights with darius and mirae had sobered him up to a level he is not quite content with. if he can't go back to the apartment now, he needs a drink to keep him up through the rest of the night. after all, there was a meet he needed to get to in an hour. he looks over at jet, his words making him chuckle lightly. jihoon's not the best company right now, but jet is a welcome change from everything that's gone tonight. "the bartender's sick of me asking for ice packs. had to appease him by getting a drink," he jokes dryly, gesturing to the drink in his hand. "you havin' a good night?" better to switch the conversation onto jet, not particularly thrilled to be talking about his own night. he'd much rather hearing about someone else's.

for   jihoon   hephaestus,   set   at   heartbreaker   bar   …   @wilds1de takes   place   some   time   before   midnight   on   valentine's   day   !

there’s   a   stir   in   the   air   at   heartbreaker.   one   too   many   fights   and   way   too   many   jilted   people.   jet   doesn’t   pretend   to   know   what   anyone   is   mad   about   –   so   much   of   it   in   the   past,   so   much   of   it   lost   to   jet’s   narrowed   focus   on   the   race.   so   when   sitting   next   to   jihoon,   it   isn’t   with   any   intention   to   discuss   the   reasons   for   the   elephant   (   elephants   ?   )   in   the   room:   a   bunch   of   prowlers,   including   jihoon,   have   beat   up   faces   right   now.   presumably   not   all   for   underground-street-racing-rivalry   related   fights,   either.   so   he   doesn’t   ask,   but   he   doesn’t   bother   dancing   around   it   either.   instead,   all   he   offers   is:   “   your   ice   pack   looks   like   it   isn’t   cold   anymore.   you   should   ask   for   another.   ”

[mint--pozzum]

Thoughts on this chapter

Dupyo darius did mention something about the Ansan, Incheon, Cheonliang crews are on different level than the Seoul kids, so maybe in the future (like idk 100 chapter from now?) we got vin hobin and marry miru backstory we've been waiting for ages 🙃

Did Jihoon james pay visit to the juvie recently cuz jiho and dupyo do know something about him? Whatever it is these two somehow become a lil bit more relevant again now

I don't understand why we need another crew to unify the whole thing. Like isn't that what DG told to hyunseok supposed to do long time ago?

Lookism 357

Turn out the hoodie guy from last chapter is Dupyo. Tf are you doing in here????

Why the juvie kids are out in recent chapter (He's with dupyo though)

Well Dupyo carry message from Lee Jihoon to the ansan crew

Ah shot here we go again

[thr0ttle]

"you  don't  look  like  you—"  they  stop  mid  -  sentence,  jihoon's  answer  a  collision  that  rips  out  the  rest  of  what  they  were  going  to  say  right  out  of  their  throat.  in  hindsight,  tania  knows  this.  what  else  would  the  bruises  be  if  not  a  fight?  the  question  had  always  been  who,  not  what.  why,  instead  of  how.  well,  he's  answered  half  of  that  now.  darius.  mirae.  the  latter  is  a  coincidence,  really,  but  the  former?  they  blink  at  him  again.  whatever  history  their  friends  share  with  each  other  has  never  been  something  that  they  cared  to  dig  into,  and  yet.  a  sigh  leaves  their  lips.  "do  i  want  to  know  why?  two  fights  in  one  night,  really?"  had  he  know  them  less,  maybe  it'd  read  like  disappointment,  but  the  truth  is:  "who  are  you  and  what  the  fuck  have  you  done  to  won  jihoon?"

jihoon stays silent, watching tania's reaction shift. he can predict the thoughts going through their mind. he's not one to show up with bruises on different areas of his face. he's not one to engage in fights. hell, this whole night is abnormal. it's funny that a month ago, they had gone to the bar because new year's eve party was ass, but this night takes the cake. their words make him laugh a little. "tripped," he repeats, shaking his head. "if you think i've tripped, maybe i don't look shit as i feel," he jokes. he still hasn't looked in the mirror. just knows his whole face hurts. "i got into a fight with darius. then got punched by mirae. here, answered before you have to ask." fucking nariza bois.

[wilds1de]

"i haven't made a decision yet. depends on how this goes," he says, a playful tone to his voice. coming up with convincing excuses to get out of going somewhere is a skill of his, but coming with xile had been an immediate yes on his part. there's not a lot of people he would do anything for. he reaches for the hot sauce, never one to say no to hot sauce. "that kinda makes it worth it." he gestures to the breakfast burrito with a mirthful eyes. her reaction to his words comes as no surprise, shrugging at it. but he knows there's no real seriousness behind it because it is so like jihoon to ignore something first before attempting to acknowledge it actually happened. "well, i'm saying something now," he points out. now jihoon's not usually an expressive person, his facial expression unreadable more often than not, but he's left mouth open for a moment. he was supposed to be taking his very first bite of the breakfast burrito! "darius? who—darius?" his old friend had dropped off the face of the earth a few years ago, to the point jihoon feared the worst at one point. "wait. there's so much happening right now. what do you mean he's nariza now? that doesn't make sense." because the darius he remembers considered the prowlers family, and had been very opinionated when the split between the crews happened. then again, the shittiest part of all of this is that so many people had turned their backs on the crew that it should feel normal for him, as if the whole thing didn't slice through the crew like a knife. "didn't think of stopping by the prowlers for a quick catch up, it seems." the sarcasm is merely to deal with the nastiness of the situation. "though, good for you for punching him." a pause. now he finally takes a bite of that burrito. "you okay, though?"

in   some   twisted   trick   of   fate,   the   mechanic   was   an   early   bird.   she   always   had   been.   as   a   child,   it   worked   out   in   her   fathers   favor   when   she   got   herself   up   and   ready   before   the   fourth   alarm   rang   for   him.   and   now   as   a   young   adult   it   didn't   matter   that   she'd   manage   to   get   approximately   two   hours   of   sleep   last   night,   she   was   still   the   type   to   get   up   before   the   alarm.     “    are   you   hating   being   up   this   early?    ”       the   sheepish   grin   contradicting   the   thoughtful   question,   dropping   the   aluminum   foiled   wrapped   breakfast   burrito   into   his   hand.   eyebrow   raising   as   she   wordlessly   questions   whether   he'll   want   hot   sauce   with   it.   she's   nothing   if   not   prepared   this   morning,   the   new   year   resolution   that   she'll   start   to   actually   eat   breakfast   meals   something   that   most   likely   won't   make   it   past   a   week   into   the   year.     “    pre   -   midnight?    ”       said   around   a   bite   of   tortilla,   tabasco,   chorizo,   egg,   and   cheese,     “    somethin'   happened   before   midnight?   you   didn't   say   anythin'   when   we   went   swimmin'!   are   you   holdin'   out   on   me?    ”       no   real   heat   behind   the   words,   the   friendship   the   two   held   relaxed   enough   that   neither   expected   to   be   told   details   of   each   others   life   right   away.   it   either   came   or   it   didn't.     “    well,   okay,   wait.   ‘cause   i   have   got   to   tell   you   ’bout   this,     ”       another   bite   of   the   burrito   washed   down   by   a   sip   of   coffee,     “    did   you   know   darius   is   back?   scratch   that,   has   been   back!   i   saw   him,   accidentally,   before   the   races   outside   of   12welve.   punched   him,   but   'sides   the   point.   ‘pparently   he’s   been   in   miami   a   year,   and   wanna   know   why   we   haven't   seen   him?   he's   nariza   now.    ”    

[driftrz]

there's something inescapable about anger. it seeps into every crevice and corner of a person's being, adrenaline the fuel that drives it, the first hit shared between two bodies all the ignition needed for a flame to burst. three years of anger and resentment and guilt in every punch. the only moment of reprieve being jihoon's forehead slamming against his nose, the impact visceral, the crack of bone enough to make him stumble back. if his nose is broken, he doesn't care, 'cause jihoon's getting another hit in and all darius wants to do is break, break, break. next strike to jihoon's gut, because he wants him to ache physically, the way his words have made darius ache. but that was the thing about physical wounds : they'd fade, and all that would be left in a few weeks is the reminder of what a broken thing their bond had become. it was an ugly fight, too, senseless, nothing but a way for the two to make each other hurt. maybe he shouldn't let his ex friend get the last word in, but right now he's too angry to give a fuck about that, wounds starting to sting, face throbbing. must've hit jihoon so hard his fists are cut up, too. can't quite tell where his blood ends and the other's begins. doesn't matter, really, 'cause he's about to bruise up jihoon's stupid face a little more — until he's being tugged off, bar staff pulling him and jihoon off of one another, buzz in his ear replaced with the bartender yelling at him for starting a fight inside.

jihoon loses any semblance of logic and reason. he's functioning fully on his anger and bitterness. he doesn't care to talk anymore. darius is a traitor, he doesn't owe him a thing. he doesn't care that everyone's eyes is on them or the implications of this fight. he wants to expel the resentment boiling in his veins, letting it explode through his fist. he wants to hurt him, as if hurting him will bring closure. as if hurting will make them even. it all happens so fast. one punch for another. darius is hitting back. jihoon sees white when darius's fist meets his eye, then his jaw. he lets out a muffled groan at the impact, adrenaline washing over his entire body, defenses up. he's quick to slam his forehead to darius's nose. doesn't care if his entire face bruises. the other was an import model now, wasn't he? no one's going to want him modeling in front of their cars when his face is all bruised and fucked up. he only stumbles back a bit before jihoon's grabbing him again. "i'm just telling you the truth. maybe if i break your goddamn thick skull, you'll see it clearer," he seethes. he doesn't stop. he can't. he doesn't know how to and doesn't care to. he's already reaching to punch him again. he's not sure where it lands, if it's on his cheek or nose or jaw or eye. he doesn't care. it lands on his face, either way. xile was the jugular, the pressure point in all of this. but the reality of the matter was that this was far too complex. it was about xile and his protectiveness for his best friend who deserved better, and it was about jihoon. he saw in darius a brother he never had, only for that brother to turn his back on him and their family. it was about loyalty; it was about the prowlers, too. if his ex friend thought all of this will be pushed under the rug like it was nothing, he would be sorrily mistaken. "you made your bed, now fuckin' lie in it."

[wilds1de]

jihoon loses any semblance of logic and reason. he's functioning fully on his anger and bitterness. he doesn't care to talk anymore. darius is a traitor, he doesn't owe him a thing. he doesn't care that everyone's eyes is on them or the implications of this fight. he wants to expel the resentment boiling in his veins, letting it explode through his fist. he wants to hurt him, as if hurting him will bring closure. as if hurting will make them even. it all happens so fast. one punch for another. darius is hitting back. jihoon sees white when darius's fist meets his eye, then his jaw. he lets out a muffled groan at the impact, adrenaline washing over his entire body, defenses up. he's quick to slam his forehead to darius's nose. doesn't care if his entire face bruises. the other was an import model now, wasn't he? no one's going to want him modeling in front of their cars when his face is all bruised and fucked up. he only stumbles back a bit before jihoon's grabbing him again. "i'm just telling you the truth. maybe if i break your goddamn thick skull, you'll see it clearer," he seethes. he doesn't stop. he can't. he doesn't know how to and doesn't care to. he's already reaching to punch him again. he's not sure where it lands, if it's on his cheek or nose or jaw or eye. he doesn't care. it lands on his face, either way. xile was the jugular, the pressure point in all of this. but the reality of the matter was that this was far too complex. it was about xile and his protectiveness for his best friend who deserved better, and it was about jihoon. he saw in darius a brother he never had, only for that brother to turn his back on him and their family. it was about loyalty; it was about the prowlers, too. if his ex friend thought all of this will be pushed under the rug like it was nothing, he would be sorrily mistaken. "you made your bed, now fuckin' lie in it."

brief moment of levity. jihoon's face darkens, but he almost looks like he'll leave. isn't jihoon the responsible one ? that was how it used to be. except that isn't what happens. he should know time changes people. his back meets the wall with a harsh sound, but that's not what hurts. not when the other keeps talking. you can't seem to stop bothering xile. she's long moved on. and that's it : the neutral - angry expression drops, vulnerability exposed for a split second. gone when fist collides with jaw. she's moved on, she's moved on, she's moved on. he'd known that. that was why he'd left, so that she could move on. only he'd still be pining for someone three years later. but hearing it so confidently from someone else's mouth hurts in a way that's almost indescribable. the punch wakes him up from that. if xile had moved on with jihoon, she'd never forgive him for fighting back like an animal, for refusing to be normal about a split he initiated. but he isn't thinking straight right now, with the one fucking button he doesn't want pressed being pushed on again and again, and did it matter ? she'd moved on. he just wants to see blood. he wants to feel bones crack under his fist. sanguine - eyed deliverance, he shoves the other back before he swings, too, aiming right for jihoon's eye. " i told you t'stop running your fucking mouth. " words accompanied by another hit. doesn't care where they fucking land right now, as long as jihoon can feel them. knuckles kissing against jaw for a bruise to match, brothers in arms turned brothers in terrible fuckin' valentines decisions.

[driftrz]

brief moment of levity. jihoon's face darkens, but he almost looks like he'll leave. isn't jihoon the responsible one ? that was how it used to be. except that isn't what happens. he should know time changes people. his back meets the wall with a harsh sound, but that's not what hurts. not when the other keeps talking. you can't seem to stop bothering xile. she's long moved on. and that's it : the neutral - angry expression drops, vulnerability exposed for a split second. gone when fist collides with jaw. she's moved on, she's moved on, she's moved on. he'd known that. that was why he'd left, so that she could move on. only he'd still be pining for someone three years later. but hearing it so confidently from someone else's mouth hurts in a way that's almost indescribable. the punch wakes him up from that. if xile had moved on with jihoon, she'd never forgive him for fighting back like an animal, for refusing to be normal about a split he initiated. but he isn't thinking straight right now, with the one fucking button he doesn't want pressed being pushed on again and again, and did it matter ? she'd moved on. he just wants to see blood. he wants to feel bones crack under his fist. sanguine - eyed deliverance, he shoves the other back before he swings, too, aiming right for jihoon's eye. " i told you t'stop running your fucking mouth. " words accompanied by another hit. doesn't care where they fucking land right now, as long as jihoon can feel them. knuckles kissing against jaw for a bruise to match, brothers in arms turned brothers in terrible fuckin' valentines decisions.

"i'm running my mouth? rich." jihoon scoffs, shaking his head. this is first real confrontation with an ex prowler turned nariza boi. he had avoided every other confrontation, claiming that they wouldn't be worth his time and energy. but if jihoon were honest with himself, darius comes right after mari on the list of people whose betrayal cut deep. it cut in different ways, of course, but still, the impact is there, loud and brutal, something he fears he might never be able to fully put behind him. so far, darius's words have been light, not enough to bother him, till he talks about how he did a shit job looking for him, claiming he wasn't worried at all. if darius was trying to push his buttons, it works. he sees red. what does darius know about what happened after he left? nothing. yet he runs his mouth, spewing bullshit. if he did, he'd be swallowing his pride and words. there's the tiniest voice in the back of his head telling jihoon to walk away and not give him the satisfaction. let it go, he's not worth it. if there was a one percent change de-escalating the situation between them, it's gone. then again, with the way this conversation started, it ultimately defined how it would go. it's the second time jihoon acts on his impulses. he's not thinking his actions when he grabs the other by the collar of his shirt and slams him to the wall. it all happens so fast. "you're a piece of shit, y'know that?" he says, hands still on his collar. "you don't care about the prowlers? actually, no, i haven't noticed that. probably because you can't seem to stop bothering xile." there's a quick and fleeting wave of guilt that washes over jihoon for going for the jugular. he shouldn't be bringing up xile. but she was so interconnected in all of this. he's his best friend who got hurt. she had already punched him for what he did to her, but his words deserve a another one. "that's low, even for you, darius. she doesn't care. she's long moved on." but that isn't entirely true, is it? if anyone understood xile, it's him. he doesn't pause to see how the words impact darius, no, he's quick to swing at his face, fist colliding with his jaw with a force.

[wilds1de]

"i'm running my mouth? rich." jihoon scoffs, shaking his head. this is first real confrontation with an ex prowler turned nariza boi. he had avoided every other confrontation, claiming that they wouldn't be worth his time and energy. but if jihoon were honest with himself, darius comes right after mari on the list of people whose betrayal cut deep. it cut in different ways, of course, but still, the impact is there, loud and brutal, something he fears he might never be able to fully put behind him. so far, darius's words have been light, not enough to bother him, till he talks about how he did a shit job looking for him, claiming he wasn't worried at all. if darius was trying to push his buttons, it works. he sees red. what does darius know about what happened after he left? nothing. yet he runs his mouth, spewing bullshit. if he did, he'd be swallowing his pride and words. there's the tiniest voice in the back of his head telling jihoon to walk away and not give him the satisfaction. let it go, he's not worth it. if there was a one percent change de-escalating the situation between them, it's gone. then again, with the way this conversation started, it ultimately defined how it would go. it's the second time jihoon acts on his impulses. he's not thinking his actions when he grabs the other by the collar of his shirt and slams him to the wall. it all happens so fast. "you're a piece of shit, y'know that?" he says, hands still on his collar. "you don't care about the prowlers? actually, no, i haven't noticed that. probably because you can't seem to stop bothering xile." there's a quick and fleeting wave of guilt that washes over jihoon for going for the jugular. he shouldn't be bringing up xile. but she was so interconnected in all of this. he's his best friend who got hurt. she had already punched him for what he did to her, but his words deserve a another one. "that's low, even for you, darius. she doesn't care. she's long moved on." but that isn't entirely true, is it? if anyone understood xile, it's him. he doesn't pause to see how the words impact darius, no, he's quick to swing at his face, fist colliding with his jaw with a force.

grief and guilt and guilt and grief. those were the only two things he was made of. it's almost satisfying, that jihoon can't see it : as if the prowlers making him all villain might mean he's wrong about his own true feelings, that regret isn't something he'll be stuck on for the rest of his life. " pull what ? telling you to fuck off ? just tryin' to be honest. " how terrible it is to be seen by an old friend. to still have the ability to be seen by him. jihoon pulls back the veil over darius and sees the coward underneath, and that has his veins lighting electric. " you don't know what you're talkin' about, and you should stop running your mouth before it gets you in trouble. " he'd wanted a peaceful night after the last big party on new years', and yet here he is, standing down against jihoon. still, there's something almost poetic about this, knife in back twisting and twisting. one confrontation against a past he can kill. ( delusional until the end. xile isn't the only ghost that will follow him for life. ) " did a pretty good job of it until tonight, though. whole year back and you didn't find me once. maybe you're not as good at lookin' as you think, for someone who wants to act like he was so worried. " not quite as sharp as he wishes the words could be — jihoon didn't know. he couldn't know. darius would never allow it. so he lies. lie after lie after lie, spilling expertly from his mouth. " could care less about the prowlers, if you haven't noticed. i don't think about them at all. sad, huh ? you aren't even worth talking shit about anymore. so, we're back to where we started : get the fuck out of my face. "

[driftrz]

grief and guilt and guilt and grief. those were the only two things he was made of. it's almost satisfying, that jihoon can't see it : as if the prowlers making him all villain might mean he's wrong about his own true feelings, that regret isn't something he'll be stuck on for the rest of his life. " pull what ? telling you to fuck off ? just tryin' to be honest. " how terrible it is to be seen by an old friend. to still have the ability to be seen by him. jihoon pulls back the veil over darius and sees the coward underneath, and that has his veins lighting electric. " you don't know what you're talkin' about, and you should stop running your mouth before it gets you in trouble. " he'd wanted a peaceful night after the last big party on new years', and yet here he is, standing down against jihoon. still, there's something almost poetic about this, knife in back twisting and twisting. one confrontation against a past he can kill. ( delusional until the end. xile isn't the only ghost that will follow him for life. ) " did a pretty good job of it until tonight, though. whole year back and you didn't find me once. maybe you're not as good at lookin' as you think, for someone who wants to act like he was so worried. " not quite as sharp as he wishes the words could be — jihoon didn't know. he couldn't know. darius would never allow it. so he lies. lie after lie after lie, spilling expertly from his mouth. " could care less about the prowlers, if you haven't noticed. i don't think about them at all. sad, huh ? you aren't even worth talking shit about anymore. so, we're back to where we started : get the fuck out of my face. "

"why, are you capable of feeling guilt? i can't guilt trip you if you clearly don't have it in you to feel it," jihoon points out, because you can't feel guilty after leaving your crew and your family behind, no. the nariza bois splitting from the prowlers left an anger and bitterness that has been gradually and quietly festering in jihoon. so quietly that he doesn't acknowledge it and doesn't give it attention or weight. it's been three years in the making. it's directed at a lot of people. but the knowledge of darius's betrayal is fresh and it stings. this the same person who stood by the prowlers when the split happened, who had made his opinions loud and clear about the nariza bois. so how is he with the enemy? if he were sober, this conversation would've started very differently, but it doesn't change that the honesty is there: brutal and hurtful. "you don't get to pull this shit. you sound like a coward right now." that's the shitty part about betrayal. you consider someone a friend, and they they turn their back on you and act high and mighty about it. but darius doesn't know that it was jihoon who stood by xile's side when he left so much ruin in his wake. he doesn't know that jihoon tried to look for him, because in his head, there's was no way his friend could leave them behind—something must've gone wrong. no, he just jumped crews. see, that was the shitty part about betrayal. he lets out a light chuckle, devoid of humor. "if you wanted to 'ignore me', maybe popping up with the nariza bois wasn't your smartest choice. tell me, do you shit on us with them the same way you used to shit on them with us?"